I am the current President of a lunch club that was meeting in a restaurant. About a month ago, we found out that the restaurant was going to close and that we would have to move the club to another location. The search for a new location was on and the terror set in.
How many of you have experienced having to move? Are you like me and moving ranks up there on your list of fears with Public Speaking and Death? OK, some of these jokes are just for me. Honestly, I was scared, because we had one week until our last meeting and we did not have a meeting location set that everyone agreed was a good location.
Yesterday, luck happened to be on my side. The Immediate Past President e-mailed me to let me know that another member had found a location. For the first time, this location was going to let a club have their events in their meeting space on a permanent basis. After weeks of searching for a neutral, non-offensive location, we had a meeting space. Everything will be great…or will it?
This is where the worry creeps in. You have all heard the stories of the clubs that die after moving. What if we are one of those?
So I ask my dear readers, have you experienced a move? What was the outcome? Was it for better…or worse?
About the Author: My Toastmasters Blog is written and edited by Chris Elliott, the founder of the young professional coaching site Young Profit Pros. Chris enjoys using his knowledge and experiences during his speaking engagements, workshops, consulting projects, and one-on-one coaching sessions. The result—connecting people and empowering change. If you would like information on how you can bring Chris to speak to your next meeting, please download Chris' one sheet or contact him by clicking here.
I had to move a club but it played out a little different.
Rather than needed to move and not having a place, we had been desiring a move for a long time without having a place that was suitable.
At the time, our meeting place was in a corporation from which all the members had come. Over time, after opening the club, employee/members had diminished and outside members had increased. It became difficult to enter or leave the building because all guests were required to be escorted. We needed a new place.
Luckily, one prospective member was from around the corner where his business was located. He and one of his employees were interested in Toastmasters and he was agreeable to allow us to meet in his business.
Our only bump, was the members concern of losing members who were still employees of the original business. Moving meant they would need more time to leave the building and go to the other location. So it was agreed to hold the first 2 meetings of each quarter in the old location. Since then, most members have seen that as a mistake and I expect it to change.