FAQs
Visitor Questions
Pioneer Valley Mastermind (known as PVM), started during the pandemic as a way for professionals to connect, both with meaning and ease. We pride ourselves on not being like other networking groups, and have a tight knit group of professionals who mix business and play in creative and valuable ways.
Here in PVM, we have no quotas or status quos. Whatever you are seeking in your professional life, can be achieved. We use one-to-ones and our frequent meetings to keep each other informed on our needs/asks. PVM thrives on group participation, to allow for everyone’s needs to be heard and worked on.
Pioneer Valley Mastermind provides an opportunity to immerse yourself in a network of professionals from various industries. Members get to know each other on a professional, as well as personal, level that creates an ideal environment for successful referrals and cross-industry collaboration.
In entrepreneurship, you never know what challenges you may come up against. The expansive skill sets of individuals in PVM can offer creative problem-solving skills in areas that are not your own expertise. PVM provides the foundation to build strong professional relationships that last and accelerate success for you and your business.
Typically no. We try to honor our members by having one professional for each profession. However, we have seen industries work together. We recommend joining as a visitor and speaking with the Board of Directors about your thoughts after the meeting.
You might be invited by a PVM group member or you can reach out to a member to ask about joining by clicking our member’s page. The member will help make sure we have your information and make sure you are send the roster and zoom link a day or two ahead of the meeting.
You can also submit your information to request to join a meeting here.
We meet virtually via Zoom from 8-9am every first and Thursday of the month. We allow for guests to join us twice per calendar year before we suggest joining.
You’ll want to log into the meeting about 5 minutes early, as we begin promptly at 8am.
We begin meetings with an icebreaker question. The members will answer first in order of the roster, then the visitors will be asked to answer.
Next, everyone will have “60 seconds” to present themselves. We will go in the same order as the roster, with visitor 60-seconds following the members. We have a timer countdown for each person to help keep on schedule.
Every meeting, one member will do a 10 minute presentation as a deeper dive into what they do. It’s a great opportunity to learn about a field you might not be familiar with.
We conclude with testimonials, TYFCB, and upcoming networking events.
After the meeting, there will be a chance for you to ask any questions you have about connecting with people or the organization, etc. Please plan to stay for the entire meeting so you don’t miss any important information at the end.
Everyone at the meeting will take 60 seconds to explain the kinds of referrals they’re looking for. This is a time to introduce your business and your services, share a story about a client you’ve been working with, and explain what others can listen for to identify potential clients for you.
Recommended 60 Second Format:
1.) State your name and business
2.) Tell a brief story, review, or anecdote about what you do and/or why your customers choose to work with you / what problems you solve
3.) How can we help refer people to you? What key words or phrases can we listen for that will alert us that you can help someone we know? What problem can you solve?
4.) Conclude with stating your name and business by the end of your 60 seconds
We do have a countdown running so that you know how much time you have and to keep the meeting on schedule. Some visitors and members find it helpful to write down what they plan to say ahead of time, so that they can time how long it takes to read it. If you feel confident and want to wing it, that is ok, too!
This is your 60 seconds to use however you’d like to in order to make an impression and let the group know what you do.
TYFCB is an acronym for Thank You For Closed Business, meaning a successful referral that translates into a sale.
In order to get in touch with us, please reach out to any of our members or [email protected] to get more information.
Want to Visit PVM?
To begin with the visitor registration process please click the button below to fill out your request to visit PVM.
Membership Questions
No. You do not need to own your own business to join PVM. In fact, many of our members are employees representing their employers in various fields.
Attendance
Please plan to attend all meetings. If you can’t attend a meeting, please send a sub or share with the chair why you will not be able to attend. You are allowed: 1 unexcused absence / Quarter (4 a year) and 2 subs / quarter.
Tracking Data
Please update the current week’s data prior to the meeting. We track the following: Attendance, 121s, Referrals Passed, Referrals Received, TYFCB passed, TYFCB received. That week’s information will be any activity you had since the prior meeting.
One-to-One Meetings
The best way to build trust with your referral partners in PVM is to get to know them on a more personal level. We encourage you to have at least 1 one-to-one meeting with another PVM member weekly.
TYFCB is an acronym for Thank You For Closed Business, meaning a successful referral that translates into a sale.
We try to get together a few times a year for in-person gatherings, typically around the holidays and for special events.
Some examples of other events would be a party for a member who is celebrating something in their life or it could just be an informal invite to hang out at a brewery on a nice day to catch up.
The investment to join PVM is an annual fee of $200 for the calendar year that begins in October.
New members will be added to the roster and feature presentation list once their payment is received. Payment must be made to the treasurer via check or cash.
Yearly payments due October of each year.
For new members, the annual fee will be prorated based on the month they join. Membership will renew in October with the $200 membership due.
We hope you find as much value in PVM as we do and decide to stay on long term. Relationships built through PVM connection are strengthened over time. We believe consistency in bimonthly meetings and commitment to pursue 121s with each other are essential for successful referrals.
We do not offer refunds for memberships that are ended early.
Please reach out to any of our members or [email protected] to get more information.
Still have questions?
Please reach out to any of our members or [email protected].