Hey everyone! Jon Marshall here, owner of Suncoast NPI. When people join a business group, they usually focus a lot of energy on the weekly chapter meeting. They prepare their infomercial, show up ready to connect, and work on being visible in the room. All of that matters. The weekly meeting keeps the chapter connected. But the one-to-one is where the relationship gets deeper.

A one-to-one is a focused conversation between two members of a chapter. It can happen over coffee, lunch, at an office, or even by phone when schedules are tight. The purpose is simple: get to know each other personally and professionally so you can build the trust needed to refer with confidence.

That personal side matters. Before a member places a friend, client, family member, or business contact in your hands, they want to know who you are. They want to understand how you communicate, how you serve, what you care about, and how you handle relationships. A good one-to-one gives both members the chance to learn those things in a real and practical way.

This meeting is also where you move beyond job titles. You may know that a member is a roofer, CPA, realtor, banker, attorney, printer, or digital marketer. During a one-to-one, you learn what makes them different. You learn who they serve best, which problems they solve, what a strong referral looks like, and what situations you should be listening for in your own conversations.

That is why professional curiosity is so important. A great one-to-one is not a sales pitch. You are not there to sell to the person sitting across from you. You are there to understand them well enough to recognize meaningful opportunities, make thoughtful introductions, and speak about their business with confidence when the right conversation comes along.

Suncoast NPI gives members a simple way to make these meetings more effective: I Have, I Need, I Will. “I Have” is what is happening in your business that may help another member or their power partners. “I Need” is the specific support, connection, or introduction you are looking for right now. “I Will” is the action step each member commits to taking after the conversation.

That simple structure keeps the meeting useful while still leaving room for real relationship-building. You can talk about family, background, hobbies, goals, business challenges, ideal referrals, power partners, and the kind of clients you love to serve. The more you understand the person and the business, the easier it becomes to remember that member during the week.

Over time, one-to-ones turn familiar faces into trusted relationships. They help a chapter become more connected, more aware, and more prepared to support one another. When members consistently sit down, listen well, and follow through on what they said they would do, the whole chapter gets stronger.

Your success across Tampa, Clearwater, and Pasco County is not built by passing out as many business cards as possible. It is built through the depth of the relationships you create with people who know you, trust you, and understand how to refer you well.

So make the one-to-one a priority. Schedule it. Show up prepared. Ask good questions. Listen closely. Follow through afterward. That is how you honor the relationship, strengthen your chapter, and become a member others feel confident remembering.

Until next time, this is Jon Marshall reminding you: when we pull together, we all win!