Zen and the Art of Meeting Up for Professional Business Networking

Finding harmony in disparate but connected roles within the AppsJack Business Services Meetups.

I've written several times recently about the AppsJack Business Services Meetups and continue to put thought into the goals, purposes, and capabilities of these things.  Part of me wants them to be exclusive meaning they'll only involve the right people and no riff-raff will be there.  Another part of  me wants them to be inclusive and harmonious meaning that they're great and powerful for those who attend.  So, then, how can this community and these events be both exclusive to the right people and inclusive as to individuals needs?  Seems oxymoronic but the answer lies in role clarity.  I'll explain.

Renshi's Performance Blog defines role clarity as "everyone in the company understanding their role and why they are doing it."  I see this as a major part of what I have to do with these meetups.  The primary roles involved in the meetups are:

1. Entre-ployee - People working at a place where they're kinda bored and looking for something more. They're not really representing this company, but more themselves as an entrepreneur, consultant, adviser or service provider.
2. B2B Service Provider - These are people whose primary business is providing products or services *to* businesses, such as an attorney, software sales  person, consultant, or project manager.  Their market = businesses.  
3. Business representative - These are people who represent businesses.  The Entre-ployee sometimes plays this role but sometimes does not.  
4. Self - Sometimes you're just representing yourself.
5. Non-B2B Business Representative - These are people who work for or represent a business whose primary customer is NOT businesses.  For example, they're dentists, hair stylists, or dog-walkers.  They do not sell directly to businesses typically.

So within these roles five roles, how do we gain clarity?  I think that's the issue that we need to address with the meetups and through dialog on the blog and in our communities.  Why does each role exist?  What are their specific needs?  Where are there synergies?  What are the capabilities of each?  How can they help each other create new opportunities without destroying existing ones?  How can they protect and help one another?  How can they act cooperatively rather than competitively when possible?  

These are the issues we'll be discussing within these meetups as they take off.  What are your thoughts?

A safe platform for entre-ployees: AppsJack Business Services Meetups

Letting employees pursue opportunities (safely) while working helps build the economy.  Here's how.

I've been thinking a lot lately about my desire to form a growing community of employees looking for "more" (excitement, opportunities, income) and mixing them with B2B service providers who are also looking for more.  I'm calling this the AppsJack Business Services Meetup.  I feel like these two groups can benefit each other in a few obvious ways if given a chance...and I'm trying to create that chance.

The employees want more income, more flexibility,  more freedom, and more growth.  For the employees participating in the group they get to meet new people, get help thinking about how to "sell" more change and things internally to their employers, and potentially get attached to fun projects and paid "finder's fee" projects that can result in passive income, helping these employees build their war chest and ability to leave their golden-handcuff situation.  The employees fear: getting bored, not making enough, being bored, being in a dead-end job forever, never realizing their dreams or full potential.

The B2B services professionals want more income, clients, capabilities, ideas, partners and freedom.  From the group they get to meet people within their target market, talk about strategies for selling within, and network with solid professionals who can advise on their businesses and help them think of and connect to new opportunities.  The B2B professionals fear: going out of business, not having enough leads, not being good enough or competitive enough, not having enough business, losing business.

Getting these people together is a win-win situation and further developing processes and services around helping them mix will be good for economic development.  Let's watch it happen!

The AppsJack Business Services Virtuous Cycle

By building a network and community of employees mixed with small businesses, employees who are currently not very empowered are able to strategize with these small businesses who are expert about selling value and change to businesses.

Vision of AppsJack Business Services Communities

I'm really excited right now: I had a great (first) meeting last night for the AppsJack Business Services Meetups that I'm putting together with a few associates.  I'd like this to be a big deal and feel like it has the potential to be and do just that.  

We met at the Pumphouse Bellevue and had a great time.  We covered many topics and had fun, food, and big beers.  I'm super pumped for what's in front of us and wanted to share with you a few details and thoughts on what this is all about and where we're headed.....

Communications.  We'll be good at outreach and communications

We'll stay in touch with event attendees and our networks through email, phones, F:F, blogs, events, lunches, etc.

Meet.  Meetings will continue and improve

We'll keep holding monthly events/meetings/meetups (I need a name, I guess) and: feature a business, have a featured topic, and perhaps alternate venues. We'll mix it up and keep it interesting but we'll add dynamic elements.  We'll get to know and bring the venue owners into the mix to add to the overall value.  We'll provide free beer or something like that to get people in the door.

Services.  We'll start providing services to help people sell

We'll develop a service that allows people to aggregate experience (projects) from various persons and businesses in their network to make a branded portfolio for a single person that makes them look larger than they may be alone.  

Governance.  We'll track how the network grows

We'll keep track of how people are included and introduced into the network to give credit to good additions and growth.

Identity.  "Repping" will be a core concept of the network

We'll flesh out the "rep and refer" concepts.  People can rep themselves or something else but they can only rep a single thing per event.  People need to be focused and intentional, not wavering.   

Community support and purpose.  It'll be focused while helping recruits, startups and established people

We'll ensure that the community stays focused about ONLY BUSINESS SERVICES.  

• For employees.  We'll help employees who are looking for something else an ability to become owners and partners in other businesses and transition from employee to employer.  We'll help these people looking for something  else select a single project or capability that's been a success for them and mature that into something that is salable and scalable.  We'll transition services into products.  
• For startups and small businesses.  We'll help small businesses and startups grow by capitalizing on and delivering services to leads known by recruits. 
• For graduates.  For people who have "made it" and are just looking to help.

We'll clearly define these terms and roles of recruit, startup, and graduates and make this system sing.  We'll make the risk for recruits low and increase opportunities for startups and recruits. 

Safe and legal.  There will be incentives and a legal framework available

We'll provide a legal structure to support collaboration and operations, repositories for the artifacts as well as incentives and compensation for certain relationships, milestones and acts.

We'll grow the network.

We'd really love for you to participate in this community and give us your thoughts on how it can flourish and grow.  Also, let us know what you think this kind of communicate could do or be FOR YOU and how it can add the most value to people like yourself and those you know.