I bet you're a little apprehensive about how to get started with your new groups.  I understand but know that you already have all the tools needed to organize a successful group.  Here are a few tips:

Getting Started

• Recruiting members:  Talk to local friends and family members about your new group, if needed, print up business cards to hand out so that other will have your information ready when they want to contact you.Utilize the meetup promotional materials located on the DC Girls Just Wanna Have Funds meetup site.  They have worked wonderfully in helping to promote the DC meetup which is 300 women strong at this time.
  

• Determine your ideal location:  You already know the great meetup locations in your area.  This can include university or school classrooms, restauraunts with quiet backroom dinner areas, a member's home and the like.  Your location should be conducive to learning and be quiet enough so that members can hear each other.  If you meet in a bar or restaurant then it should be for a happy hour.  But in my experience meeting in a bar doesnt quite work when members are sharing their situations with each other

• Be approachable:  As a new organizer it's extremely important that you be approachable, sociable and responsive to your member's needs.  There will be times that you'll have to be firm with members around certain issues but that's fine too as long as it is done with tact and respect.

• Survey member needs:  This is CRUCIAL!  If your group needs more in the area of saving and paying down debt then by all means plan meetups around that.  Like bees come to honey, members will only attend events they deem fill a need in their lives

• Member Business Opportunities:  This is a NO NO.  We are here to pay down debt, build savings and investments while increasing our financial knowledge and insight to our individual situations.  Our main group in DC is 300 women strong.  There is no way that I can screen each member's business opportunity to make sure that it isn't MLM or scam.  I care about our members and their financial well being therefore any school of thought around personal finance is fine with me.  This can include Suze Orman, David Bach, Dave Ramsey and the like.  But please, do not schedule meetups around get rich quick schemes.  Networking meetups abound, please feel free to refer members with such business opportunities outside of the group.

Questions?  Call or email me at gingerlatte (at) gmail (dot) com and 301-536-0263

Ginger