Founding meeting

Welcome to the Detroit Builders Guild.

Building in Detroit is hard enough alone. The Guild exists so building in this city gets easier for everyone.

WHAT WE WANT TO LEAVE WITH TODAY
  1. Mission of the Guild
  2. The Board
  3. Membership Rules
  4. Membership Benefits
  5. Member Events
  6. Member Recruiting
  7. Our Next Meeting

Sections marked Decide get settled today. Brainstorm and Discuss sections are for input, and anything can be added with the plus button.

01INTRODUCTIONS

Who's in the room.

John Boros
John Boros
Founder and Principal, Keylight Development
Andres Valbuena
Andres Valbuena
Owner, VR Homes
Asia Denson
Asia Denson
Owner, Denson Construction Services
Joshua Panczyk
Joshua Panczyk
Founder and Principal, North Build
Brandon Recker
Brandon Recker
Owner and Licensed Builder, RecBuilt
02WHO WE ARE

A trade organization for Detroit's licensed builders.

Organized as a501(c)(6)
Mission
  1. A collective voice with the city and buying power with suppliers.
  2. Fellowship with builders who know this city, and learning from those who have already been through it.
  3. Provide builders with custom tools to streamline city processes.
  4. Raise up the next generation of Detroit builders.

Credimus, ergo aedificamus.We believe, therefore we build.

03BOARDDecide

Five directors oversee the Guild.

Board roles available

President

Chairs board meetings, speaks for the Guild and signs on its behalf.

Vice President

Steps in for the president and usually leads one program, like events.

Secretary

Keeps the minutes and records, and sends meeting notices.

Treasurer

Manages the bank account, the budget and the annual tax filing.

Director at large

Votes on every decision and takes on projects as they come up.

Board basics
How often the board meets
Term length
Staggered termsSo seats don't all turn over at once
04MEMBERSHIPDecide

Who can join, and what keeps them in.

Requirements
License
Licensed Michigan residential builder
Connection to Detroit
Experience
Good standing: what we checkPick all that apply
Dues and votes
Dues
What members vote onPick all that apply
05WHAT MEMBERS GETBrainstorm

Why a builder would join.

Fellowship and collective action
  • Get to know the builders who work in this city and understand it.
  • A collective seat at the table to strengthen our voice with the city.
  • Collective buying opportunities with suppliers.
What we buy togetherPick all that apply

Members buy together. Members never share or set their own prices, bids or wages with each other.

Resources and tools See the tools

Software built by members and available to everyone who joins.

Which to prioritizePick all that apply
New ideas
Staying informed
  • A monthly newsletter.
  • Member alerts when something affects builders (like city council policy or important code changes), so we can show up together.
Member perks

A printed DBG member card with your name and an expiration date, honored by local businesses.

Local business perksPick all that apply
06EVENTS AND MEETINGSDiscuss

Why members show up.

Food and drink, plus something worth learning. Organizers who already teach contractors can host a session as a DBG event. We bring the builders and they bring the program.

How often members meet
Where we meet
TopicsPick them in order. Change a number to reorder
Speakers and hosts to inviteAdd names with the plus button
07GROWING THE GUILDDecide

Who should be in the Guild?

Each of us names at least five builders who should join, then reaches out to them directly.

John Boros
Joshua Panczyk
Andres Valbuena
Asia Denson
Brandon Recker
Outreach
What we sendFill in the blanks and make it yours

Hi [name], I just joined the founding board of the Detroit Builders Guild. It's a new trade group for licensed builders working in Detroit, and we're putting together the first group of members now. You were one of the first builders I thought of. Members get a stronger voice with the city, buying power with suppliers, tools that make permitting and zoning easier, and events actually worth showing up for. More here: detroitbuildersguild.com. Our first meeting is in early December and I'd love to have you there. Can you let me know by [date]?

08COSTS AND FUNDINGDiscuss

Every cost needs a reason that serves members.

Needed in year onePick all that apply
How we pay for itPick all that apply
09BYLAWS AND FORMATION

The DBG Bylaws

What bylaws cover
  • Purpose and membership rules
  • Board size, terms and elections
  • Officer duties
  • Meetings, quorum and voting
  • Dues and finances
  • Conflicts of interest
  • How to change the bylaws
How they get written
  1. Start from a standard Michigan nonprofit template.
  2. Fill in what we decide today.
  3. Attorney review.
  4. The board adopts them at its first meeting.

A responsible party will be required to sign and file the incorporation papers.

Next meetingAdd the date
10OPEN FLOOR

What did we miss?

Ideas from the room
11DECISIONS SO FAR

What we picked today.

Picks save on this device.

Credimus, ergo aedificamus.