Starting a new crew requires some effort and some planning but with our help and experience, this can be a rewarding experience. Committing to becoming a member of Fishers Network can take some convincing which is why we’ve done a lot of the leg work to make this as easy a process as possible.
Tips
- Build some momentum with the relationships you have in the community. If there are candidates you know personally, speak to them about your vision for starting a crew in the community.
- Take advantage of our materials. Persuasion can be tricky, so we’ve taken the trouble to compose messaging so you don’t have to. Take advantage of our website and our explainer videos to help you convince people to join you in this endeavor. We’ve created short intro videos for each audience type (for general audiences, for parishes, for members). You can draw inspiration from the messaging in these videos for your conversations, or just send/show them to your candidates.
- Get your parish on board. Reach out to your pastor or someone else at the parish to pitch the idea. Again, this is where our name and materials are helpful. You don’t have to pitch some novel idea that you came up with on your own. Instead, you have our name and materials to increase the legitimacy of the idea. Share our website and intro videos with them as part of the process.
- Chaplains aren’t necessary, but they are a very important part of a successful crew. Our pastors are busy, but if you can convince him of the value of being integrated in a crew of business leaders poised to help out in the business needs of the parish, he may be willing to trade another responsibility for this one.
- Hospitality shouldn’t be overlooked. As captain, you’re hosting meetings, so whenever you do so, make sure that the location is available, set up to accommodate everyone, and that refreshments and/or snacks are available if possible.
Steps
Sample Bulletin Messaging
Our parish is now officially hosting a Fishers Network crew. Fishers Network is a way for Catholics who are leaders in their profession (business owners, managers, executives, academics, politicians, etc.) to network together, grow in fellowship, mentor one another, and support each other professionally – all while going deeper in their Catholic faith. If that sounds like you, contact [contact information] for more information or visit fishersnetwork.com.
- We suggest you start by getting the parish on board. Without permission, a place to host meetings, and a chaplain, you may have to look for alternatives. Neighboring parishes may be another option.
- Request that the parish help recruit membership by using their available communication channels like bulletins and websites. For an example of the wording you could use, see the sample text on this page.
- Connect with potential members. If you’re relying on email, offer a quick intro to Fishers Network and then be sure to include a link to one of our video explanations and our website (for general audiences, for parishes, for members).
- Host an exploration meeting. This may not be necessary, but it will give everyone a chance to discover who might be interested. You can take this opportunity to pitch the idea or use our longer explanation video that was produced for this exact purpose.
- Officially invite those who are interested. As part of this invitation, propose a date for your crew meetings and the interval of both crew and 1-on-1 meetings so that potential members know what they’re signing up for.
- Once you have the measure of who is officially committed, sign up and start a new crew through our website and then use the invitation feature in the Crew Dashboard (Main menu → Crew Dashboard → Members → Invites).
- Complete the onboarding process and set up your crew’s meeting schedule.
- Download and read the Crew Captains manual (Main Menu > Crew Documents).
Expected objections & How to reply to them?
I don’t have time for this.
We're sensitive to the sacrifices that we all have to make to build something worthwhile. With that said, we think this is a win-win offering. The potential ROI towards your own professional, personal, and spiritual benefit could be significant while also cultivating benefits for your local community.
I already have a great network of business people I can rely on.
Deo gratias! Do you think that your local community could also benefit from your network? Imagine how fruitful it could be for your community if you decided to combine your talents and strengths with those of your fellow Catholic leaders.
I don’t need another Bible study or prayer group.
We celebrate these kinds of groups, but that isn't the focus of a Fishers Network Crew. We aren't an alternative or rival to those groups. Our goal is to gather a group of professional leaders who will support each other and help each other create grow together.
I'm a master of my craft, I don’t need mentorship.
Well done, you are exactly the kind of people we need! What would you have given to have been mentored through some of the challenges you faced earlier in your vocation? Now consider that value you could offer to someone in that same position. Do you want to help young Catholic leaders in realizing their fullest potential?