The Westchester Business Connection began as a three-person show two years ago.
The business networking group now boasts 800-plus members on LinkedIn.
But, don”™t call them members.
Founder Joe Corbalis prefers “associates.”
The group does not charge membership fees; the model is a pay-as-you-go format for events.
“One thing we try to do is combine the fact that we use the social media end of it, but that we want to try and meet them face-to-face,” Corbalis said. “I”™m reaching about 1,000 people personally on LinkedIn and probably along the lines of 600 to 800 people I am in some kind of communication with on a regular basis.”
In a virtual sea of friend requests, a personal connection can make the person behind a business card a genuine business prospect.
“Some of the people who have come from another group and who have met me at my group have said, ”˜Let”™s stay connected and link-in now,”™” said Grace Borrani, a Westchester Business Connection founder. “I wasn”™t so much into technology before, but now that I”™ve gotten involved with the business group and it”™s grown, people become involved in your life. As you update your status and notes, people want to know what you”™re doing.”
Linking-in with new contacts is also valuable from a career standpoint.
“We have a number of people in the group who are staffing professionals, people who post job offerings for work and who use social media to put it out there,” Corbalis said. “But job markets are tough. And it”™s still important to get the personal contact.”
Westchester Business Connection has since branched out by hosting events in Rockland County. Borrani also leads the breakout group Women of the Westchester Business Connection.
“By the first week of November, we will hopefully have our first meet-up in Manhattan,” Corbalis said. “When we incorporated the business, we incorporated it as ”˜Your Business Connection.”™ As the network grows, we have something in place that can work anywhere.”
