Membership
What it means to be a YPO(SMB)er
What makes YPO Santa Monica Bay a leading and highly sought after chapter is the commitment our members have to making the chapter great. We seek participants, not consumers.
What do we expect of our members? - We are glad you asked!
YPOSMB Membership Expectations:
Attendance: Members in their first year are expected to attend 75% of monthly Core Chapter Events, which includes the mandatory Presidents' Retreat (usually October, see calendar extract).
Participation: Members are expected to take an active role in the chapter through either day chairing, attending Executive Committee or holding a position on the chapter's leadership slate
Forum: Forum Placement is a pre-requirement for membership and as member of a forum in good standing, you will be expected to attend all forum meetings (usually 1 per month, 4hrs) as well as a multi-day forum retreat. The dates and timing for forum meetings are set and governed by each forum autonomously.
In essence, there are two (2) monthly commitments of time (core chapter event and forum), plus retreats and user-pay special events.
We recommend discussing the commitment level with your partners/significant others and key associates. To make the most out of your YPO experience the well-known philosophy "You get what you put in" applies. We have built a chapter of amazing leaders crafted around award winning events and a dedicated leadership team. We look forward to calling you one of our own.
YPOSMB Membership Process
The YPOSMB membership process is divided in different stages: prospect stage, candidate stage and new member stage.
All steps of the YPOSMB membership process require confirmation / an invitation from the YPOSMB Membership Office to continue to the next step.
Initial YPOSMB Membership Process
(Prospect Stage)
Initial Contact
An applicant is referred to the chapter by a current YPO(SMB)member or applies via the YPO International (YPOi) portal.
A YPOSMB Membership Officer reaches out to applicant to set up an initial screening call.
If the decision is made to move forward, a screening interview will be conducted by a different YPOSMB Membership Officer.
Collection & Review of Paperwork.
Chapter Manager sends applicant chapter specific paperwork.
All paperwork (chapter questionnaire, copy of driver’s license, third party certification, org chart, bio) must be completed and sent back to chapter manager before moving on to the next stage. General YPOSMB chapter information and events are sent to applicant for reference.
Impression Visit
Upon reception of all paperwork, Applicant’s name and company is sent out to the chapter for any feedback. If no concerns are raised, The Membership Committee reviews all documentation.
The Membership Office sets up a meeting with applicant and at least 2 (maximum 4) YPOSMB members, at the applicant’s business.
Interview Membership Committee
The Membership Offices invites the applicant and significant other/spouse (if applicable) to come to the next committee meeting and interview with the full membership committee.
Upon successful completion of the interview, the applicant is considered a candidate.
An applicant is considered a prospect until their membership committee interview has been conducted successfully.
She or he is thereafter considered a YPOSMB candidate.
Continued YPOSMB Membership Process - Candidate Stage
The Membership Committee votes to move the applicant and significant other/spouse (if applicable) forward as official YPOSMB candidate(s).
The candidates will each be assigned a YPOSMB member to act as a mentor.
During this stage, the member candidate is required to attend 2 core chapter events and must be confirmed for forum placement before attending the second event.
Candidate’s name is sent out to the chapter one more time for any feedback. If no concerns are raised, the Executive Committee votes to move prospective forward as a full member.
Final YPOSMB Membership Process - New Member Stage (extract)
Chapter Manager will forward approved applications to YPOi for process.
Chapter and International dues and fees will be paid at this time.
Chapter Manage will send New Member packet and website access will be granted.
New Member attendance must be 75% of core chapter events or higher.
New Member is required to attend forum training and a new member orientation within 90 days of joining.
SEE “ABOUT YPOSMB” for more information on what it means (and requires) to be a YPOSMBer.
Global YPO Membership Criteria
Interested in joining YPO?
Please review the details of the YPO qualification criteria and frequently asked questions before completing an application. If you have questions about YPO membership, criteria and fees, please email joinypo@ypo.org.
Qualifying Title
YPO membership is intended to be available to individuals who hold the top position of a qualifying company or division and are directly responsible for all operations of the business or division. Titles representing this position may include President, Chairman of the Board, CEO, Managing Director, or Managing Partner.
Note: There may only be one member of YPO per qualifying company or qualifying division of a company.
Qualifying Age
A new application must be approved by YPO before the applicant reaches his or her 45th birthday. Exceptions may be made for new chapters only.
Corporation Definition
“Corporation,” as the term is used here, includes incorporated or limited business entities, partnerships and other forms of business organizations deemed, at the discretion of YPO’s Executive Committee, to be substantially equivalent to businesses incorporated under the laws of the appropriate legal jurisdiction. This definition also includes academic institutions, not-for-profit organizations and government entities. All corporations must be operating businesses not primarily generating passive income.
Qualifying Corporation Requirements
In addition to age and title, an applicant must be qualified by rules of corporate complexity established by the YPO Board. The candidate must meet one requirement from each category, meaning he or she must meet at least one “A” requirement and one “B” requirement. Find the details on each HERE.
In exceptional cases presented by currency devaluation or other circumstances, the corporation complexity criteria may be met in other ways.
