Club 500: Why do businessmen need a strong environment?
Dubai is a major business and economic hub at the crossroads of East and West. When you open a business in Dubai, you are entering one of the fastest growing markets in the world. However, achieving great results alone is always more difficult because, as practice shows, a strong environment can multiply the speed of development of a modern entrepreneur and the growth of his business.
In Dubai, networking is growing rapidly and more and more venues are being created for it. That’s why in March 2022, the largest closed premium business community in the CIS opened a representative office in the UAE. Club 500 unites entrepreneurs, with a business turnover starting from $1.5 million a year. In 4 years of its existence, Club 500 managed to win the leading status in the industry of business communities in the CIS and to grow in scale by 4 times. The Club 500 plans to open 50 representative offices worldwide in the next few years.
So what are the advantages of the Club 500?
Club 500 is a huge community of entrepreneurs, with almost 1,000 residents and a combined turnover of USD 18 billion a year!
We had a chat with Club co-founder Dmitry Portnyagin. According to him, the club offers its residents a progressive resource for effective growth and networking. As opposed to today’s “business universities” where training is built on knowledge which is constantly becoming obsolete and irrelevant in an ever accelerating world. At Club 500, growth comes from the networking and strength of the members, the sharing of relevant experience and the safe, trusting environment for finding trusted partners amongst members.
The founder of the club is convinced that business education is of no use now, as it does not provide relevant solutions now that the system and circumstances are changing so rapidly. After all, any entrepreneur’s request now needs a clear and immediate answer from another entrepreneur who has a successful experience here and now that answers that request.
In other words, the Club 500 is an accumulator of resources for individual success and multiple business growth, at the expense of successful entrepreneurs who have achieved concrete solid results in their niches, have unique expertise and a wealth of personal experience in running a business.
To build quality connections between people, Club 500 creates a strong networking environment in which these connections can be born and grow. The Club 500 team has created an entire ecosystem of 360 degree products aimed at arranging all aspects of residents’ lives and communications at all levels and scales: there are progressive tools for business development, a variety of formats for meaningful communication, leisure, sports and family events. Business breakfasts, business dinners, masterminds, forums, meetings with mentors and excursions to major companies are held to develop entrepreneurial competencies and solve a wide range of issues.
One of the most effective in building quality communications and regular Club 500 formats is the business breakfast. This format involves a lively meeting of residents in a pleasant informal setting, a speaker’s presentation on a current business topic, discussion and networking. Speakers are usually top managers and founders of large corporations. You can ask a question and get an answer right away. At business breakfasts, residents make new acquaintances, exchange experiences and competencies, share successful practices, find partners and like-minded people.
The Club 500 also has a separate area dedicated to investment and financial literacy – investment pitching. Community members have an opportunity to present their projects and attract investor partners among residents. The record amount of funds raised in the format’s history is $8 million. In addition, you can distribute your money profitably here at 3-5% per month, buy a share in a business or become a partner.
You can also get very detailed and safe navigation through the world of investment, learn about the main trends and forecasts, calculate the risks and get advice from those residents who have the most extensive and successful experience in this business.
One of the most beloved by residents permanent formats is forum groups. This tool provides the opportunity to work in depth on a wide range of life issues, including both personal and business-related ones. Once in the Club, residents are divided into permanent groups of 10 people, where they meet once a month and discuss each other’s problems, share their vision and experience of successful resolution of situations, and provide each other with support and feedback. This tool helps to find a solution to a problem in the here and now, or to look at the situation from a different angle.
Groups are not formed randomly; residents are grouped in dozens with similar interests, values and views on life. The strongest bonds and relationships between residents are formed here; often forum groups become a “second family” for residents, with whom they organise joint trips and become family friends.
A lot of attention is paid to sports, as a commitment to a healthy lifestyle helps to keep the body and mind alert and energised for new business achievements. Residents enjoy basketball, football, hockey, lawn tennis and attackball as well as many other, rarer sports. Sporting events are held several times a week.
Club 500 offers a variety of recreational formats, and in order to form strong and quality bonds, you need a foundation in the form of positive relationships between residents. Club 500 recreational activities are always an informal setting where residents can relax and get to know each other. These can be family events, trips together, and parties organized by the residents themselves on their own initiative. The most popular format of leisure Club 500, which, according to statistics of the Club, is the most vibrant partnerships and relationships, is a joint visit to the sauna every Sunday.
Of course, the organisers of the Club try to make interaction and learning in the club modern and mobile. From the first day of its creation, Club 500 has paid great attention to the development of the IT-sphere. It was reflected in launching of mobile application, use of advanced technologies in organization of events, optimization of resident’s verification system.
The organisers consider the main value of Club 500 to be the residents themselves. The main part of the community consists of middle-aged entrepreneurs with the turnover from $2 million to $60 million a year, both men and women. All of them have a pronounced self-development value and aspiration for leadership in their markets; they are successful people who have achieved concrete results in their niches, have unique expertise and a wealth of personal experience in doing business. The quality of connections is achieved through narrow funnel technology. Only 30% of 100% of applicants who want to join the Club and meet the criteria for membership become Club 500 residents.
Before joining the Club, a potential resident is interviewed personally and not in a standard pattern, but on an individual basis. In addition, there is a multi-level system of checking by the security service. Everything that may cast doubt on the business itself or its results is checked: credit histories, criminal records, company reputation, turnover, etc. Organizers explain such carefulness by the fact that it is important for them to make sure that the future resident of a community is a real bearer of successful experience and proven financial result, a potential successful partner for residents. After all, residents are selected not from just a few, but from hundreds of applicants, and only the best are chosen. They are the ones who will later become market leaders. The organisers state that this is the main foundation of the Club 500 system and that they plan to open 50 representative offices all over the world so that the number of Club 500 professionals would increase.
That is the great advantage of Club 500: a strong network of leaders. Once in this community, no one can stay the same; change and development begins at the doorstep. Quality surroundings and connections help you realise 90% of the goals you set for yourself.
Everyone who is ready for personal growth and for a qualitative 180° turn in all areas of life, we invite to read more about the club on the website.
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