There’s a certain uniqueness to V5O that’s almost indescribable. If you had to assign a label then, of course, “networking group” does the trick but it misses out on the sense of community that is felt by all members. It’s a safe harbor with several unwritten “no” guidelines that we all follow, such as no judgements, no insults, no politics, no demeaning of others and, no fear to ask for help. It’s like the best small town you’d ever want to live in.

Following a poor experience with another networking group, I naturally approached V5O with a selfish mindset of simply wanting to expand by mortgage lending business.

But,  after my first virtual meeting with Alan and Layne, it was clear that they were genuinely driven to help the lives of others and to make them successful. Their attitude is infectious and it immediately shifted my thinking away from the small box where I lived my life.

Being a member of V5O is no longer is a matter of growing my business (which I’ll still gladly take) but after 35 years in the workforce, I have a rich network that is happily being leveraged to benefit the V5O community.

Best of all is watching V5O come alive when a charitable organization comes to us not looking for money but to simply ask for help getting the word out about their mission; the response is like a moonshot and one of my greatest joys. The pandemic may have been the spark that lit the flame of this great community but it’s the spirit of Alan, Layne, and everyone in the group that keeps it alive and thriving.