The 5 MyEO groups that have changed my life

Contributed by Hao Lam, an Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) member in Seattle, Washington, and founder and CEO of Best in Class Education.

Members of EO have access to multiple programmes and events to help entrepreneurs grow both personally and professionally. If you’re an EO member and haven’t yet joined MyEO yet, I want to share my experience with this fantastic benefit.

Not an EO member yet? Learn more here!

In MyEO groups, you can:
• Gather a group for a poker night
• Sail with EO members in the Caribbean Sea
• Learn how to write and publish a book
• Enjoy a whiskey-tasting tour
• Learn and share industry-specific knowledge

You can choose from one-time MyEO events as well as ongoing industry meetings. With 568 MyEO interest and industry groups in the EO network database, there is truly something for everyone.

Saying that MyEO groups changed my life is an understatement: The benefits I receive from MyEO alone more than justify my annual EO membership dues. If you have yet to join, experience and benefit from MyEO groups, you’re missing out tremendously!

Here are the five specific MyEO groups that have been life-changing for me:

1. MyEO Franchisor Group

Five years ago, desperate to learn how to grow and scale my franchise business, I searched through the MyEO groups. To my surprise, I found a MyEO Franchisor Forum created by Aaron Marshall of EO Utah, with six members. I reached out and after ensuring that I qualified, he invited me to join. We connect quarterly to share franchise-specific pitfalls and best practices. It’s a safe space to have frank discussions, share woes and triumphs, and get support through it all.

Since we all reside in the US, we take turns hosting occasional in-person meetings. Past trips took us to Orangetheory Fitness headquarters in Florida and The 1-800-GOT-JUNK headquarters of Brian Scudamore, an EO Vancouver member, in British Columbia, Canada. Each member walks away with an enriching experience and professional gems that make an immediate, lasting impact.

2. MyEO Morning Genius

Three years ago, Odette D’Aniello of EO Seattle asked if I was interested in joining an accountability group that gathers virtually at a specific time every day to work on individual projects for a couple of hours. The cost would be a few hundred dollars a month with a facilitator. My response was: “Yes, I’m interested, but I don’t want to pay for it.”

So, we initiated the MyEO Morning Genius group. On weekdays, members log in virtually at 6:00am sharp, greet one another with a one-word opener, leave our cameras on, and get to work on our respective projects. Two hours later, we log off.

At the crack of dawn, we focus on our MIT: most important things. Dedicating two consecutive hours to our most impactful tasks is crucial. I feel a measure of relief and extremely productive every day after those two hours of focused work. I wouldn’t do it without encouragement and accountability from the group. Early birds get the worms!

3. MyEO Authors and Speakers

Katty Douraghy of EO San Francisco started the MyEO Authors and Speakers group. The group includes both established authors as well as ones yet to be published. Monthly sessions share best practices, resources and cover everything from marketing, presentations, ghostwriting, publishing tips, pitching–any and everything related to promoting authors and speakers. My speaking and presentation techniques have improved exponentially as a result.

My book, From Bad to Worse to Best in Class: A Refugee’s Success Story, was published two years ago. This MyEO group has provided a place for inspiration, support, mutual encouragement and motivation.

4. MyEO Education

The MyEO Education group is championed by Joyce Lasecke of EO Minnesota, with support and encouragement from Peter Fan of EO Dallas. With more than 200 members scattered around the world, the group emerged at the perfect time: During the pandemic, while almost all education centers and schools were closed.

Scott Mesh of EO New York champions a monthly, one-hour virtual meeting within the group where members suggest specific topics and ask for shared experiences and resources. It’s invaluable to join an industry-specific group where we are not competitors, so that we can share freely and openly.

5. MyEO Angels

The pandemic hit the education industry hard. All of my 60+ franchise locations are closed. Seeing the dramatic needs of students but not being able to provide services in-person, I realized a unique opportunity. I started an EdTech company, Adaptively Education, to provide high-quality, online teaching along with a state-of-the-art Learning Management System that offers the same thoughtful, personal attention provided at my company’s learning centers. While seeking funding and information on how the venture capitalism (VC) world works, I stumbled upon the MyEO Angels group, 400 members strong, founded by Daniel Dubois of EO Toronto.

Daniel invites high-caliber speakers whose experiences are invaluable to me. Past speakers include Alfred Lin, former chairman of Zappos, Airbnb board member, and an investor at Sequoia. One upcoming fireside chat guest will be Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and partner at Greylock.

Within the MyEO Angels group Slack channels, I can study VC pitch deck, review deals and benefit from VC investor insights at a very deep and organic level.

If you’re an EO member who wants to join MyEO Angel Network, fill out this two-minute survey.

MyEO groups provide a plethora of opportunities for members to learn, share and progress within a specific area or interest–on a personal, professional, or community level. Whether you long to learn a hobby, such as playing guitar, or want to improve your business marketing strategies, you’ll likely find a MyEO group to support you.

And if you don’t find an established group that suits your needs? You have the ultimate power to champion a group! It’s that easy. Your chapter’s MyEO chair can answer any additional questions. My personal and professional life have soared “Because of MyEO”—and I wish the same for you!

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.