Springfield Business Journal_2021-03-29

events and access to the online business directory, member referral tools and busi- ness resources. Joining a huddle requires an application process. If the application is approved, the mem- ber is charged another $250 and placed in the business directory. We&Co is a more expensive mem- bership than other Springfield area pro- fessional networking groups. For example, a membership to Masterminds of Biz is $100 per year, while the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s The Network, geared toward young professionals, rang- es $150-$250 annually, according to the group’s websites. Moreno said We&Co cur- rently has 14 huddles and 66 members. The huddles are based on target audiences, such as real estate, construc- tion, pet services and hospi- tality, she said, focusing on either growing a company’s book of business or trouble- shooting industry issues. “What we’re looking for is that you’ve been in your in- dustry at least three years,” she said. “I want to know that you want to grow.” Members include Sonny Koahou of First Command Financial Services Inc., Jacob Baize of Atronic Alarms Inc. and Sandy Thompson of Mid-Missouri Bank, accord- ing to We&Co’s website. Mike House, sales manager with The Moving Co., became a We&Co member in August 2020. He rep- resents the residential and moving services business in two hud- dles: 417 Home Heroes, which centers on real estate, and Veteran Boomers, a group that primarily focuses on services for active and retired military. “We have a lot of veterans in southwest Missouri,” House said. “We like the idea of serving those who have served us and given so much.” House previously was a member of Masterminds of Biz and Business Network International but said his work schedule made it too difficult to remain in them. “One of the main attractions for me is that it is more hyper- focused to what we’re actually looking for,” he said of We&Co. “It’s a little more spot on; it’s more struc- tured. I’ve gotten a lot better return on our investment for the time we’ve been in the networking group.” He estimates he’s made a minimum of 100 new professional connections through We&Co and landed over 30 new jobs for The Moving Co. since August. Scaling up Starting We&Co was less than a $1,000 investment, Moreno said, adding she’s ac- crued over $24,000 in rev- enue from dues in its first nine months. While Moreno is the only employee, she subcon- tracts with John McCain of Dynamic Lead Solutions LLC to manage huddles and gener- ate member leads. Addition- ally, Keisha Messina serves as an event coordinator for We&Co’s monthly business mixers and gatherings at area restaurants. Moreno is aiming for another 35 mem- bers by July to reach triple digits. If We&Co hits the mark, revenue will surpass $40,000 for its first year, she said. “Next month, we are rolling out our ambassador program, whereby we give find- er fees to members who refer qualified professionals who join We&Co,” she said, estimating a 10% fee. Other markets outside Springfield are in her long-term plans, but no timetable for scaling up is on the board. “I want to grow comfortably here be- cause we’re just 9 months old,” she said. Mike House: We&Co is responsible for generating over 30 jobs for The Moving Co. since August. 30 Average annual events held by WeDames prior to 2020 $24K Revenue for We&Co generated by membership fees since July 2020 24 · SBJ.NET MARCH 29-APRIL 4, 2021 Launa Boatman & Financial Services, Inc. PECK’S Insurance Specialists in Employee Benefits and Individual Life, Health, Long Term Care and Medicare Supplement Insurance 3861 S. Jefferson Springfield, Mo. 65807 Phone: 417-883-1331 www.LesliePeck.com Leslie A. Peck, ChFC, CLU Launa Boatman NEWS Rebrand: Ambassador program planned Continued from page 3