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
Tech: Mohammed Elayan melayan@rutan.com
Women’s POD: Laurel Mann LaurelMann@PurusWM.com
Produce or Die: Dennis Drent ddrent@hardestyllc.com
South County: Thornton Phister thornton.phister@ustrust.com
Golf: Roxie Storey rstorey@tmhllc.com
Wine Interest: Mike Issa missa@glassratner.com
Inland Empire: Eric Roark eric@roarkfc.com
Restaurant/Hospitality: Tom Spry tom@tomspry.com
Real Estate: Mike Issa/Maxwell Anderson missa@glassratner.com
Equinox: Tom Hopper tom.hopper@ms.com
Gobi: Tom Hopper tom.hopper@aon.com
Hardesty: Karl Hardesty khardesty@hardestyllc.com
Health Care: Tim De Cou tdecou@hardestyllc.com
West County (Seal Beach/Los Alamitos): Darleen Armour darmour@marshall-stevens.com
Aerospace & Defense: Larry Schultz larry.schultz@mossadams.com Karl Hardesty khardesty@hardestyllc.com
Food & Beverage: Thomas Spinogatti tspinogatti@comerica.com
Biking: Benjamin Everton ben.everton@knobbe.com Curtis Dosier curtis.dosier@knobbe.com
Exit Planner: Andrew Low, BNY Mellon Wealth Management Andrew.low@bnymellon.com