AGENDA

The McLean Business Forum meets every Thursday morning from 7:30 am to 9:00 am in the 2nd floor restaurant at the Tysons Courtyard. It’s a great networking forum where you will meet approximately 60 other business professionals and have an opportunity to present your business needs. We host 40-60 visitors and members every week. Come prepared to network for 30 minutes before the meeting and again after. Read below to prepare for the meeting:

Before the Meeting

1. Business Cards: Bring about 50 business cards with you to the meeting. Our visitor hosts will collect them from you as you arrive, and they will be passed around the room during the meeting.
2. Business Dress: For the men, some wear coat and tie; others wear business casual as it applies in their occupation. For many, that means slacks and an open neck long-sleeve shirt. The women generally wear an equivalent version of business or business casual attire.
3. Elevator Speech: You will have 30 seconds to introduce yourself to the room. An effective speech will include a brief description of your business and a specific description of the type of referral that would be helpful for you. It is valuable to mention a specific contact name or company that you would like to meet. A bell will ring at the allotted time, at which time you should yield the floor, so it is important to plan what you will say to make the most of this opportunity. If your profession conflicts with a member already in the group, we ask that you do not compete with them in your speech. We invite you to speak with that individual prior to the meeting to see if there is a conflict. If so, you are still welcome, we simply ask you to speak on a part of your business that is not in conflict with the member.
4. Directions: The Tysons Courtyard is at the intersection of International Drive and Route 123; it is best to enter it off of Greensboro Drive. From Dulles access road going west, or from 495, exit onto 123 South, take a right onto International (at the traffic light just beyond the original Tysons Corner Mall, which is on the left) and a left onto Greensboro, then almost immediately turn into the second left into driveway (marked Hotels). Courtyard is just beyond the Holiday Inn. As you reach the Courtyard building, turn left onto a ramp that goes under the building, where there is free parking. Then take the elevator to the first floor. As you walk through the glass-windowed door out of the elevator space, you will see a flight of stairs to your front right. Walk up to the second floor, turn left and walk down to the cashier at the buffet breakfast area.

During the Meeting

1. Breakfast: The cost of the breakfast buffet is about $16. Our agreement with the hotel is that everyone pays, even if you don’t eat. There are no other costs for the meeting.
2. The meeting starts PROMPTLY at 7:30, so you should be sure to arrive a few minutes before 7:30 to get breakfast, do a few minutes of open networking, and get seated.
3. The members and substitutes will present their 30 second presentations first. Member applicants give their presentations second. Then, guests are invited to give their presentations third. Remember, you have less than a minute before the bell, so plan what you will say.
4. During the referral portion of the meeting, we will go around the room again and make our referrals. At that time we ask our guests to say a few words, such as what you liked about the meeting.

After the Meeting

1. If you liked what you saw, you are invited to submit a membership application. Please note that our membership is limited to one person per profession. If there is a direct competitor in the group, then we can help you find another chapter where your profession is not represented. If you are unsure whether there is a conflict, then submit an application and the issue will be reviewed by the membership committee at that time. You should feel welcome to visit a second time to learn more. Please also visit our Northern Virginia web site at www.bninova.com and our MBF website at www.mcleanbusinessforum.com.
2. We invite you to contact individual members for one on one meetings and business networking. However, we request that you NOT send mass solicitations to members of the group.