Policies

Rules and Regulations

Business Builders of St Petersburg is a networking group that meets weekly in St. Petersburg, Florida.

What we offer, Why we meet, Who we are:
We are a group of like minded professionals with an organized, structured weekly meeting. We offer a positive, noncompete environment to market your business. We bring business advice to each other and gain practice representing our businesses to an audience. By communicating weekly with the same people about our businesses, we build a team of people who can then represent us to others and help generate business growth. We offer internal and external networking opportunities.

Joining / What’s Expected: Joining the Business Builders of St Pete constitutes of making a weekly commitment to join our meetings, paying $10 per month, making sure other members understand your business and give us the tools to represent your business. Please provide business cards for the other members and the chapter business card file. Use your best efforts to generate leads and referrals for the other members. Give your email address to the Directors Team to be kept abreast of all Group updates. Please ask the Director for a New Member Application when you are ready to join us.

Guests: First time guests can check us out, hand out business cards, pick up current member business cards and enjoy a free lunch with us. Guests may only attend 2 meetings, and then must join to continue attending.

FEES:

  • Fee to Join: There is a one time new member fee of $99. New members also receive a customized business card holder.
  • There is a $10/mo dues fee paid at the beginning of each month. Fees may be used for group events, marketing the group, buying lunch for guests, gift or charity agreed upon, etc. Money will be collected and held by the Director’s Team.

Every member signs the following:
My Commitment Is As Follows:

  • I will help provide an environment for people to grow, businesses to grow, friendships to form and motivation to soar. I will be honest and fair in all of my business dealings.
  • I understand and acknowledge that attendance is key to the overall success of this group. It is at the meetings when I will learn more about other members and they will learn more about me.
  • I will pay at the first meeting of the month an amount totaling $10 per month. I understand that my $10 monthly fees are due whether or not I attend all the meetings that month. I understand the fees are nonrefundable.
  • I will provide 2 qualified business leads for other members per month. Qualified leads are names and contact information of potential clients for specific members of the group.
  • I understand there may only be one member for each business category and that there is only one business category allowed per person.
  • I understand that if any of my services overlap another member’s services, that member may protest my membership and I will be notified of the protest. If the member allows me to join, I understand that I am in no circumstance allowed to speak of those overlapping services at any time during the weekly meetings.

    • Absence Limits: A member is permitted no more than 4 absences in any quarterly period. Membership will be downgraded to “Stand-by” status if attendance does not meet requirement to maintain full membership status. Stand-By status lasts for a minimum of 3 months. At the end of three months, you can either re-apply or you can continue indefinitely as a Stand-By member. If you send a representative to a meeting during your absence, you will not be counted as absent.

    Stand-By Members: Stand-By Members are members who cannot commit to joining the group but have visited at least 3 times. Business categories for Stand-By Members will remain open; therefore, members are welcome to invite guests from the same business category and those guests are welcome to apply for membership. Stand-By Members are required to pay the monthly fee but are not allowed to vote, nor are they allowed to protest a new applicant’s membership. A member placed on stand-by status due to poor attendance can only re-apply for membership if their category has not been filled and if we have not reached our 30 member limit.

    Sabbaticals: Sabbaticals, with few exceptions, are not allowed unless you are able to send a representative as your substitute. If you feel you need a sabbatical and can not provide an alternate during your absence, you may request that the group vote to approve it. Approved sabbaticals are for a maximum of 3 months. At the end of the 3 months, you must resume your attendance or send a representative.
    Members on leave are still required to pay the monthly fee in order to maintain their membership.

    Forfeiture of membership:

    Forfeiture occurs:

  • When a member misses 4 meetings in 4 months OR 5 meetings in 6 months.
  • When a member neglects to pay for one full month even during their absence.
  • When a member mentions an overlapping service they have been asked not to mention.
  • When a letter/email/phone call of resignation is placed.
  • When the group votes to revoke membership of a member due to unethical business practices.
  • When the group votes to revoke membership of a member due to actions deemed detrimental to the chapter’s ability to exchange and generate quality leads and referrals, or adversely affects the dynamics of the group.

    • Average Meeting Schedule
    11:45 am: Director calls meeting to order
    Announcements, contests, etc.
    60 second promotionals, introduce guests
    Two 10-minute speakers
    Leads pass
    1:00 pm: Meeting adjourned, mingling, Outside Business

    Speakers: When it is your turn to present to the group, you will be given a 10 minute time slot. This includes a question/answer period. Speaker rotation is organized by our Secretary. You can talk about your business, who a good lead for you is, what your background is – or give a focused business lecture (i.e. Organization in the Workplace)

    Business Leads: It is suggested that members work to bring at least 2 qualified leads per month. A qualified lead includes a business name, contact name and contact information. We understand that we may not always be able to do so, especially new members who are just learning about the membership and services offered. Leads are not a guarantee of business.

    The same lead given multiple times without action is considered a “duplicate” and will not be counted for contests. (e.g. “I want to come see you for an appt”, but no appt is scheduled.)

    If you have a recurring lead/ongoing business with the same member (e.g. weekly class) please pass one monthly lead the first meeting of the month.

    After you have attempted to follow through with the lead, please return the lead card with comments on the back as to how it progressed. Include a dollar amount earned if applicable. Leads & the money they generate are tabulated quarterly by our Secretary.

    Mixers: Mixers will be held quarterly to invite members and non members to meet our group and trade business referrals. The mixer hosts can choose an intimate location, family environment, or business atmosphere. If you are a member of another networking group, we encourage you to initiate a multi-group function. Mixers are organized by the Social Director.

    Our group is run by a Directors Team. Each member of the Team holds a 6 month term. 

    Philosophy:
    Our group is not for profit, but our individual businesses must earn a profit to grow. Our services should be of superior quality. Members and clients are the foundation of our businesses. Our asset is our ability to serve them. We will be honest and fair in all of our dealings, and strive to serve their best interests as well as our own. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, gender, national origin or sexual orientation.

    Would you like to join us? Contact us at director@businessbuildersflorida.com.