Biznik Manifesto

We Believe in People Not Professions.
We don't care what you do, we care who you are and how you do it. We've always got room for another massage therapist, another writer, another programmer, another marketing wonk, another sex star, another DJ, another web designer, another songstress and another unidentifiable ball of potential just waiting for the chance to take the business world by storm. 

We'll never turn anyone away because "we've already filled your spot." If you've got the passion and the drive, we want you.

We Believe in Collaboration, Not Competition. 
Competition is an old myth made up by old men with old ideas and no imagination. There's work out there--big gobs of it--plenty to make all of us fat and happy and (if we eat too much) probably a little tired. 

Bizniks work together. Bizniks form teams. Bizniks will stage a completely collaborative, non-violent coup of the greater business world.

We Believe in Community.
Business is a social game. Let's play together. Biznik isn't something you go to, show up for, log into or whisper about. Biznik is something you are. Becoming a Biznik is just like joining a family. But without the death benefits, crying bouts and awkward and uncomfortable family dinners.

We Believe that Money is a Good Thing.
Say it with us. Take a deep breath. We know it's hard. "Money is a good thing." Money in the right hands is powerful, passionate and cool. We want to make money. We want you to make money. We just want to do it on our terms.

We Believe that High Monthly Dues, Long Term Contracts and Punishment Fees are Bullshit.
(We also believe in swearing to make a point.) Biznik is free. Being a Biznik will always be free. Will we ask you for money someday? Definitely. But not much. And paying will just get you some small bonus, it won't make you king of the Biznik mountain. We won't lie, Biznik needs to make cash in order to survive, but we'll never treat our members like cash machines.

We Believe in Relationships, not Referrals.
We don't care if you never once refer to another Biznik. Do we hope you will? Sure. But we'll take a hard-working, passionate professional over a hackneyed-unethical-referral-throwing-ladder-climber any day of the week. Be a Biznik. Build relationships. And if you've got business to give, go for it.

We Believe in Participation.
Being a Biznik means showing up and pitching in. You can't buy your way to Biznik supremacy, but you can contribute your way there. Show up. Teach a seminar. Post on the boards. Host an event. Take us all to Disney Land (OK, not that last one. Unless you really want to. We all love Space Mountain, and the Haunted Mansion around Christmas time is just cool.)

We Believe in Technology.
Yes, yes, we've seen Terminator. Yes, we know that artificial intelligence is going to enslave all of mankind and thrust our planet into a dark age of warfare. But we still love technology. And we still think that taking advantage of cool web tech combined with fun f2f events is the best way in the world to get the buzz about your business out there. If you aren't tech savvy, don't worry, we'll teach you. But you do have to be willing to learn.

We Believe in Self-Interested Altruism
Give to the group without expecting any return. Karma will come and get you. Karma will hunt you down.

We Believe in Events, Not Chapters
Whether you're in Seattle or Swaziland, we're all part of the same big Biznik. We don't have chapters. And we're not just some web community. Events are the lifeblood of this crazy body and the more of them you go to (or better yet, host) the more you'll get out of  the group.

We Believe in Being Progressive
And that you're smart enough to define what that means for yourself. Bizniks work toward positive change. This isn't politics, it's attitude. We're trying to make the world a better place. We hope you are too.

We believe that building a business can be hard, lonely work. And that Biznik can make it a little easier, and a lot less lonely.
If you believe in these things too, then come and join us. If not, well, why are you still here? Isn't there anything good on the TV?