IHOP, 7304 GB Alford Hwy, Holly Springs

Thursdays: 08:00 - 09:30

Main Menu
Carolina Area Networking

Policies

Mission Statement

Carolina Area Networking strives to bring local businesses together for collaboration and accountability through a structured word of mouth environment in order to help facilitate the growth of each other’s businesses financially as well as in terms of resources, experiences, and quality connections.

Code of Ethics

  1. I will exercise integrity with all Carolina Area Networking interactions.
  2. I will project a professional image with respect to my behavior and personal appearance.
  3. I will follow the ethical and professional standards of my business as well as good business practices including fair prices and honest marketing materials.
  4. I will demonstrate compassion, respect, and tolerance for others.
  5. I will honestly represent my qualifications and limitations.
  6. I will serve the best interests of my referrals at all times and provide the highest quality of service and/or goods possible.
  7. I will maintain clear and honest communication with members, visitors, and referrals.
  8. I shall continually strive to be present both physically and mentally as well as fully prepared for each meeting of Carolina Area Networking.
  9. I commit to building positive, productive relationships within Carolina Area Networking by participating in individual and group meetings with my chapter members and following up with referrals.
  10. I will sustain and advance the well-being of both my profession and Carolina Area Networking.

General Policies

  1. Only one person from each professional classification/category is generally permitted to join a chapter of Carolina Area Networking, Inc.  Upon certain conditions, more than one seat may be available per professional classification if there is a specific niche and there is enough specific distinction between the seats for members to effectively know when to give referrals to each.  For example, we may have two attorneys in the group, if one commits to specializing in family law and the other commits to specializing in business law.   Membership committees of each chapter have final authority relating to classification conflicts.  Members will have the ability to add input as necessary.
  2. CAN operates on six month terms regarding accountability statistics like attendance, visitors, one to ones, and money passed either beginning August 1 through January 31 or February 1 through July 31.
  3. Carolina Area Networking is run via a Board of Directors.  There are five board members; three of which are needed at any given time to reach quorum to make a decision or hold a vote. 
  4. The Leadership Team consists of at least four positions: President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, & the Membership Committee.  Other potential positions may include Social Committee and Visitor’s Host.
  5. Membership within CAN lasts for one year and begins on the date the member’s application is approved.
  6. CAN’s policies, code of ethics, and terms and conditions may be amended occasionally with or without notice. 
  7. A member is responsible for their own behaviors and actions and in the greater scheme of things how successful they are within Carolina Area Networking. 
  8. The membership committee will review, deny, or accept all incoming applications.  This process may take two to four weeks. 
  9. Attendance is tracked and mandatory for each weekly meeting.  Depending on the situation, each absence is categorized in one of two ways: excused or unexcused.  The Vice President holds the power to make that designation depending on the circumstances.  Certain medical issues and inviting a business associate or substitute to attend are ways to have an absence counted as excused.  Members are allowed 4 unexcused absences and/or seven total absences during each six month term.
  10. Definition of a substitute, visitor, and an associate:  An associate is someone you have designated to attend the meeting on your behalf.  An associate might be an employee, business partner, family member, or friend.  They will give your Quick Take presentation but will not give their own separate Quick Take presentation.  For all intents and purposes, they are you for their visit.  A visitor is a non-member who is visiting our group.  They are representing their business only.  A substitute is someone you have asked to fill in for you during the meeting.  They are representing both your business and their own.  They will give your Quick Take presentation as well as their own.  Both substitutes and associates allow your absence to be excused. 
  11. Visitors and substitutes may only attend three meetings during a term.  Once a visitor has visited three times, they will be expected to submit an application to continue coming to our meetings.  Once a substitute has attended three meetings during a term, members cannot ask the sub to fill in for them until the next term begins.  It is the member’s responsibility to realize how often each particular substitute has visited our group in any given term.  If by chance the substitute shows up for a fourth meeting, we will let them proceed as normal; however, your absence will be labeled as unexcused, and the sub will be quietly informed that they may only come again starting next term.
  12. You are responsible for knowing the laws and ethics regarding your profession and how they may have bearing on your membership.  Some professions might have to make adjustments to our normal operating practices to stay within the boundaries.  If you need assistance with this, please let us know.
  13. The membership committee is responsible for communicating with members regarding their absences.  Each member is also responsible for keeping track of their attendance.  Upon the fifth unexcused absence or the eighth total absence, the membership committee has the ability to look over your statistics within the chapter.  Upon their discretion, you may be able to remain within the group on a probationary status so long as you are meeting their remediation parameters.  You will be responsible for paying up to a $25 fine and completing any criterion the membership committee deems appropriate.  Failure to do so may result in the termination of your membership.  The membership committee can also choose to terminate your membership upon your fifth unexcused absence or your eighth total absence if they deem you have not been a productive member of our chapter.  Upon the fifth unexcused absence or eighth total absence in this case, your professional seat may be opened up, and visitors may submit applications to join the group to fill your particular professional seat.  If you want to maintain your membership, please commit to attending our weekly meetings in their entirety.
  14. The following designations will be made regarding attendance: Present, Absent, Late/Left Early, Medical, or Substitute.  If you arrive after 8:15 and/or after the Quick Take presentations have begun, you may be marked as late, and it will be counted as 1/3 of an unexcused absence.  If you leave before the end of Member Spotlight, you will be marked as left early.  If you leave early, it will be counted as 1/3 of an unexcused absence.  Please show respect to other members by showing up to hear about how you may help them and their businesses.
  15. Your membership is conditional.  You must be a productive member of our chapter to maintain hold of your professional seat.  A productive member attends individual and group meetings regularly, gives referrals, helps with the everyday tasks of running the meeting, arrives prepared for the meetings, and invites visitors regularly.  You must also represent CAN and your business professionally with integrity living up to our Code of Ethics.  Failure to do so may result in the termination of your membership.  If your membership is terminated, your membership fees are non-refundable without exception.  Typically, the Membership Committee is responsible for these decisions; however, in the absence of a Membership Committee or particular circumstances, the Leadership Team may fulfill this responsibility.
  16. If you choose to withdraw from the group either temporarily or permanently, you will be issued a credit for the remaining number of months of your membership.  The credit will be good for two years after your withdrawal.  Within those two years, if you decide you would like to reapply for membership, you would not be responsible for paying membership dues until the number of months listed on your credit have expired.  Then, you would be responsible for renewing your membership.
  17. All membership terms are for one year.  Upon your eleventh month, if you would like to continue to hold your seat within CAN, you must fill out a membership renewal application and pay the associated fees upon reacceptance by the Membership Committee.  The Membership Committee has the ability to accept or deny your renewal application based on your chapter statistics, productivity, and commitment to the group and its members.  Members who have not paid by the first meeting of the month they are due may be assessed a late fee of $25.  If fees are not paid within 15 days, the member will be officially terminated by CAN.
  18. Membership dues are $365 for one year of membership.  If approved for membership, you will hold your particular professional seat for the upcoming year provided you meet our chapter guidelines, policies, and code of ethics and are actively trying to meet our chapter goals.  Fees may be paid via cash, check, and/or other avenues if at all possible like Venmo or credit cards.  There will be a fee of $30 for all returned checks.  If a member passes a second check that is bounced, the member may be subject to immediate termination.
  19. You are responsible for training other members in how best to send you referrals and which referrals are appropriate.  Please be prepared for your Quick Take and Member Spotlight presentations and utilize those effectively.  If a member or visitor gives you a referral or agrees to make a connection for you, please be kind, professional, and respectful.  They are trying to help you.  If for some reason you know the referral will not work, kindly let them know the reasoning in private so as not to be disrespectful.  If you are getting more widespread referrals that are not effective for you, it can also be addressed during your Quick Take and Member Spotlight presentations as that becomes a training issue. 
  20. We operate on a karmic system.  You reap what you sow.  The more you recommend and refer members of the group and utilize members’ goods and services personally, the harder group members will work to reciprocate your kindness and goodwill.  If you feel you are not receiving enough in the way of referrals, please take a deep look at the business you yourself are passing or not passing as well as how you are representing yourself in the group and how you are utilizing your Quick Take and Member Spotlight presentations.  We all likely have the ability to improve in these categories.  If you are still having difficulty and have concerns, please reach out to members on the leadership team as well as members who are successfully meeting criterion within our group.
  21. A medical leave of absence may be granted for a particular length of time, generally up to eight weeks if a member has a particular need, still has remaining time on their membership, and they actively attempt to have someone fill-in during their absence.  This will be left up to the membership committee, leadership team, and the member and their particular needs.
  22. Our meetings will be held on each Thursday morning from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM at the IHOP in Holly Springs.  Please set aside this time weekly so that you may commit to being present.
  23. The first Thursday of the month we will try and participate in a group think tank type of meeting in lieu of a Member Spotlight presentation.  This will be member led depending on who may be the best fit to discuss it and/or who is up in the rotation.  Please be prepared to lead and add substance to these activities.
  24. We do ask that you participate in one to one meetings or individual meetings with members outside of our normal meeting times so that you may learn more about their individual goals and needs and they may learn about yours. 
  25. We require members to keep up with certain statistics.  We track money passed, attendance, one to one meetings, number of visitors, and referrals given and received for each member.  Please create a system to track referrals and referrals of referrals within your business structure.  We may establish a minimum number of referrals and/or visitors that is acceptable to maintain membership at any time.  If you need assistance with this, please feel free to reach out to our leadership team and/or other members.
  26. Members must generally represent their primary business, the one they hold the particular seat for within our group.
  27. Members may not be involved with competing, networking groups that are seat specific with the primary purpose of passing referrals to one another as it may create conflict and confusion and ultimately reduce one’s commitment to CAN and the purposes within CAN.
  28. Our policies may be updated as necessary and without notice.  All policy changes need to be reviewed and voted upon by quorum of current CAN board members.  Our members are responsible for keeping up with our current policies.  Policy changes will try to be advertised via email.  A list of our policies may be requested at any time.  They will also likely be listed on our website.
  29. Those responsible for giving a Member Spotlight presentation are also responsible for bringing a door prize.  Please be prepared with something currently in your hand to give to members.  This could be a gift card, a valued promotional item, or something else of substance.  Please limit buying a meal or drinks for the winner without something in print for the winner to redeem.  It can create an environment where people forget to live up to their promises and/or recipients feel uncomfortable asking for redemption.  The recipients of the door prize will be chosen amongst those who gave a referral during that particular meeting.  We want to encourage and reward members and visitors for giving referrals and non-tangible door prizes may discourage this process and be difficult for visitors to redeem. 
  30. It is a member’s responsibility to file a concern with the membership committee if a visitor’s seat conflicts with the member’s seat in any way.  This should be done before the visitor is approved for membership.  If there are no complaints given to the membership committee, they will assume consent from other members has been given.
  31. Members who wish to change their business seat/category must submit a new member application for that particular seat and undergo the normal process for acceptance into the group.
  32. In the absence of a Membership Committee, the Leadership Team may act in its place until one is established.
  33. All CAN membership lists are given for the purpose of giving and receiving referrals and connecting members to others and not for the purpose of soliciting members or visitors without their approval.  This includes emails, direct messages, snail mail, and other means.
  34. Carolina Area Networking reserves the right to open up future chapters in and around the area. 
  35. Membership fees cannot be transferred from one person to another unless the fees are from the same company.
  36. CAN is a marketing entity and reserves the right to discontinue its services and a member’s participation in this program at any time for any reason as a whole or on an individual basis.
  37. Multi-level marketing businesses may be possible as seats within CAN; however, its representative would be limited to marketing its goods and services in CAN and not the business opportunity aspect.
  38. Membership dues and fees are to be used by CAN as determined by the Leadership Team and Board of Directors for any expenses related to the everyday workings of CAN as well as any outside events or chapter marketing they deem fit.
  39. The Leadership Team may be appointed via a general vote of current members each August.  The Board of Directors may change as necessary depending on how a quorum within the Board of Directors deems fit.