The acronym "POD" stands for Professionals Opening Doors. PODS were developed as a way to help ACG OC members better leverage their membership. A POD is a smaller networking group created with the sole purpose of helping members develop relationships and refer business. How PODs work is simple: One or two members sponsor the POD, 8 to 10 other members join, and these members meet on a regular basis to build relationships, trade industry intelligence, and share new business leads. As participants find value and build relationships, they split off into their own PODS to continue the flow of business and leverage an ever increasing number of potential referral partners. Most PODS stay intact for several years in order to build greater depth & breadth with each member.
The most successful PODS meet frequently and regularly with the specific intent and purpose of transacting business, sharing leads and leveraging each other’s contacts and business expertise.
The role of ACG OC is to provide the introductions, structure and tools for members that wish to create or join a POD.
For more information about PODS, please contact:
Karl Hardesty
Hardesty LLC
T: (949)407-6625
E: khardesty@hardestyllc.com
POD Groups
Business Development POD: Joseph Hirsch jhirsch@globalviewadvisors.com
Tech POD: Mohammed Elayan melayan@rutan.com
Women’s POD: Laurel Mann LaurelMann@PurusWM.com
Produce or Die POD : Dennis Drent ddrent@hardestyllc.com
South Orange County POD: Thornton Phister thornton.phister@calbt.com
OC Innovators POD: Heather Estus hestus@oc-cf.org
South Orange County POD: Kevin Cunningham cunningham@lnc-partners.com and Kyle Hein Kyle_Hein@ajg.com
Wine Interest POD : Mike Issa missa@glassratner.com
Restaurant/Hospitality POD : Tom Spry tom@tomspry.com
Real Estate POD: Mike Issa/Maxwell Anderson missa@glassratner.com
Hardesty POD : Karl Hardesty khardesty@hardestyllc.com
Health Care POD : Tim De Cou tdecou@hardestyllc.com
West County (Seal Beach/Los Alamitos) POD: Darleen Armour darmour@marshall-stevens.com
Manufacturing & Distribution (focus on Food & Beverage): Thomas Spinogatti tspinogatti@comerica.com
Biking POD: Benjamin Everton ben.everton@knobbe.com Curtis Dosier curtis.dosier@knobbe.com
Exit Planner POD: Andrew Low, BNY Mellon Wealth Management Andrew.low@bnymellon.com
Parents POD: Mohammed Elayan, Rutan & Tucker MElayan@rutan.com
Mountain Biking POD : Zach Martin, Pacific Mercantile Bank, Zach.Martin@pmbank.com
Blockchain POD: Malek Moubasher, malek@mentor-gc.com