Lara's Biz Talk posts

Changes to "ClubVIP"

On the surface (especially for members in the Seattle area) Biznik is an established well-oiled machine. Scratch the surface, and you'll find an organic living mechanism that is contiually growing and evolving.

The ProVIP members have shown the highest level of commitment to Biznik, and we want to show our commitment to their business success. With that commitment in mind, the concept for "ClubVIP" was born - a program that includes an ongoing series of dynamic interactive classes; small facilitated advisory & accountability groups; and access a toolbox of resources.

As the program began to take shape, we started to question the use of the word "Club." What does it mean to be part of a club? Aren't the Bizniks who chose to be at the ProVIP level already part of the club? Is separation and exclusivity necessary?

Some may notice that the link on the top level navigation for "ClubVIP" was removed, while this Biznik Group has kept the name of "ClubVIP." The series of classes, the advisory & accountability "Hives", and the toolbox of resources are all available to ProVIP members, and are referred to simply as the, "VIP program."

What is the "Biznik ClubVIP" Group?

This Group may be viewed by the entire community, but only ProVIP members may join and contribute. ClubVIP is a place for ProVIP members to gain even more visibility, to meet others who have made the same level of commitment to their Biznik community, and to participate in on-going discussions about VIP offerings and the future development of Biznik. Events with significant discounts for ProVIPs will be listed here. Updates on VIP programs such as the support Hives will be posted here. Articles on a range of topics including Biznik best practices will be published here.

ClubVIP is open to all ProVIP members. Join the conversation by joining the ClubVIP group.

New Terms of Service for Biznik

We'd like to let you know about our new Terms of Service. As Biznik has evolved, we've added new features like Biznik Groups, more benefits to the paying membership levels, and we've gained a better understanding of how folks use the service. As a result, we've updated the Terms - the basic rules that go along with using Biznik. Think of this set of revisions as housekeeping.

We've posted a brief overview on the Biznik blog and you can read the Terms of Service online.

These updates compliment the spirit of Biznik. If we’ve left something out, or if the nature of our service changes, we’ll revisit the Terms as necessary. We’re always open to feedback and comments at info(at)biznik.com.

It’s important that everyone, Bizniks, Biznik Pros and ProVIPs, or is simply those interested in Biznik understand that it’s not about the social network, it’s about how we all use the service that matters most.

Thanks,
Lara Feltin, Cofounder
Biznik, Inc.

Pick up your Biznik Pro name badge until 9/11

If you missed the Seattle Name Badge event on 9/1 - no worries. Seattle Biznik Pros may pick up their badge from the Biznik Headquarters in Fremont until Friday, September 11.

Fremont Space Building
Unit 300
600 N. 36th Street
9am-5pm / M-F

TWO new features for Premium Members: multi-person messaging & event wait lists

Multi-person messaging.

“Is there a way for me to send a message to everyone in my network all at once?” That’s a question we’ve been asked a lot here at Biznik, and today for the first time we can answer “Yes - sort of.” We’d been dragging our feet on this feature, for fear that it would be abused, i.e., that members would use it to spam each other with unwanted messages. But we’ve deployed some better behind-the-scenes methods for catching spammers recently, so the time is right, and as of this morning, you can message your network.

Here’s the catch: This feature is available only to premium (Active & Supporting) members. AND, we’ve initially limited the number of messages you can send at once to 50. So, if you’ve got more than 50 people in your network, you’ll have to add them manually, one at a time.

To send a network message, visit your profile, and click on the Network tab. You’ll see a row of links immediately below the tab:

Your network | message | bookmarks | referrals | connections

Click on “message.” A compose message form appears, and you’ll see everyone in your network displayed in the right column. You can now click on any of their names, to add them as a message recipient.

Please treat this feature with respect, and understand that with great power comes great responsibility. If a message that you send is interpreted as spam by even one recipient, it’s likely that you could lose a friend. And if you notice that you are receiving unwanted messages, remember that all you have to do is delete the person from your network to halt unwanted messages of this kind.

Event Wait Lists.

"An event I want to attend is full, can't I be notified if a spot opens up?" Today the answer is yes - for premium members.

When an event is full, the RSVP button turns into a "Add me to the Wait List" button. Being added to the Wait List does not insure a spot, it simply sends you a notification when a spot opens up. If a number of people are on the wait list, and only one spot is open, everyone on the wait list will receive the notification, and the spot will go to the first person who gets to it.

Event hosts are notified of each person who wait lists - which may prompt them to add additional spots to their event, if they choose.

Two more reasons to upgrade your membership - do so today!

Is it worth $10?

We have asked, and a large number of people have answered. No, Biznik is not worth $10/month. To the Active & Supporting Members, THANK YOU. Your membership is keeping Biznik advertising-free, and employs both a full-time developer (who's constantly adding to and improving the site), and full-time support staff. To those using the service for free, what would make Biznik more valuable to you?

In a never-ending effort, to provide a valuable yet affordable community for all small business people, we're exploring this question. Recently, you may have noticed some recent changes to the site.

One effects the members list on the category pages. Listings with a photo are now reserved for those at the paid level. Profiles with photos receive twice as many visits that those without. Are you getting enough visitors to your profile? Upgrade your membership and add a photo. Add a logo and a video while you're at it. Active Members are also shown a list of names of who's visited most recently.

Another change effects your compliments. While any member may leave a compliment for another member, compliments are only visible on the profiles of paid members. Do visitors to your profile know all the awesome things others have to say about you? Upgrade your membership and the compliments you've collected will appear for all the world to see.

[08/13/09 Editorial note: The change made to compliments was reversed today. Compliments are once again visible to all members of the site.]

These changes will soon be followed by some new stuff for paying members, too!
- Message multiple people in your network at one time.
- Choose to appear in more than one city.
- Add your name to an event's Wait List.
- Receive discounts on fee-based events.

Let us know your thoughts on this. Biznik is a small business too - looking for creative ways to thrive and grow. Our mission is to support the small business people who are committed to helping each other succeed. We're going it alone, together.

Biznik Summer Family Picnic - the Answer to the Indie Company Picnic

"Going indie" - (becoming an independent business owner) - means the end to weekly dry cleaning bills, memos from headquarters, and the annual summer company picnic. While you're welcome to wear a suit to Biznik events and you can write yourself memos, what do you do about the the annual company picnic, when you're working all alone?

Bizniks, Linda Jensen and Tammy Redmon have teamed up with the answer: the first Biznik Summer Picnic for the WHOLE family on Sunday, August 9 at an extraordinary 12-acre water-front site in Olympia, Washington.

Sponsor, PartyOutfitters is providing an Extreme Sports Challenge for the adults and there are loads of activities for the kids such as: Black Hills Gymnastics Tumble Bus, Tug-o-War, Three-legged Race, Water Balloon Tosses, Volleyball and Face Painting. And if that isn't enough, the beach location includes: beach combing, sand castle building, a beach fire and s'mores. Come spend some R&R in the company of other "indies" and get some networking in while you're at it.

The cost? FREE

Complimentary hot dogs, burgers and buns, along with ice cream from Cool Cycles Ice Cream have been provided. Attendees are being asked to bring a side - (details on the event details page.)

There's room for many more - RSVP for this unique summer event today!

Time for a reminder of Biznik's No MLM Policy

A couple times a year, the conversation about Biznik's No MLM Policy arises. When I'm asked enough times to clarify or explain why the policy exists, it seems time for a Biz Talk post.

Our policy states: If you participate in a business other than one that violates Biznik's No MLM policy, and if you can successfully promote it without mention of the violating company or its products, you may promote your non-violating business on Biznik. If your primary business is in any way associated with a company in violation, then Biznik is not the right fit for you.

Here's why.

Biznik is a community for people running independent businesses. Participation in Biznik is focused on building relationships with other business owners and strengthening your professional reputation. The success of any MLM organization depends upon developing an ever-expanding network of people who join the business as opposed to directly promoting a product or service.

For our purposes, an MLM is defined broadly as any business that recruits distributors, resellers, consultants, or others for the sale or representation of a product or service that does not originate from the person requesting membership with Biznik. This includes matrix marketing and representatives of direct sales companies. Whether the business is MLM, network marketing, or direct sales, the presence of MLM representatives on Biznik and at Biznik events draws focus from independent business networking toward selling secondary business opportunities. At Biznik, we are not comfortable having our members solicited or propositioned to join or add another business.

We do not judge the merit or question the legitimacy of such companies. Many business networking groups and professional or business associations exclude multi-level marketing companies, recruiters, and distributors from their membership, including Xing.com, Ecademy.com, my own former BNI chapter here in Seattle, even PayPal and Ebay. Though it is possible for a representative from such an entity to simply promote their products or services without recruiting distributors or resellers, Biznik is a very small self-funded company, and we have chosen not to engage valuable resources attempting to police these practices among our members.

I am often asked how we enforce this policy. We start by including a link to the No MLM Policy on our About page, a No MLM logo (red-slashed circle) on the "Join Biznik Now" form, and require new sign-ups to click a checkbox declaring compliance with our No MLM policy. This policy is also included in the Terms of Service which each person agrees to when they join Biznik.

After these steps, both a volunteer and an employee watch the list of new members as they join each day for the most obvious violations. Some people do not fill in their complete profile information immediately, so many are missed - which means the burden of upholding the policy then falls on the community.

Each member can flag another member for violation of Biznik's Terms of Service. The person being flagged is not notified of the flag, and the person making the flag is never identified to them. What it does, is simply call someone to our attention so we can investigate their participation.

Many times MLM representatives have a true entrepreneurial spirit, and are running more than one business. We encourage those members - such as the health care practitioner or the financial advisor - to participate in Biznik as a representative of their primary business, and leave all mention of the MLM at home.

What books are in your Enneagram library?

Type the word "enneagram" into Amazon.com's search and close to 1000 results come up. So where do you start? Let's collect a list of books people recommend for those interested in studying the Enneagram.

Here's two on my bookshelf at home:

The Enneagram Made Easy
A fantastic introduction with easy-to-read cartoon-like illustrations, that I've recommended time and time again.

The Wisdom of the Enneagram
If I remember correctly, this one provided some interesting correlation between your number and the relationship you had with your parents growing up.

Want to co-host an event at The Parlour in Lincoln Square?

I got a great message from Biznik member, Mark Haynie asking if Biznik would like to host an event at The Parlour in Bellevue's Lincoln Square with his band.

I thought I'd share it with this group. Dan and I (Biznik co-founders for those of you who haven't met us yet) are happy to co-host this event with Mark, but I thought I'd throw it out to you, in case one of you would like to coordinate with Mark instead.

Here's his message:

"Hi Lara - I'm a fairly new member, also a member of the Eastside Entrepreneurs ... I have a band, Half Pack LIVE!!! - a swingin-sort of Vegas-style, Rat Pack band.

So the deal would be, Networking Meeting at the Parlor, live music entertainment and I'm sure we can work out something like happy hour prices on the drinks and maybe get some other sweetener in addition. Would like this to be early April, if possible..."

Can I join your group?

The seven of us in this group are often asked that question. I'm afraid this group is closed to new members. We are the same 7 women who've met every month for over 3 years - and we've made the decision to keep it intimate and small.

We can offer tips on how to start your own Nourish group though! Over the years when one of us has been approached by someone interested in joining our group, we have rallied together to offer suggestions. As a result, there are now 2 other Nourish spin-offs made up of women who met on Biznik.

If you're interested in being a part of a Nourish group, drop me a line. I will gather a list of names in a thread in this conversation. Review the list every now and then, and contact those you think you'd jive with.

Gentle reminder:

If your favorite shirt has polka-dots, 20% of people will love your shirt, 20% will hate your shirt, and 60% won't care one way or the other. That's just the way it is.

Keep this in mind when approaching and being approached by others interested in being a part of a Nourish Group. A Nourish Group is a very intimate circle that thrives on consistency, longevity, and the warm regard and respect between members. Not everyone likes everyone and that's just the way it is. Therefore, do not feel obligated to accept participation in a group with someone who rubs you the wrong way, and do take it personally when someone declines.

Links to quotes on "nourish" and "nourishment"

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/nourish.html

http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/nourishing/

SHORT NOTICE: Biznik Happy Hour at Moe's TONIGHT

I messed up and forgot to get this event listed in the calendar until last night. Dan and I are hosting the monthly Biznik Co-founders Happy Hour networking event - tonight, Tuesday 2/17 at Moe's on Capitol Hill - 5:30 to 8. Stop by on your way home and join us for a cocktail.

More info here: Mixing Bizniks with Pleasure

“If it weren't for the last minute, nothing would get done.”

Or better yet - "The essence of pleasure is spontaneity." - Germaine Greer

The 2nd Annual Seattle Biznik Anti-Office Holiday Party

Save the date for Monday, December 15, and RSVP now for the 2nd Annual Biznik Anti-Office Holiday Party.

This December, when everyone you know has a holiday office party to go to, where will you go?

Lively private venue, festive music, artisian sweets, holiday gifts, drinks on the house for Active & Supporting Members, and a room full of small business people who not only understand what it means to be self employed, but may be your next client, your next contractor, or your next collaborative partner. Who will you meet who can help you take your business to a whole new level in 2009?