Networking.

[floridapete]

I was wondering what all you Expats do about' networking' in the Sunshine State ?

I mean, do you all work with other businesses in 'network' groups to widen your business area and grow the business - or do you just rely on 'word of mouth (other peoples) ?

Do you all belong to your local Chamber of Trade ? Do you belong to CFPMA (if you are in the short term rental/servicing business) ? Have you joined the British-Orlando Chamber of Commerce ? Are you aware of FABB (Florida Association of British Businesses) ?

A few years back I started to attend some Breakfast Networking Club sessions which used to be held in a 192 hotel/restaurant near to Kissimmee. Frankly, I had nothing to sell - I just wanted to meet local business people and 'get involved' in the local community as we were about to start on our series of winters in the Central Florida area and it's so easy to get 'brain dead' there if you don't keep busy ! But I had Florida Brits Club to 'sell' so that was my entre.

They were amazing session of motivated networking with everyone doing business with each other, handing over referrals, doing presentations, talking up their products. They are (were) advertised every week in the local free papers.

So how do you all get on with business promotion ...or don't you have the time ? ;)

[DavidL]

Good post Peter. I have also been thinking about getting involved again with breakfast clubs, Chamber of Commerce etc but have to date so far neglected to pursue these interests further. I'm sure your post will prompt me and others into making some enquiries.

David

[JulieC]

The Brits in Kissimmee network with each other without the need for formal groups, we refer work to each other. There are a lot of Brits in Celebration and a lot know each other, we are all in business. My main source of work is recommendation and that tends to come from my homeowners, I dont need to promote my business or advertise, I am also well known on the forums and that helps, though I dont use them to actively solicit work but just by answering questions you get noticed.

[floridapete]

The Brits in Kissimmee network with each other without the need for formal groups, we refer work to each other. There are a lot of Brits in Celebration and a lot know each other, we are all in business. My main source of work is recommendation and that tends to come from my homeowners, I dont need to promote my business or advertise, I am also well known on the forums and that helps, though I dont use them to actively solicit work but just by answering questions you get noticed.

Ah ! Just as I thought ! Brits remaining behind the 'barricades' of the Brit ghetto :)

That is exactly what I thought I might hear - and so it doesn't surprise me.

But do think that there is a certain sadness that people who moved to the USA to 'live the life' don't actually get more involved with 'Americans' on a day to day business basis - and enjoy whatever social interraction may follow.

In fact, so far as that response goes, B2B may as well mean "Brits2Brits" - now isn't that what we sometimes criticise other ethnic groups for for not integrating more in the UK ? They keep themselves to themselves - isn't that exactly what the Brits are doing in Florida ?

Thank gawd you don't have to learn another language to be out there - or there would be a problem ! ;)

[charliesmum]

As we don't live close to a lot of other Brits, we don't see them on a day to day basis.

We joined the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce and have met and got business from their members.

We don't really need to advertise much, just Yellow Pages, as most of our customers come from referals. We are very lucky to have some very loyal customers who love us to bits!!!

Steve stopped cleaning pools 2 weeks ago, as he had trained up a new guy and he now cleans those pools. By yesterday he had another 8 pools and will have to do them himself until we take on another employee. They come out of the woodwork at times.

That's the way we like it!!!

Zoe

[kimmy]

when we bought our business it did have a very good client base which we have kept and added some of our own, at the moment we dont need to advertise. we work with all americians eg city of winter park ,osceola County Maintenance ,also get a lot of work from property maintenance companys because we are on their vendor list
The company was previously a member of st clould chamber so get some work though that
I find if you do a good job, your reputation is your the best advert you can have

[Bobby]

Ah ! Just as I thought ! Brits remaining behind the 'barricades' of the Brit ghetto :)

That is exactly what I thought I might hear - and so it doesn't surprise me.

But do think that there is a certain sadness that people who moved to the USA to 'live the life' don't actually get more involved with 'Americans' on a day to day business basis - and enjoy whatever social interraction may follow.

In fact, so far as that response goes, B2B may as well mean "Brits2Brits" - now isn't that what we sometimes criticise other ethnic groups for for not integrating more in the UK ? They keep themselves to themselves - isn't that exactly what the Brits are doing in Florida ?

Thank gawd you don't have to learn another language to be out there - or there would be a problem ! ;)

You'll be so pleased that you aren't party to any of it.

I think your post (whilst trying to make Brits who have made the move look insular), shows that you aren't really aware of people's mind set when they move to another country. Whether it be USA, Australia, Spain or wherever.

It's the way of the world for people of the same background to group together in areas, (hence Chinatowns in every major city). It comes from our animal instinct, to move with the pack. It just makes sense to take this path to begin with. Once on their feet many people "integrate" themselves more fully into their neighborhood, but from a business point it would be foolish to ignore the ready made network of people who "speak the same language" so to speak and are in a similar position to themselves, trying to get established in a new country.

I always try my best to give work to someone who has just "arrived" from the UK because I know what it feels like those first few months. ...and of course, you normally meet these people through a fellow Brit who introduces them, and the network goes on .........

[Kriz1]

I agree with Pete about mixing more with Americans....the trouble with that is very few Americans have much of a life outside of work and home....I have no Brits to fall back on where I live....all my friends are American...all my close friends in FL were also American...I find that is changing a bit...and I now count a few FL Brits as close friends...

[JulieC]

To be frank. Pete, there are an awful lot of Brits in my business and ancillary fields. You would have to go out of your way to find Americans. If I need a pool repair, I know several Brits who do it, two people on this forum, I am going to contact them before rooting through yellow pages for someone I dont know and have no experience of. I had an American lawncare man for a long while till he gave up, now have a Columbian so am not entirely Brit but I just know too many Brit cleaning cos and pool cos to bother rooting out Americans just for the sake of it. We do know some Americans in town, neighbours and so on.

[katya]

We are joined to most chapters of the British American Chambers and have various ways of marketing, including the obvious referals after being in business for quite some years offering a service worth recommending . Unfortunatley it can be a fine line of knowing when you can network without people taking offence that you are advertising your services in a more direct approach, like say on the Expat Forums. I know we all came over here to make a decent living and I wouldnt be opposed to any fellow Brit telling me about his/her services, unfortunatley again some people dont like to be what they call "spammed".
Personally if I needed a Lawyer, CPA or any other service industry that I needed, I would naturally ask within the droves of Brits that are here living in the US.
Im sure American expats in the UK network amongst themselves, like you say Natures way.
I have met many Brits that are almost embarrased in front of other Brits, as they know that Brits know where they are coming from instantly. Personally I like to do business with people I trust, sometimes I can detect more a genuin Brit, from a genuin American.
This is not in offence to fellow American's , as I am sure they can instantly tell the character of a person, when coming from the same country.

Afterall, networking can have more benefits that earning a buck, we have become friends with many of our clients, of which we socialise with. Nice to be able to keep in touch with fellow Brits in general.

[blindsue]

We network with brits and americans in our work and it's about 50/50. lets face it you work with anyone who wants your services and wants a good job, honesty and reliability also go a long way.

[Susie]

Hi Peter

We are members of CFPMA but not the British - Orlando Chamber of commerce

or FABB Do you have a link to their site you could post here? thanks


I did go to a meeting with members of The British American Chamber of commerce, who do network and will be having a link from them to us and us to them

[chris]

We used to be Associate Members of CFPMA (Vendors), but left after 2 years as we never really felt part of the group. We got the feeling vendors were suffered. Since then we became members of the Kissimmee/Osceola Chamber of Commerce and it has been a good experience. We are part of one the 'mini-Chambers' here and my wife and I are active in the 'Leads Group' network which is about business networking. However, in joining we have gained more than just business, but a good circle of friends (majority US) and feel more a part of the overall community. I also have several British customers for our business external to the Chamber and I get on well with those. I don't think you can say you can trust Brits more than Yanks. That's all in the mind. It is very easy though to fall into the Expats trap. I know our site is called that but the term 'Expat' has a definaition to it built up over many years. I personally don't ever want to be one of those.

[Kitty]

We used to be Associate Members of CFPMA (Vendors), but left after 2 years as we never really felt part of the group. We got the feeling vendors were suffered. Since then we became members of the Kissimmee/Osceola Chamber of Commerce and it has been a good experience. We are part of one the 'mini-Chambers' here and my wife and I are active in the 'Leads Group' network which is about business networking. However, in joining we have gained more than just business, but a good circle of friends (majority US) and feel more a part of the overall community. I also have several British customers for our business external to the Chamber and I get on well with those. I don't think you can say you can trust Brits more than Yanks. That's all in the mind. It is very easy though to fall into the Expats trap. I know our site is called that but the term 'Expat' has a definaition to it built up over many years. I personally don't ever want to be one of those.


Hi Chris

Can you post a link to their web sites here please as I would like more info

[chris]

www.kissimmeechamber.com
www.kissimmeechamberleads.com