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3.Learning from your fellow members. No matter if you are an experienced business professional or new to
industry, there is always something to learn from others.
Veteran members have been there and done that so they have
voice of experience to offer. Those new to
industry can sometimes be an excellent source of new & fresh ideas.
4.You have
chance to get involved in new ventures. Many veteran members collaborate to initiate new ventures and projects to help enhance their industry. Usually, during
start-up phase of these new ventures, it is common to work with those that you know and respect and have them involved in
process. By being a member of an organization and staying involved, you become visible to your fellow members and thus may be requested to become involved in
newest industry-boosting project.
5.And finally, one of
perks of joining an organization is
joy of making new friends.
Many small business owners operate their businesses from home and isolation can become an issue. Being a member of any organization results in making friends with fellow members, reducing
isolation aspect. These friendships can also result in a mentor type relationship where
two (or more) of you share ideas that will help to boost each other’s businesses and even your personal lives. (Such is
case of myself and my best friend Kathy Ritchie of Ritchie Secretarial Service – www.thebestva.com - a fellow Virtual Assistant)
To sum it all up, being a member of an industry specific organization has many benefits and shouldn’t be viewed as associating with
enemy. Try to think of your relationship with your fellow industry members as ‘coopetition’ rather than ‘competition’. By working together you can build
industry as a whole, your own individual businesses, and even your personal lives.

Janice Byer is a certified Master Virtual Assistant and owner of Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services (http://www.docutype.net). Visit her website to read more of her articles, sign up for her award-winning newsletter, and browse her various services, testimonials and resources.