CHAMPIONSHIP NETWORKING FOR CORPORATE FINANCE

 

The All Cities Network (ACN) is a California-based organization that sponsors a series of business networking groups that meet monthly throughout Southern California. As part of ACN, ALL CITIES BUSINESS and FINANCE GROUP (ACBFG, formerly All Cities Resource Group) is comprised of bankers, lenders, attorneys, accountants, investment bankers, mergers and acquisition firms and consultants, all related through a similar client base and through corporate finance.

The All Cities Business and Finance Group is where it all started! There are two common denominators among members. The first is that all member clients are manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and service companies. The second is that all of their clients borrow money.

The concept behind the All Cities Network is as follows:

Networking and selling do not mix. How then can you level the playing field when you meet a prospect for the first time? In the All Cities Business and Finance Group, we start with the four questions you ask any new prospect: Who is your banker? Who is your lender? Who is your lawyer? Who is your accountant? Remember, the people you meet have one thing in common. They all have a computer. If you find out that the answer to any one of those four questions is a member of All Cities Network, you tell the prospect to pull the person's name and bio up on the computer. There's nothing like having a trusted financial adviser on your side when making a presentation to a prospect.

In addition, if you have a client who needs to borrow money (whether from a bank or other type of lender) you can refer that person to a banker or lender in ACBFG. When your clients need an accountant to prepare the financials necessary to show their collateral and numbers to the bank, you can refer them to an All Cities member accountant. Both before and after the transaction, clients need an attorney to review the loan documents. Again, you can make another referral. Then there are consultants who work within all of the categories, provided the work they do is finance related.

We call these businesses links. These links are made up of key advisers, defined as professionals who help characterize the financial position of their clients.

There have been numerous times when two, three or even four people from All Cities are involved in the same deal. (Of course, we stick strictly to the financial arena. We never ask who your web designer or life insurance person is when we're working with finance.)

Plus, it's great working with business associates and friends. That is what networking is all about.

There are currently 17 of these networking groups, including three with a focus on media, and one each with a focus on international business, real estate, and green issues. Each group meets once a month in various locations, including Beverly Hills, Burbank, Century City, downtown Los Angeles, Encino, Hollywood, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Westlake Village, and Woodland Hills. (See the Monthly Meetings page of this website for more information.)

Some of the requirements/benefits of ACBFG membership are:

1. Dues are $700 annually. With an ACBFG membership you are able to attend all of ACBFG's various resource groups.
2. Every member is required to bring one (1) qualified guest to a monthly meeting per quarter.
3. All members must R.S.V.P. to each monthly meeting they wish to attend. You will receive a confirmation e-mail for your attendance. We do this to control guest policy and to maintain balance between our three main groups of attendees.
4. All members receive one (1) complimentary pass; good for one ACBFG mixer per year.

 

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