Join the FSB?

[quackhandle]

No, not Putin's secret police but Federation of Small Businesses.

I am IPSE+ member but wondering if it is worth swapping? I was looking at another Networking group 'BNI Connect', however it is nearly £900 per year for the membership and I read that it doesn't really work for techy based businesses, more geared for Cake makers, plumbers etc.

Edit: FSB good for networking? Some decent reviews on Trustpilot.

qh

[DimPrawn]

No, not Putin's secret police but Federation of Small Businesses.

I am IPSE+ member but wondering if it is worth swapping? I was looking at another Networking group 'BNI Connect', however it is nearly £900 per year for the membership and I read that it doesn't really work for techy based businesses, more geared for Cake makers, plumbers etc.

Edit: FSB good for networking? Some decent reviews on Trustpilot.

qh

I joined many years ago. Seemed to be mostly small shop owners, builders, window cleaners, garages, etc. Not really aimed at IT or tech.

[malvolio]

There seems to be an increasing overlap between the FSB and IPSE's target markets these days, the main difference is that FSB focus on the "industry" side while IPSE look at the workers. However, FSB are not interested in the same things that IPSE's members typically are so won't provide anything like the same level of support if things go wrong.

I've been to a few FSB networking meetings over the years. Typically the sort of skills we sell are not of interest to their members.

As an aside one of the two people that set up PCG/IPSE was a major player in the FSB. He saw the need for a separate organisation, and worked with both for many years.

[courtg9000]

No, not Putin's secret police but Federation of Small Businesses.

I am IPSE+ member but wondering if it is worth swapping? I was looking at another Networking group 'BNI Connect', however it is nearly £900 per year for the membership and I read that it doesn't really work for techy based businesses, more geared for Cake makers, plumbers etc.

Edit: FSB good for networking? Some decent reviews on Trustpilot.

qh

-

I would avoid BNI unless you are doing support or flogging kit.

Be warned with BNI - you have to bring referrals for other people in your chapter - at least 2 referrals each meeting. You will be castigated if you have not brought referrals for each member of your chapter over a given period of time. Some chapters are very badly run. I will save the story of the time 7 members of one chapter got arrested at a golf club for another time.

If you want to do face to face networking look at 4networking instead. There are some contractors that are members.

I have a business plan for some new in this space on my desk (full 9 yards, insurance, discounts, events, travel, leasing, finance,banking, xero, the lot ) but it won't be ready until at a guess end Q2 2021 at the earliest.

A swap from IPSE to FSB might be worth it.

[Lance]

BNI can generate work but it’s likely to be small projects.
They are almost all small business (not exclusively). There is a lot of pressure to generate leads for other members and that does work pretty well if you’re in a good group.
Find someone who’s a member and get them to take you as a guest. That is another thing they pressure people to do (increase the group). That way you can see how it works.
If I was out of contract for an extended length I’d potentially join again.

[courtg9000]

BNI can generate work but it’s likely to be small projects.
They are almost all small business (not exclusively). There is too much pressure to generate leads for other members and that does work pretty well if you’re in a good group (Good groups are few and far between).
Find someone who’s a member and get them to take you as a guest. That is another thing they pressure people to do (increase the group). That way you can see how it works.
If I was out of contract for an extended length I’d potentially join again.

FTFY!

[Lance]

FTFY!

Haha....

How can it ever be too much pressure to help out other members? That’s the entire point of the group. You’ve got 30 people with an interest in helping you find new business.

Too much pressure is when you have no work and bills to pay.

[Paddy]

No, not Putin's secret police but Federation of Small Businesses.

I am IPSE+ member but wondering if it is worth swapping? I was looking at another Networking group 'BNI Connect', however it is nearly £900 per year for the membership and I read that it doesn't really work for techy based businesses, more geared for Cake makers, plumbers etc.

Edit: FSB good for networking? Some decent reviews on Trustpilot.

qh

I never trust Trustpilot, it is full of fake reviews.

[courtg9000]

Haha....

How can it ever be too much pressure to help out other members? That’s the entire point of the group. You’ve got 30 people with an interest in helping you find new business.

Too much pressure is when you have no work and bills to pay.

I can take your point to a certain extent. Helping fellow members of any group you are a member of is generally a good thing, However only up to a point.

Allow me to elaborate.

I have been a guest at BNI twice. 2 different chapters on the South West London/Surrey borders. I was a guest! On both occasions I was pestered for referrals from arriving and on both occasions I was pestered by more than 50% of the group.

On both occasions the way the group attempted to sell membership to me was over forceful and in one case threatening. Bad move on their part as the only response I will give to a pitch like that ends in the word off.

Another example is a former accountant who would regular email his client list asking/begging for business he could pass to his BNI buddies. I would get emails about this certainly twice a week.

I am often asked to return to various BNI chapters as a guest however a combination of what I have outlined above and the golf course incident - 7 members arrested at a networking meeting at a very posh golf course with 3 members of the general public (including me) and a female member of golf course staff assaulted by BNI members means they have zero credibility in my eyes.

[Lance]

I can take your point to a certain extent. Helping fellow members of any group you are a member of is generally a good thing, However only up to a point.

Allow me to elaborate.

I have been a guest at BNI twice. 2 different chapters on the South West London/Surrey borders. I was a guest! On both occasions I was pestered for referrals from arriving and on both occasions I was pestered by more than 50% of the group.

On both occasions the way the group attempted to sell membership to me was over forceful and in one case threatening. Bad move on their part as the only response I will give to a pitch like that ends in the word off.

Another example is a former accountant who would regular email his client list asking/begging for business he could pass to his BNI buddies. I would get emails about this certainly twice a week.

I am often asked to return to various BNI chapters as a guest however a combination of what I have outlined above and the golf course incident - 7 members arrested at a networking meeting at a very posh golf course with 3 members of the general public (including me) and a female member of golf course staff assaulted by BNI members means they have zero credibility in my eyes.

Fair enough. I’m sure they’re not all like that.
As for the OP. He can get himself in as a guest and make his own mind up.