The most important and strategically useful benefit of membership in the VOBRT (Veteran Owned Business Round Table) is networking, and there are two ways to network that will improve your chances of signing a government or corporate contract. Mentors, corporate members, and your fellow VOB peers want to help you succeed; the most important reason why VOB’s join the VOBRT. Those networking connections are invaluable. Here’s why:
Mentorship & Networking with Corporate Members
Mentoring and networking with other members can build lifelong business relationships that help both of you succeed. Collaborative learning can help both parties improve upon their skills.
1. Advice, Perspective – Your cousin who owns a landscaping service is eager to give business advice, but your VOB mentor can give you better advice because of their past experience.
2. Encouragement, Confidence – Knowing you have someone who’s got your back builds confidence.
3. Improving Skills – Your mentor can help you improve business skills.
4. Methods, Strategies – Mentors can offer ideas and ways to implement them.
5. Venting – You can tell your mentor things you can’t tell your family; your fears, your worries.
Peer-to-Peer Networking
Business networking with other VOBRT members can expand your knowledge. You can learn from the success of others, their pitfalls and experience the true value of word-of-mouth advertising.
6. Friendship – Like-minded people form lasting relationships. Some of the strongest, most enduring friendships are the result of networking with someone with common interests.
7. Increased Business – The referrals you get through networking are normally high quality and many are pre-qualified for you.
8. Input – Peers who are “in the same boat” can offer insights and perspectives you’re missing.
9. Opportunities/Connections – Joint ventures, partnerships and more opportunities will give you the competitive edge.
10. Visibility – You want to be the one they think of later when your product, services or skills are needed.
VOBRT Membership for Better Business
If you are able to mentor or can serve as a corporate member, you’ll be giving back to the men and women who have protected our country. While they took time out of their lives to work for our safety, their peers were getting a leg up in the business. Participating in the various programs offered by the VOBRT helps narrow the playing field for our most deserving citizens: our veterans.
You can join the ranks of more than 4,000,0000 veteran owned companies that network for better business successes for military veterans. Call 586-722-1557 or contact the VOBRT today for more information!
