As a small business owner, I am constantly looking for ways to network with other professionals and business owners in my area. I enjoy the interaction between entrepreneurs, inventors, owners and business minded people. It’s an emotion, actually.
In my never-ending quest to meet others, I visit and participate in countless business networks and referral groups. One in particular got me thinking about the general idea; the group will remain nameless for obvious reasons. Maybe I’ve been sheltered, my favorite group meets at a local coffee shop and we have a very relaxed meeting and usually find a topic that suits the majority of the group. The “rules” are simple: show up. That’s all. We expect each person to buy his own coffee if he orders, but this doesn’t belong to the group itself. This structure, or lack thereof, fits my personality wonderfully.
I recently visited a group and almost felt overwhelmed. Everyone who entered the room rushed over to me and introduced themselves, almost as if necessary. I found out later that it was mandatory; furthermore, any member of the group found guilty of not showing up was fined, such as a monetary fine.
I got a copy of the bylaws for this particular group, although I understand the importance of structure, rules, regulations and so on, the idea of having a 35+ page bylaw booklet seemed a bit over the top.
I took it all in stride; I found out later that membership in that group would cost almost $900 a year after quarterly membership dues, fines, and weekly breakfasts. This fact seemed very strange to me, especially when the group’s mission statement includes making money for its members.
Have I been protected? The idea of just sitting around a table with 6 other business leaders sounds appealing to me.
More to come…