The members of Bull Run Networking group, who meet Tuesday mornings at Mimi's Café in Gainesville, are serious about their businesses; but do not be surprised to hear contagious laughter peeling from their meeting room.
“You can’t have business fun without laughter,” said group president, Susan Reynolds. “I like to laugh a lot. It creates a nice easy atmosphere. It creates more trust.”
Reynolds, a Tastefully Simple Consultant, joined Bull Run Networking in 2010 when it was a still small group of 7-10 people.
“Neighbors and friends, who owned their own businesses, started it in 2008. They decided they wanted something more casual than other networking groups.”
At that point the executive committee realized a more structured organization needed to be formalized for the group to grow. However, it was to be a delicate balance, because everyone wanted to keep the relaxed, friendly atmosphere.
When it was time to elect a new president in 2011, members came to Reynolds. They liked that she had mentored others, and thought her dynamic personality could command a room.
Reynolds worked with executive members, creating by-laws and procedures. Bull Run Networking ran the risk of becoming another dry, businesslike enterprise, yet it somehow emerged renewed with a bigger group of enthusiastic members.
Today Bull Run Networking has grown to 23 members in diverse industries: law, healthcare, catering, IT, the trades, and just about any industry in the area. They come together to promote each others' businesses through honest referrals.
Business people gather from Gainesville, Bristow, Nokesville, Haymarket, Manassas, and Centreville, and at one point one of the members commuted from as far as West Virginia.
Reynolds believes Bull Run Networking has been successful because it is unique in that neither very formal nor very loose.
”I’ve had people come from other groups shadow our meetings to see what’s made us different. I’ve had secret shoppers in a sense.”
Reynolds sees it as a compliment.
While the mission of Bull Run Networking is to promote businesses in the area. Members have a secondary goal of cheering each other on.
Attending a meeting is to be met with 20-plus smiling faces, celebrating achievements and sending each other “Thank you” notes along with referrals.
“I try to really instill that glass half full feeling. People are sometimes so cautious and heavily guarded,” but Reynolds believes people will really work hard for each other, once atmosphere of trust and friendship is encouraged.
BRN members also reach out to new business owners. Reynolds said those new entrepreneurs bring an extra “spark” of enthusiasm to the table.
“You can be in business for yourself, but you’re never in business by yourself,” said Reynolds, “BRN provides an outlet where although you are your own business owner, the benefit of becoming a member is that you now have a group of salespeople promoting your business on your behalf.”
For instance Reynolds is always thinking about and promoting her members. While dropping off her daughter, she recommended the school have Nokesville Print and Copy Center supply stationary on which parents could excuse their child from class.
But Reynolds is not alone in her enthusiasm.
“The members of the group are more like friends,” said Chris Concepcion of Hardhits Embroidery and Screen-Printing.
Having built the bonds with members, Concepcion is happy to refer his friends, and can count on them to promote his business as well.
“When you build trust and bonds, people will go out of the way to bring you business,” said Reynolds.
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