Rough-Ron's

There's a ton of advice about face to face networking available on the web written by those who practice what they preach, but the truth is face to face networking suits some people better than it suits others. You find that out when you start networking...

It's also true that particular networks suit some people better than others, and that the benefits of different networks are broad enough that most successful networkers belong to several. You'll find that out too.

So, let's suppose you are disposed to networking in person. What can you expect to get out of it?

Well, what are you going to put into it? Your investment of membership fees, meeting fees, travel costs, time opportunity, and plain old effort is just the same as everyone else's, a nil sum gain. It's contributions above that baseline that provide the value for exchange, the heat that pops the corn.

The heat you supply needn't always be the white heat of industry either, it can be the warmth of friendship and support for peers that are facing the same or similar challenges to your own, the sharing of experience and advice, connection and reconnection; the point is to supply energy.

Investigate networking groups in your area to see what they offer. There's lots of choice, so instead of banging on about features, here's stuff Refer-On doesn't do that sets it apart:

1. Refer-On doesn't operate a restrictive trades membership, you don't need to worry that the one and only plumber, accountant, web designer or taxidermist slot has been filled.
   If you're up on your business reading (well, from 1989 that is) this is a practical example of Stephen Covey's abundance mentality. There's more than enough differentiation between businesses of the same type, and more than enough of everything to share around.
2. Refer-On doesn't require you to make referrals to validate your worth. At all. Ever. You don't need to worry that you'll be put under pressure to trade your contacts for someone else's.
   Referrals happen all the time, at every meeting, but you don't rush into it. It's the quality of referral that is important, and understanding your fellow members needs and capabilities  whilst clearly expressing your own means when referrals come they are better than warm.
3. Refer-On doesn't lock you to one location, or require you to buy uber-membership to roam.
   Refer-On groups are called hubs, and hubs near to each other are organised so their meetings are on different days; if you can't make your usual meeting, you can pop along to any other hub. If you want to, you can network every day of the week and then some.
4. Refer-On doesn't use a fixed meeting format to rush you from conversation to conversation, again, and again, and again in tiny bites.
   Multiple formats operate at the members meetings according to the character of the hub and the purpose of the group that day, but always with ample time for informal networking to arrange meetings and follow-ups.

Refer-On Amersham & Chiltern Hub

Well, the first thing you need to know is that we meet at Great Missenden Abbey, which is, er, six miles from Amersham. Once you've got your head around that, everything else is plain sailing. We meet on Tuesday mornings from 7am until 9am, over breakfast. Our hub has a focus around shared learning with two-part workshops currently running alongside member presentations, spotlight sessions, and our other types of meeting. The stuff you see in this site illustrates the level of involvement and output of the hub member meetings.

If you want to come along just send a email - and don't worry, no twisting an arm to sign, we'd rather your arms were free to embrace that opportunity for abundance.

Philip Stanley

Amersham Hub Manager