Recently, we were discussing the overwhelming number of mastermind and networking groups popping up daily. One question stood out, and I want to address it today:

"How do you stand out when running a networking group in a crowded market?"

If you're new here, my name is Scott Talley, founder of Network In Action (NIA)—a successful networking organization with over 300 groups across five countries and 33 U.S. states. My goal is to help you build a thriving networking group, create a strong community, and make a real impact on the lives of your members.

Business owners are faced with decisions every day that impact their future. Choosing how to spend your marketing dollars is as important as ever and may be the difference between success and failure. It is estimated only 48% of businesses who make it to 10 years! With that in mind, we thought it may be helpful to share what we think is important when researching networking groups. When armed with the right questions, most will have the data they need to make a good decision for their business. Here are 10 critical questions and thoughts to ask or think about before joining a networking group, ensuring you fully understand the commitments and expectations:

As a business owner, you make hundreds of decisions daily—small ones like choosing which emails to answer first, and big ones like hiring team members or investing in marketing. Multiply that over a week or a month, and it’s clear that the quality of your decisions often determines whether your business thrives or struggles. One critical decision is where to invest your time and money for networking. And if you’re being asked to pay two, three, or even four years in advance to join a traditional networking group, it’s a decision worth scrutinizing.

While long-term commitments may seem convenient, here are six compelling reasons why locking into a multi-year membership with a traditional networking group is a gamble you shouldn’t take:

Scott Talley and Alan Croley of The MINT National Bank host a deep dive discussion and Q&A about PPP Repayment & EIDL Advancement.