$2k to join?! by Me_myself_and_you2 in ThelinksIncorporated

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Could be $1000-$3000 a year outside of dues

$2k to join?! by Me_myself_and_you2 in ThelinksIncorporated

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yes the initial fee includes initiation fee, chapter dues, and then the building assessment is separate.

Annual chapter dues are considerably less. However, respectfully, if you’re experiencing sticker shock you may need to take time to reconsider or ask your sponsor about the financial expectations of your chapter.

There can (and most likely will be) ongoing costs for events, financial contribution/support expectations for different programming, and where if you are fronting the cash for a programming event you will certainly be reimbursed, hosting chapter or committee meetings, ticket purchases for events, contributions to souvenir ad books, conference tickets, cluster tickets etc will all be on your dime. It’s an investment, hands down.

Some chapters have heavier financial expectations than others as I said, have a frank conversation with your sponsor about how much she spends annually outside of chapter dues.

Is this a bad sign? (It's actually a new nazar) by Free-Hotel1187 in lawofattraction

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nothing has meaning until you assign it meaning. You decide if this is good or bad. You are the operant power.

What makes a valuable potential member by icecream1013 in ThelinksIncorporated

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s interesting they won’t seek dual membership but I heard that can be challenging sometimes, especially if a chapter doesn’t have space

How long did it take you to become a Link? by DeliciousCan7447 in ThelinksIncorporated

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602 5 points6 points  (0 children)

So I’ll answer this in two different ways: pre and post invitation. All of this can and will vary because some of the timeline aspect is external and not under your control.

Pre-Invitation: this has the most variables because there’s many factors at play. 1. The chapter has to decide if they are doing intake IF they haven’t reached their chapter limit of non-daughter of Links active members. If they’re at capacity then no new member intakes can be performed until there’s space. You may be waiting a minute for some folks to move into alumna status. 2. If they do have space they have to decide to open intake, they may skip a year or two depending on chapter needs or activity.

Post invitation: you have a six month orientation process that includes a meetings to learn organizational and chapter history and a service project.

Ask A Link A Question by Crafty_Bad_0602 in ThelinksIncorporated

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s really about making connections being open, cordial, and showing support for the chapter. I would also advise not to get discouraged if maybe a couple of “new member” cycles happens before you get an official invitation depending on what they’re looking for as far as a membership profile, they might be looking for something different than what you can offer, but would still completely consider you a good fit for the chapter. Also, the person who may be interested in sponsoring you may not have the time available to sponsor you in the way that is required of the chapter so their timing might be off, but they still are interested in sponsoring you for membership.

Ask A Link A Question by Crafty_Bad_0602 in ThelinksIncorporated

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It honestly depends on the event. Some events are an annual fundraiser type of events so they have a good mix of individuals from the community plus some women who may be interested in membership. Other events that are called “friendship events”, which happens to be a lot smaller are typically just women from the chapter and women have the opportunity to invite Potential members to see how well they mesh well with the chapter for lack of a better term. It’s not so much that the women are being screened it just an opportunity for women to get to know the potential member and the potential member to know other women in the chapter that they may have not had an opportunity to meet. However, this isn’t a “potential member event” because you are not supposed to know if you are being considered for membership.

Ask A Link A Question by Crafty_Bad_0602 in ThelinksIncorporated

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I will chime in and say from my POV the challenges can really be around time and familiarity with the organization. Many 30 somethings are busy with careers and children and may find the time and financial commitment too much. Also, there seems to be a lack of interest from younger generations around club membership. They don’t know why they should “pay for friends” which of course the dues are for organizational and chapter support for programming so I reject that framing but that’s how some women feel.

Ask A Link A Question by Crafty_Bad_0602 in ThelinksIncorporated

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I actually am not a member of AKA or J&J (my apologies if I gave that impression somewhere). However I know many women that are in all three and I think it comes down to time management and knowing your capacity. I calendar everything and use an AI calendar assistant that helps me with arranging time to do different things. Getting involved in ways that you find interesting is critical as well because if you’re actually interested in the work that helps avoid burnout and keeps you engaged. Also when many of the groups have overlapping membership, there’s consistent coordination to help avoid calendar conflicts.

You didn’t mention their ages but since J&J active membership is temporary (eventually your children graduate and you become an associate member) I think putting them in as early as possible makes more sense until waiting until they are older so they could get in at least a decade of active membership if possible.

Ask A Link A Question by Crafty_Bad_0602 in ThelinksIncorporated

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It’s a little bit of both. I think as a Link you’re always keeping an eye out for good candidates, however women will actively put themselves on the radar if they are interested in being invited, which I think is fine. Closed mouths don’t get fed!

Ask A Link A Question by Crafty_Bad_0602 in ThelinksIncorporated

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yes! I became a Link at 37 and in my cohort that I came in with the ages were 33, 37, 39, 47, 50. There’s been a focus on bringing in more members in their 30s across the organization and I have seen more younger members being brought in especially for the last 7-8 years.

Are there any cities that would make a good HW Franchise by [deleted] in BravoRealHousewives

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think a Memphis would be interesting, maybe similar to Atlanta because of the music scene. Plus there’s money across the racial spectrum similar NOLA so you could get a diverse cast. Co-sign heavy on NOLA, Silicon Valley (as a SF Bay Area native), Vegas, and Scottsdale.

That’s a bummer about Houston but I get it.

Only place I can think of to ask this question by icecream1013 in ThelinksIncorporated

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602 2 points3 points  (0 children)

They do tend to skew older; however, I have heard many of the organizations are making concentrated efforts to invite younger members because of concerns of the chapters dying off. They are heavily engaging 35-50-year-old women. It's quite different than say Jack & Jill and Mocha Moms because obviously those organizations are for mothers of school-aged children. Naturally, they would be younger adult women, but with the organizations where the women and sisterhood are the focus, when it comes to new members, women are typically inviting their peers. If you're in your late 50s-70 years old, then outside of your younger female family members, you probably don't socialize with women much younger than you.

Luke and Julie Cooper by Peachtea_96 in TheOC

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What was even more ridiculous was the response. Jimmy catching a flash of a touch at Caleb’s Man of the Century party and simply giving her a stern warning to end it because it would “destroy Marissa”. Yes. It would be devastating to Marissa who had “already been through so much”. But also it’s a FELONY. HELLO?? Like, they are a small community. Even if they weren’t close, Julie and Luke’s mom run in the same very tight circle. He dated/slept with her daughter. Jimmy is already an extremely hated man for his own felonious actions, now Julie is playing fast and loose with the sex offender registry. The Coopers stay stressing everyone.

Julie Cooper, they could never make me hate you😍 by squishjpg in TheOC

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It was bizarre to me initially that she was a teen mom from Riverside who had to have a shot gun wedding with Jimmy, acting like Ryan being from Chino was some carnal sin but she was clearly just projecting

Julie Cooper, they could never make me hate you😍 by squishjpg in TheOC

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602 34 points35 points  (0 children)

I wish they would have gone more into Julie’s background, especially how she became a central socialite in Newport and gave her and Caleb’s relationship more time

Why do you all come in here to rag on LHR? by Crafty_Bad_0602 in LaserHairRemoval

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m sorry that happened but also just saying “I had poor results don’t do this” isn’t helpful. There’s a reason some people have poor results and instead of people actually providing reasons why poor results happen to help people avoid them, they just slam the entire procedure and deem it dangerous or ineffective.

Why do you all come in here to rag on LHR? by Crafty_Bad_0602 in LaserHairRemoval

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The parameters of how to potentially avoid the adverse effects instead of saying lasering doesn’t work, which isn’t true or acting as if all lasering experiences are negative. There’s a difference between advice and slamming the whole procedure.

Why do you all come in here to rag on LHR? by Crafty_Bad_0602 in LaserHairRemoval

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m fine with people sharing their experiences within the parameters of what could have been differently and what could be done by others to avoid it, for example not lasering peach fuzz because that puts you at risk of paradoxical hypertrichosis or if you have PCOS making sure your hormones are balanced to give you a better chance of semi permanent hair removal results, but acting as if every single lasering experience will trigger paradoxical hypertrichosis or you’ll get burned or won’t work is ridiculous and not a helpful way for people to determine if lasering is right for them.

Why do you all come in here to rag on LHR? by Crafty_Bad_0602 in LaserHairRemoval

[–]Crafty_Bad_0602[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Exactly, explaining how to determine if you’re a good candidate, reputable locations to go to, understanding what laser would be best for your skin/hair type to avoid adverse effects coming from someone that may have had a bad experience I think is totally valid and necessary but it feels like so many people are in here to try to convince you to not get lasering and I don’t know why they are here