Vegetarian Professionals Networking & Leads Club (VPNLC) of Silicon Valley

December 8, 2009

PROSPECTUS & CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

The concept of networking-and-leads clubs is not new. The basic idea is that the

group is made up of business professionals, limited to one professional category

per group, who meet on a regular basis – usually for lunch on a weekday – to

network and refer business to each other.

When effectively organized and conducted, such groups have been proven to be

good sources of new business for participants, without the high overhead

associated with advertising and marketing outside a word-of-mouth personal

referral framework.

What is new (based on extensive Googling) is the concept of such a

network-and-leads club exclusively for vegetarians. This twist should generate

better results for participants because of greater cohesiveness and solidarity,

based on a commitment to a vegetarian lifestyle (vegetarian, for our purposes

here, includes vegan). Vegetarians naturally feel more comfortable dealing with

fellow vegetarians.

With this in mind, I am putting out a call for applications to what as far as I

know will be the world's first Vegetarian Professionals Networking & Leads Club

(VPNLC), with the chapter to be designated as Silicon Valley.

Preference will be given to professionals and business owners who meet the

following ten conditions:

1. Vegetarian or vegan status for a minimum of five years.

2. Business or practice based somewhere in the Silicon Valley area.

3. A minimum of five years' business or professional experience in whatever

capacity the individual proposes to join the group (as an accountant, attorney,

auto mechanic, etc.).

4. A clear USP (Unique Selling Proposition), spelling out the benefits offered

to consumers, relative to the competition.

5. A user-friendly website that clearly presents the USP and information about

the business or professional member.

6. Verifiable references or testimonials, attesting to the ability of the

business or professional to provide high levels of customer/client satisfaction.

7. Technological literacy: willing and able to use email, text messaging, scan

documents and so on.

8. Willingness to faithfully attend a monthly luncheon at a vegetarian

restaurant, with vegan options, at the individual's own expense.

9. Willingness to work energetically and enthusiastically to provide referrals

to fellow leads club members, whose satisfying of the above conditions will

facilitate the referral process.

10. Willingness to embrace and contribute to an atmosphere of diversity,

including multiculturalism.

The closer an applicant comes to fulfilling these ten conditions, the greater

the likelihood of admission to the group.

There will be no cost to join or maintain membership in this leads club, aside

from paying for one's own lunch at the time of the meetings. The cost of

establishing and maintaining a basic website will be borne by the club's founder

and organizer.

Please send your application in the form of text within email, to danielkberman

@ gmail.com, with item-by-item responses to each of the following ten questions

(please include the numbers and original questions in your application):

1. How many years have you been vegetarian or vegan and what prompted you to

follow this path?

2. What is the nature of your business or professional practice* and in what

city is it based?

3. How many years of experience do you have in whatever capacity you propose to

join the group?

4. What is your USP (Unique Selling Proposition), indicating the benefits

offered to consumers, relative to the competition? In other words, why would it

be to the advantage of consumers to bring their business to you, as opposed to a

competitor?

5. What is your website URL?

6. Please provide a list of or link to verifiable references or testimonials,

attesting to your ability to provide high levels of customer/client

satisfaction.

7. Are you willing and able to use email, text messaging, scan documents and so

on?

8. Are you willing to faithfully attend a monthly luncheon at a vegetarian

restaurant, with vegan options, at your own expense?

9. Are you willing to work energetically and enthusiastically to provide

referrals to fellow leads club members, in part through endorsement to your

in-house list?

10. In a sentence or two, why should the Vegetarian Professionals Networking &

Leads Club (VPNLC) of Silicon Valley admit you, as the exclusive representative

of your business or professional category, to the club?

Founder & Organizer,

Vegetarian Professionals Networking & Leads Club (VPNLC) of Silicon Valley

Daniel Berman

www.veggieREELtor.com

*Please note that the slot for the real estate agent/broker category has been

filled.

December 13, 2009

> What is new (based on extensive Googling) is the concept of such a network-and-leads club exclusively for vegetarians.

In the vein of veggie people networking with others - I just wanted to remind folks that Bay Area Vegetarians allows vegetarian-owned businesses and services to advertise for free on our website in the Ultimate Guide. This was done to allow the veg community to spend their veggie dollars with other veg-owned businesses.

-- For businesses: To apply for a free listing, please use the following link:

http://bayareaveg.org/ug

Under Guide Links, see 'add a business' (same process as adding a restaurant).

-- For those looking for veg businesses: Currently there are 54 listed, a wide variety including catering, massage, editing, baking, animal care, computer support, legal, piano, yoga, belly dancing, tattooes, etc.

And if you've got a web-presence, please link back to us at bayareaveg.org

Cheers,

Tammy

Join us at an upcoming Bay Area Vegetarians event!

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