The Club considers our members in everything we do, including how to elevate our level of service and offerings. Over the years, the Club has created a strong community, including within our various Sub Clubs – created to bring together like-minded people.
This week we talked with Matthew Braithwaite-Young, our Business Sub Club Leader and member since 2010. Check the full conversation below.
How long have you been part of the Business sub-club?
The Business Forum is about 12 years old now. It’s been through a few different iterations and formats, but the latest setup is the most dynamic and vibrant so far. We used to get speakers in from outside Tattersalls Club, but these sessions tended to turn into a sales pitch! So these days, we turn inwards more, set up topics that interest everyone, and listen to the knowledge from the group itself.
How do you cultivate and maintain connections within our business sub-club?
Well, to be frank there really isn’t any deliberate cultivation. The nice thing about having a regular group is seeing the connections and trust grow naturally without any pressure or artificiality. The other thing is, that most members know each other one way or another through the wider club, so the connections are usually there already.
Our main aim is to get together and share what we see happening and how the business world is evolving. Over time and frequency of contact, we have a high level of trust and the group is able to hit basically any common business topic and come up with some strong emerging themes.
Yes, there is a core group of regulars -the brains trust – but the group is very welcoming to any member coming along and joining in to see if it is for them. They always get drawn into a great conversation.
Can you share any successful networking strategies or initiatives you’ve implemented to strengthen relationships among members?
We use the Chatham House rule, which is that the conversations and information can be used freely outside the group as long as you don’t identify the source. It’s a good rule because it allows the application of new information and encourages free sharing, but protects member privacy.
Apart from that, Tattersalls Club has never felt like a place for formal networking strategies. So we don’t try. Our most successful initiative is just having a regular occasion to join – it is the frequency and great conversation that builds relationships. Oh, and the great breakfast, coffee and care we get from Cinzia and the front-of-house team!
What methods do you employ to identify potential synergies or collaboration opportunities among members within the club?
The magic of Business Owners Forum conversations is usually the triangulation of information from multiple industries or members – this provides a kind of early-warning radar for trends emerging in business.
Again, there are no methods other than talking and sharing – we just put on a breakfast and have a great chat. The best conversations even get a little bit spicy – in a good way.
I have heard opportunities may have emerged from time to time between members but this happens outside the group. We’re not there to promote businesses to each other or anything like that. The name of the game is insightful conversation members can use in their own context.
Have you observed any emerging trends or common interests among members that could be further leveraged for networking or collaborative opportunities?
There are too many common interests to mention. Most of our sub-club members are impacted by the domestic economy, industry trends and policy in one way or another. Artificial intelligence and cyber security have been major discussions lately. We’ve had great conversations about geopolitics, and occasionally, we get brave enough to tackle local politics.
Any special moments in the Club that you would like to share?
It’s nice to be in a group that provides a more realistic perspective than mainstream news, which these days tends to parrot talking points without much depth. In 2020, the group very clearly anticipated COVID policies at the time would trigger the current inflationary wave – so our members had an early warning radar on that one.
