Member FAQs
What is AEG?
AEG is an ecosystem of 50 professional business advisors in 25 complementary disciplines, curated from the region’s top firms, who work together to help midmarket business leaders:
- Grow their business
- Exit under their terms
- Build personal wealth
Why Does AEG Exist?
For midmarket companies, increasing speed, complexity and uncertainties stall growth. For business advisors, specialization creates silos that hinder coordination for support of optimal growth. For capital markets, deal flow is hindered by lack of sellable companies.
AEG’s business model creates a multidisciplinary advisor community to coordinate disciplines and tools to identify personal and business growth opportunities and deliver the right capabilities and capital at the right time to companies and position them for eventual exit.
- For companies and owners, AEG identifies growth opportunities and operational deficits and deploys the capabilities, capital and connections needed to address them.
- For business advisors, AEG creates a community where perspective and skills can grow, marketing budgets and time can be leveraged efficiently
- For capital markets, AEG generates deal flow by identifying highest potential companies and preparing them for transition under fair terms.
Our mission is to create personal and business growth through trusted relationships.
How Does AEG Work?
We leverage four keys to growth: specialized advisory capabilities, appropriate capital forms and strategies, connecting businesses to growth resources and building communities to share benefits of growth.
AEG member dues is combined to promote AEG as a trusted source of capability and capital. We sponsor business leader-focused events (e.g., CEO-only dinners, educational seminars, executive radio shows, workshops, social events) to build trust and promote member services to help companies grow value, exit on their terms and build personal wealth.
AEG also connects capital markets to growing companies interested in sale or M&A strategies. Whether finding deals or helping to build value to get ready for sale, AEG builds advisor, business and capital communities. In doing so, we strengthen the midmarket business ecosystem for the benefit of all.
What is Unique About AEG?
AEG was designed to generate midmarket business growth, not just be another networking group. We are deliberately about growth and do so by connecting advisors, businesses and capital markets.
Our community, culture and values are also intentional. Our advisor ecosystem is intentionally limited in size to maintain community. We are strongly values-based:
- Give First – Put others ahead of ourselves
- Do Good Work – Serve others with integrity and competence
- Live Passionately – Live your profession and family/business/community life to the fullest
- Have Fun – Bring joy to yourself and those you engage
Finally, we focus on the whole – for advisors, businesses and community. Our advisors are critical to our success and we make every effort to get to know each other personally. We cultivate businesses through both personal and professionals contact. Finally, our focus is on the whole company lifecycle from startup, growth, exit and personal journey after exit.
What is the Structure of AEG?
AEG has a simple organization structure, with an executive, advisory board, five committees and professional counsel, as shown in the following chart. Committees are made up of 3-5 members. The advisory council is made up of about 10 members, all of whom have built, run or sold companies.
How Do I Make The Most of My Membership?
AEG membership is like a gym membership. You get out of it what you put into it, and you have to show up to participate. Those advisors who are highly engaged receive the bulk of referrals because they are top of mind.
We have many ways to get involved and known to other members and our community of business leaders. Each member has unique business skills, experiences and connections we can share. Those skills can be applied to companies, to the businesses of other members, and to the successful operation and growth of AEG as an organization.
How Can I Get to Know Fellow Members Better?
I can’t refer you if I don’t know you. One of the highest obligations of membership is to become familiar with the services and character of other members. Our ability to recognize a need by a business leader of advisory services comes from knowing the full range of services AEG membership offers. AEG offers five formal ways to get to know other members better:
- Member meetings – We hold monthly meetings to update members on recent and upcoming AEG activities, including marketing efforts, CEO events, introduce new members and to discuss how to improve marketing and client service. These are held from 4-6pm on the second Tuesday, with 30 minutes of networking at the beginning of the meeting, and followed by a happy hour(s) at a nearby restaurant after.
- 1 on 1 meetings – Members are encouraged to meet with each other member once a year. It is often only after a second or third deep conversation that we truly understand what the other person’s services, the value of that service to a client and how you could work together to create a new high-value service. With more than 40 members, it might be impractical for some to meet every other member 1 on 1, so select those you have not spent much time with yet to meet 1 on 1.
- Power of 3 – AEG organizes “Power of 3” groups, which meet once a month, as 3 members, each taking one session to explain their services in detail and discuss who they are as a person. New groups are formed each quarter.
- Interest groups – AEG encourages members to form groups around topics of their choosing. For example, a group may form around transactions, joined by members specializing in investment banking, M&A law, wealth management, accounting, and estate planning. Other groups being considered are GovCon, Nonprofit and Technology.
- AEG committees – Working with other members on AEG activities is a great way to see them in action. You’ll see how innovative, giving, accountable and capable they are by how they contribute to AEG development. Committees are Client Services, Member Services, Marketing, Operations and Finance.
How Do I Make A Business Referral To Another Member?
Referrals are critical to the success of AEG, its members and the midmarket business community. The diversity of our complementary skills creates a unique network of contacts and clients. Getting to know the skills and perspectives of other members allows us to see opportunities – for members and businesses – we might otherwise miss.
There is an art to making an effective referral. While introductions between two people who “should know each other” is often useful in the long run, the best referral is one passing the BANT test (Budget, Ability to buy, Need for service, and Timeliness).
See AEG suggestions about how to make a referral.
Once a referral is given, it is critical to follow up immediately. Poor referrals, not following up or providing poor service are bad for both members, the client and AEG.
We review referrals given and gotten each month to make sure we are doing right by everyone. If a member is not getting referrals, we work to raise their profile and better articulate their services. If a member is not giving referrals or giving less effective one, we also help them become more effective referrers.
What Do I Do When I Receive a Referral?
Follow up immediately. Reaching out to the business owner you were referred to within the hour shows your professionalism and responsiveness when interest is likely to be highest. Even if you are tied up, send a short text or email saying you acknowledge the referral and when you will reach out to talk.
Acknowledge the referral to the person making it and thank them for it. Keep them advised with the progress, including if you find that the referral won’t be productive.
Finally, let AEG know what happened to the referral. Our ability to improve the referral process and the skills of members in handling referrals rests on our tracking and evaluating the effectiveness of those referrals.
How Do I Leverage AEG for My Business?
Be an ambassador for personal and business growth and the AEG mission. You are in business because you like using your skills to help businesses thrive and to make a living doing it. The businesses you serve and AEG want the same things.
Leverage AEG’s collective capabilities, community, connections and reputation. Members are part of an exclusive, highly vetted and powerful network – let people know. Get to know other members’ capabilities and clients. Look out for opportunities for growth by making referrals. Invite your prospects and clients to AEG events – whether they attend or not, they appreciate that you are thinking of them.
What Are AEG Ethical Standards?
The value of business advisory services is based on the trusted relationship between advisor and client or between advisors. The AEG is committed to provide technically competent, collaborative and ethical advisory services to member clients. As such, it requires all of its members who choose to participate in its operations to attest to their understanding of and adherence to the AEG Code of Ethics. This attestation, renewable annually, is the basis for adjudication of allegations and violations of the AEG Code of Ethics under enforcement policies as approved by the AEG Board of Directors.
How Do I Send a Message to AEG Membership?
There is a member roster and communication app being developed through which you can communicate with all current members. Currently, the best way to communicate with other members is to contact our administrator, Paula Boyland and discuss your messaging needs.
Are There AEG Groups Other Than in DMV?
AEG currently only operates in DMV. However, because of our unique business model, we have been approached to start groups other cities. We are evaluating the potential benefits of such an expansion.
What Educational Opportunities Does AEG Have?
We offer professional development opportunities at our monthly member meetings, seminars, workshops and occasional breakfasts. Members provide half-hour summaries of current topics and trends into their areas of expertise including sales, finance, operations, strategy, ethics, technology, legal and talent management. Contact Ken Smith for more information.
How Do I Nominate A Candidate For Membership?
Membership in AEG is by invitation only. We have specific disciplines we offer to growing businesses and most of those disciplines are already covered by members. Contact the Member Services Committee chair to nominate a prospective member. Remember to not contact the candidate before talking to the membership committee, who will vet the candidate and decide whether they are right for AEG – then we will contact them.
What Technologies Does AEG Use?
AEG is increasingly technology-enabled for communication, analysis and administration. We are developing capabilities using the following applications/services:
- Document Repository (Dropbox)
- Working Documents (Google Docs/Sheets)
- Project management (TeamWork)
- CRM (Pipedrive)
- Website (https://enterprisegrowth.org)
- Member information (AEG website member section https://enterprisegrowth.org/members)
- Social Media
- Crystal (AI add-in for LinkedIn)
- Referral app
What Collateral Does AEG Have for Members?
AEG is developing a consistent set of collateral that members can use to enhance their membership experience, improve service to their clients and promote AEG. These include:
- AEG membership flyer
- AEG services sheet
- Member bio book
- Website hosted collateral
How Do I Provide Feedback to AEG?
We encourage suggestions, complaints and offers to help strengthen AEG as an organization and a resource for companies. Email admin@enterprisegrowth.org with comments and complaints.
Who Do I Go To For Help?
It is likely that your questions can be answered by committee chairs:
- Client Services
- Member Services
- Marketing
- Operations
- Finance
Admin Paula Boyland, paula@enterprisegrowth.org
If you don’t know contact admin@enterprisegrowth.org
or Mark Haas mhaas@enterprisegrowth.org or John Yetman jyetman@enterprisegrowth.org
What Is AEG’s Legal Status?
AEG was started in its current form in 2017 by John Yetman and Mark Haas. It is an LLC, incorporated in Delaware (as of 2019). AEG owners are:
- Mark Haas, CEO mhaas@enterprisegrowth.org (301) 442-5889
- John Yetman, Chair, Advisory Board jyetman@enterprisegrowth.org (301) 452-4999
Its address is 340 Market Street East, Suite 173, Gaithersburg, MD 20878-6443
Reserved
Newsletter Archive
04/27/2023 – AEG April Week 4 News
04/13/2023 – AEG April Week 2 News
03/31/2023 – AEG March Week 4 News
03/14/2023 – AEG March Week 2 News
02/14/2023 – AEG February Week 2 News
01/26/2023 – AEG January Week 4 News
01/10/2023 – AEG January Week 2 News
Newsletter Archive
Entrepreneur News
Feeds from Inc., Entrepreneur, She Owns It, and Forbes.
(Send feed suggestions to admin@enterprisegrowth.org)
- Why the Coaching Industry Is Poised for Transformative Growth in the Gig Economy Era — and How to Navigate the Waves of Changeby Alina Trigubenko on April 17, 2024 at 6:00 pm
This article highlights five trends shaping the coaching industry and offers insights into how entrepreneurs can adapt and thrive in this evolving landscape.
- How to Make the Most of In-Person Gatherings for Remote and Hybrid Teamsby Cheri Beranek on April 17, 2024 at 5:30 pm
Encourage meaningful interactions and draw more value from in-person experiences.
- AI vs. Humanity — Why Humans Will Always Win in Content Creationby Cara Sloman on April 17, 2024 at 5:00 pm
With the proliferation and integration of AI across organizations and business units, PR and marketing professionals may be tempted to lean into this new technology more than recommended.
- How to Overcome Consumer Skepticism and Embed Trust for Marketing Successby Kelly Fletcher on April 17, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Trust isn't just a buzzword — it's the cornerstone of today's business landscape. So, how do you navigate this trust-driven world? Here's what you need to know.
- How to Get People to Open – And Read – Your Emailsby Entrepreneur Staff on April 17, 2024 at 4:43 pm
Email marketing is one of the quickest and most effective ways to grow your brand, expand your audience and make more sales.
- Days After Layoffs, Tesla Pushes Stockholders to Approve Elon Musk's $56 Billion Pay Packageby Sherin Shibu on April 17, 2024 at 4:40 pm
Tesla claims that Musk has not been paid in six years.
- Are Franchises in the Clear After the Expanded Joint Employer Rule Was Struck Down? Industry Experts Answer 2 Critical Questions About What's Next.by Carl Stoffers on April 17, 2024 at 4:00 pm
Despite franchise industry successes in Congress and federal court, the expanded Joint Employer Rule is not completely dead. The IFA will outline its current status in a webinar on April 23.
- Save 20% on This Restaurant Gift Cardby Entrepreneur Store on April 17, 2024 at 4:00 pm
Treat a client to a meal without taking time out of your schedule.
- Successful Brands Use These 4 Radical Practices to Attract Loyal Customersby Adam Kroener on April 17, 2024 at 3:00 pm
If you're ready to foster true customer loyalty and propel sustainable growth, it's time to embrace radical transparency across your organization.
- A 3D Printer Used By Microsoft, Ford, and NASA Is Now Commercially Available — Here's What It Can Doby Sherin Shibu on April 17, 2024 at 2:45 pm
Formlabs is a 3D printing company now worth $2 billion. It started as a Kickstarter campaign.