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In shaky economic times, it can be tough to go it alone.
But since 1996, a group of Downers Grove small businesses have been looking out for each other.
Leads Organization of Downers Grove Executives — or LODGE, informally — meet once a week to share leads, find strategies and vet ideas. In October, the group celebrated its 15th anniversary.
Essentially, president Richard Mytnik said, the owners’ sole purpose in meeting each week is to make sure that everyone comes back the next week — that all the members stay in business.
On Friday, Mytnik answered questions about what the group has done and what’s in store in the future.
Q. What is LODGE, and who makes up the group?
A. “It is made up of 40 small businesses, and the majority of the group are owners of small businesses. We’re very helpful and cooperative. We’re an informal board of directors, if you will. If you have an issue or question, you have people to bounce it off of. … My business is a copier company. We have people that sell office supplies. We have florists. We have cigar companies. If you walked down Main Street, you would probably have half the members of our group on your block. So we look out for each other. If one of us is good, all of us should be good. That’s how things have worked for the last 15 years — and some of the members have been in the group the entire time.”
Q. The group is broken up into different business categories with one member per category. Why?
A. “So there’s no competition among the members. If you’re going to talk about something in your business, you’re not going to have your competition saying, ‘Oh, they’re having problems.'”
Q. What has the group meant for the businesses? Has it made them more successful?
A. “(Other) leads groups, they tout the average membership as 18 months. This group, I’m a rookie and I’m five years. You tend to stick around for a long time. … If I wasn’t member would my business close? No. But I’d have to do things a lot differently.”
Q. For shoppers and residents, what does this business network mean?
A. “When you do business with someone, it’s usually because you trust them. … People ask me, ‘Rick, I don’t know a florist. Do you?’ (I say): ‘I do. I got a guy, and they will take care of you as if it was me taking care of you.’ It gives you that feeling of trust. These people have been around a long time. You’re in good hands. When you are recommending a shop next door, you know they’ve been vetted, they’re trustworthy.”
In shaky economic times, it can be tough to go it alone.
But since 1996, a group of Downers Grove small businesses have been looking out for each other.
Leads Organization of Downers Grove Executives — or LODGE, informally — meet once a week to share leads, find strategies and vet ideas. In October, the group celebrated its 15th anniversary.
Essentially, president Richard Mytnik said, the owners’ sole purpose in meeting each week is to make sure that everyone comes back the next week — that all the members stay in business.
On Friday, Mytnik answered questions about what the group has done and what’s in store in the future.
Q. What is LODGE, and who makes up the group?
A. “It is made up of 40 small businesses, and the majority of the group are owners of small businesses. We’re very helpful and cooperative. We’re an informal board of directors, if you will. If you have an issue or question, you have people to bounce it off of. … My business is a copier company. We have people that sell office supplies. We have florists. We have cigar companies. If you walked down Main Street, you would probably have half the members of our group on your block. So we look out for each other. If one of us is good, all of us should be good. That’s how things have worked for the last 15 years — and some of the members have been in the group the entire time.”
Q. The group is broken up into different business categories with one member per category. Why?
A. “So there’s no competition among the members. If you’re going to talk about something in your business, you’re not going to have your competition saying, ‘Oh, they’re having problems.'”
Q. What has the group meant for the businesses? Has it made them more successful?
A. “(Other) leads groups, they tout the average membership as 18 months. This group, I’m a rookie and I’m five years. You tend to stick around for a long time. … If I wasn’t member would my business close? No. But I’d have to do things a lot differently.”
Q. For shoppers and residents, what does this business network mean?
A. “When you do business with someone, it’s usually because you trust them. … People ask me, ‘Rick, I don’t know a florist. Do you?’ (I say): ‘I do. I got a guy, and they will take care of you as if it was me taking care of you.’ It gives you that feeling of trust. These people have been around a long time. You’re in good hands. When you are recommending a shop next door, you know they’ve been vetted, they’re trustworthy.”
Q. Will the group continue to grow?
A. “Not in total membership. It’s tough to get to know everyone intimately when you have a big group. … We are looking for a banker. There are some categories that are tough to fill.”
Q. Anything else to add about the group?
A. “We’re very good at looking out for the best interests of each other. If you’re a good person and you’re a good businessman, you also have 40 others looking out for you. It’s not just you in this alone. A lot of times today you can feel that way. At least for an hour or half-hour every week, I’ve got 40 people that are looking out for my interest as well as theirs.”
MORE ABOUT LODGE
WHAT Leads Organization of Downers Grove Executives, a group of about 40 small businesses
WHO The group is led by a president serving a one-year term. Richard Mytnik, owner of Illinois Business Systems Inc., is the current president
WHERE The group meets at 7 a.m. Thursdays at First United Methodist Church in Downers Grove.
MEMBERSHIP Members must also be part of the Downers Grove Area Chamber of Commerce. Currently, the LODGE roster includes several Lisle businesses.
CONTACT (630) 620-6024
