G.O.N.E. I is a group of business owners, executives, and decision makers formed with the purpose of developing business referrals through regular networking and relationship building.
The objectives of the G.O.N.E. I are to:
Help make our businesses more visible in the marketplace
Become ambassadors for ALL members of the group
Give and receive business referrals
Build long-term business as well as personal relationships
Brainstorm with other group members
Improve our communications skills
Support each other through ideas, accountability and courage.
Rely on each other for group problem solving
Weekly Meetings
We meet on a weekly basis each Thursday at 7:30 am. We begin breakfast at 7:50 am and we end promptly at 9:00 am. We currently meet at Belvedere Banquets in Elk Grove Village.
Our Typical Agenda
Check-In - Members arrive between 7:00 AM and 7:30 AM, sign the check-in sheet, and record the referrals given & received since the previous meeting.
Networking - The time before breakfast is spent networking, discussing referrals and getting to know each other better.
Breakfast - We are served a buffet breakfast which we eat at our assigned tables while our meeting begins.
Introductions - Once everyone is seated we begin the meeting with introductions. This is the time to thank others who have referred business to you or assisted you in some other way.
Raffle - We have a voluntary raffle each week to help us raise money for special events.
Weekly Report - Our Chairperson will present our weekly report which includes the number of referrals and transactions reported the previous week, year-to-date activity and attendance. The Chairperson will also recognize the member company who gave the most referrals, transactions and dollar amount transacted since the previous meeting.
Member Craft Talk - Each meeting one member has the opportunity to present his/her craft talk to the membership. This talk is usually around twenty minutes in length, and is meant to educate the members about his/her business. By doing this, we make it easier for the others in the group to refer business to us.
It's Not All Business
Throughout the year we get together socially outside of our weekly meetings. Golf outings, holiday parties, bowling and summer picnics bring us together in a more relaxed environment.
