Purpose

The Business & Leadership Roundtable is an initiative facilitated by WHC to unite Business, Non-Profit and Community Leaders to partner, share resources and influence positive change. Currently, Baltimore has many leaders of many small groups, often struggling to fix the same problems. By sharing best practices, giving access to resources and combining our efforts, we hope to address economic and social challenges through new joint business ventures, greater community organization and enhanced public-private partnerships.

Our Monthly Meetings will be opportunities to learn, grow, share and network.

The measurements for success for this initiative will be:

  • All members have the opportunity to access shared resources
  • All members have the opportunity to participate with other members on projects of mutual interest
  • All members have the opportunity to solicit help from other members on their projects
  • All members have the opportunity to share other members’ projects and events with their networks to increase awareness and participation
  • New partnerships are made between business, non-profit and community leaders

Who Should Apply? 

This group is for positive people who are willing to gain knowledge, share ideas and grant other Members access to resources. Our Members believe it is their purpose to help others and we come together because we can do more together and create more opportunities for the people we represent. We may differ in opinion or method, but we respect each other as people and we strive to help each other whenever possible.

To ensure that we have positive people in the group who will not distract from learning, all prospective Members must have a phone interview with Will Holmes prior to approval. If not approved for Membership, the Membership fee will be refunded in full. Also, Will Holmes may ask a Member to leave the group for ethical matters or if they prove to be disruptive to the learning or growth of the group. If asked to leave, a full refund for the year will be given.

Annual Membership is $99 and includes admission to all Monthly Meetings from March to October. Complimentary light refreshments are served at all monthly meetings. We plan to have Monthly Meetings at venues that serve food and beverages, so Members can choose to purchase additional food and beverages at their own expense. 

Members can choose to upgrade their Membership to include one-on-one monthly or weekly Leadership Coaching calls to assist with their efforts in between meetings. Also, Members may choose to take advantage of the services offered by other Members and the Subject Matter Experts we invite to share their knowledge at Monthly Meetings. 

Monthly Meetings

The Business & Leadership Roundtable meets monthly, March through October to discuss challenges, learn from subject matter experts, develop solutions and network in comfortable, safe settings. We will meet on 4th Wednesday or 4th Thursday evenings from 6pm to 8:30pm. The meetings will occur at local restaurants, hotels or venues owned by members or sponsors. Our goal is to always meet at venues with adequate parking and access to food and beverages. As the group grows, we may need larger venues, but comfortable, safe settings with food are our target spaces.

The Monthly Meetings will be facilitated by Will Holmes or by other designated Members. All meetings are for Members Only. We will have Guest Speakers and Subject Matter Experts at most meetings to provide key information that will benefit the group. However, our events are Members Only and NO guests are allowed at meetings. Please respect this guideline.

Monthly Meeting Agenda

The Agenda for each Monthly Meeting will be:

  • 6pm to 6:15pm- Check-In and Networking with Complimentary Light Refreshments
  • 6:15pm to 6:25pm- Welcome, Recognition and Announcements
  • 6:25pm to 7pm- Members Present Challenges and the Roundtable Shares Solutions and Resources
  • 7pm to 7:45pm- Special Presentation by a Subject Matter Expert or Panel Discussion with Q&A
  • 7:45pm to 8:30pm- Networking with Members

Meeting Topics

We polled potential members and asked them what they wanted to learn. It may take a few years to cover all these, but we plan to invite Subject Matter Experts to share best practices on these topics:

  • Leading and Motivating People
  • Starting and Growing a Profitable Business
  • Starting and Growing a Successful Non-Profit
  • Effective Community Organizing
  • Creating and Leading a High Performance Team
  • Leading and Planning Effective Meetings
  • Effective Communication and Public Speaking
  • Maintaining Ethical Business Practices
  • Identifying Talent and Creating Opportunities for Advancement
  • Creating Your Organization’s Culture
  • Marketing, Sales and Fundraising Best Practices
  • Using Data to Make Business Decisions
  • Politics and Business
  • Incorporating Race, Equity, Cultural Diversity and Inclusion
  • Building Confidence Within Individuals
  • Practicing Compassion, Selflessness and Mindfulness
  • Effective Delegation of Duties Based on Skills Sets
  • Creating New Leaders
  • Corporate Social Responsibility

Whenever possible, we plan to record these presentations and make them available to Members for later viewing. Additionally, Members are encouraged to volunteer new topics or present as Subject Matter Experts.

Shared Calendar

The Business & Leadership Roundtable will host a shared public calendar where Members can post their events and invite other Members and their networks to participate. Support of other Members is strongly encouraged whenever possible. We achieve more positive change if we work together.

Additional meetings, retreats and events may occur based on Member needs. These additional events may have additional costs.


About the Business & Leadership Roundtable Founder, Will Holmes

Founder, Will Holmes is a trusted business advisor and leader with clients and partners including The U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Treasury, Department of Commerce, The Small Business Administration, SoundExchange, Goldman Sachs, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School, Morgan State University, The University of Baltimore, The Harbor Bank of Maryland, Wells Fargo Bank, The National Urban League, The Greater Baltimore Leadership Association, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, and many more…

Will Holmes currently serves as the Chairman of the Board for the Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce. He leads with over 20 years of experience helping organizations maximize teams, increase revenue and improve efficiency by streamlining existing processes, creating new systems and providing customized training to executives and staff.

Mr. Holmes is a highly-recognized, award-winning business consultant with an engaging personality, incredible business acumen and over 2 decades of experience in helping companies build high performance teams and increase revenue. Will Holmes has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs and growing businesses, helping them to create structure for their vision and implement the processes and technology to support their goals. He works in the Baltimore community with various charities and organizations to create opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs, leaders and youth.


Membership Application

Membership is $99 whether you join in the beginning, middle or end of the year. Your date of initial Membership is your anniversary date. We do not auto debit annual fees. If you decide to renew in the following year, you would renew on your anniversary date. If you decide to leave the group, no refunds will be given, so please ensure that you are ready to participate, learn and grow.

We reserve the right to close Membership at any time.

When you complete the application and pay your membership fee, you will be given a link to schedule a call with Will Holmes. Until you speak with Will, your membership remains in pending status. After you speak with Will and he approves your membership, you will have full access to the group and resources. If not chosen for the group, your full fee will be refunded immediately.


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