How to start a networking group
Be the person in your town who brings business owners together, and grow your own business in the room you build.
To start a networking group in your town, apply to lead a We&Co Huddle. You'll bring local business owners together, and your own business sits in the room you build. We review your application. Onboarding comes next, before you launch your Huddle.
What you get
Personal
Leadership you can practice
You'll host the meeting, set the tone, and become the person the room looks to.
Confidence through repetition
You'll speak for the group and run CheckIn until both feel like your own.
Known for bringing people together
You'll be the Chief people in your town associate with that Huddle, the one who gets local owners into the same room.
Belonging, friendships, and accountability
You'll meet the same small circle, about 8 to 12 Members, twice a month. That is where friendships and accountability have room to grow.
Professional
Your business in the circle
You'll be a Member of the Huddle you lead, so the referrals and relationships include your own business.
Local reputation and visibility
You'll be the Chief Visitors and Members meet, a visible place for you in your city.
A trusted network where you live
You'll sit with owners who share a target audience and do not compete. They meet in your town, twice a month, and learn who you serve.
A team so you do not build alone
Huddle Ambassadors help with culture and growth, so you do not build alone.
We&Co is a professional networking organization founded in Springfield, Missouri in 2020. We connect small business owners and entrepreneurs across Southwest Missouri in small, high-trust referral groups called Huddles, helping members become each other's go-to referral partners and grow their businesses together.
What to expect
Here is the path from application to your first meeting.
- Apply on the Huddle Chief page, and we review your application.
- Start your membership. Chiefs pay their own first year of membership.
- Review and sign the Huddle Chief agreements.
- Book your 45-minute onboarding session within the next week.
- Have a video call with the We&Co admin team.
- Choose a day, time and venue for your first Huddle meeting.
- Personally invite around 30 local business owners.
- Host your first meeting and launch your Huddle.
Who this is for
This is for you if you want to start We&Co in your own town and be in the room you lead. Huddle membership is open to all professionals.
Open towns are in the question Where are you recruiting Chiefs right now?
Starting on your own, or leading a We&Co Huddle
Same aim: a room of local owners who refer each other, and a place for you in it. The difference is whether you build that alone.
Your place in town
On your own. You are another host asking people to show up.
With a We&Co Huddle. You are the Chief of a We&Co Huddle, the Member local owners associate with that room.
Your own business
On your own. Any introduction depends on who happens to remember you.
With a We&Co Huddle. You hold a seat in the circle, so the relationships and Referrals include your business.
Who knows you
On your own. A different room each time, and people leave with a card.
With a We&Co Huddle. The same local owners meet you about twice a month and learn who you serve.
How you learn to lead
On your own. You invent the role while you run the meeting.
With a We&Co Huddle. The Huddle script gives the meeting an order.
Who is with you
On your own. You carry the group by yourself.
With a We&Co Huddle. Ambassadors stand with you on how the Huddle grows, and the We&Co team is part of onboarding.
Time for people
On your own. You also build the tracking, the reminders, and the follow-up.
With a We&Co Huddle. Referral records, Visitor follow-up, and events live on the platform, so more of your attention can stay on the people.
So you can focus on people, not admin
The meeting order, the records, and the follow-up are already built, so you can stay with the people.
The meeting
A Huddle is about 8 to 12 Members who meet twice monthly. CheckIn uses a Huddle script, so you are not writing a new agenda every time.
Referrals and Visitors
Members log Referrals and co-oping on the platform. The CRM includes a 24-hour Visitor follow-up window.
Events
Event tools cover the calendar, RSVP, and CheckIn for Huddle meetings and community events.
Training beside you
Success Academy includes the Huddle Chief lessons. Ambassadors can see Huddle health, and they use a monthly scrum. Points and badges record Huddle activity.
Questions about starting a networking group
Answers for someone deciding whether to lead. The application is on the Huddle Chief page.
- How do I start a networking group in my town?
- Start with the What to expect checklist above. It runs from the application through launch.
- Is this right for me?
- Yes, if you want to start and lead a networking group in your own town, and you want to be in the room, not only set it up for other people.
- What will I get out of leading a Huddle?
- You'll lead a local room of owners who meet you twice a month, with a seat for your own business in those relationships. People in town will know you as the person who brings the group together.
- How much time does it take?
- Before launch, the personal invite list is about 30 local owners. After you launch, plan on two Huddle meetings a month plus follow-up with Visitors and Members. Earlier steps are in the What to expect checklist.
- Do I need experience leading?
- No experience leading a group is needed. The Huddle Chief lessons in Success Academy get you ready, and the What to expect checklist is the order you follow.
- Will I be building this alone?
- No. You lead the people. The meeting format, CheckIn, Referral tracking, Visitor follow-up, and events tools are already here, so you can focus on people, not admin.
- Where are you recruiting Chiefs right now?
- We are currently recruiting Chiefs in Branson, Lebanon, and Jefferson City, Missouri.
- Can I visit a Huddle before I apply to lead one?
- Yes. Browse live Huddles and visit as a Visitor before you apply to lead. When you are ready, the application is on the Huddle Chief page.
- Is this how to start a BNI chapter?
- No. This is how you start a We&Co Huddle, not a BNI chapter. The comparison of the two formats is on the We&Co vs. BNI page.
- Do Huddle Chiefs pay their own membership?
- Yes. Chiefs pay their own first year of membership. Plan details are on the pricing page.
More answers on our FAQ page.
If you want to join a group instead
This page is for people who want to lead. If you want a seat, start with a visit.