Born out of a desire to connect business people, and change the way networking is done, a local entrepreneur formed a new way to help others. That was the basis for the Trust Networking Group, in the fall of 2022. The organization recently celebrated its second anniversary at Ravenous Brewery in Cumberland.
Guests were treated to food, drinks, networking, door prizes and recognition /awards. Several Trust Groups were cited for their growth while several members were congratulated for various achievements in growing the group as a whole, and within their own teams.
Trust Networking Founder, Dave Kantelis, said that the idea came about as a result of what he saw happening in other networking groups.
“I had been working for other organizations for years. There were some aspects that were really effective, and other points that didn’t mesh with our objectives,” said Kantelis. “I wanted to start a new project where I took the good points of business networking and pushed away the inconveniences to make the best endeavor possible. The response has been very positive since this began. We are poised to grow in the coming year.”
The first Trust Networking group formed in Norton, MA., and this has been their flagship group. They are a group that work to grow each other’s business through storytelling and learning about one another. It didn’t take long before other groups—different types included—began to surface.
Trust Norton, currently has about 16 dedicated members, many of whom are natural leaders. This strong core allows them to keep things both creative and fun while staying highly effective.
Nate Daniels of The Offices of Nate Daniels, Managed IT Services & Life Coaching, serves as administrator. This means handling administrative tasks, such as building their roster, scheduling speakers, introducing new members, and leading the voting and vetting process when prospective members want to join.
The group is always open to new members, especially in areas like electrical work, CPA services, and bookkeeping/accounting. Daniels said that the anniversary party is not just for celebrating.
“The Trust Awards highlighted what I love most about Trust Networking—our commitment to support, camaraderie, and professional growth. Each group brings something unique to the table, and it’s exciting to be part of a network that celebrates this diversity,” he said.
The B2B Trust Cumberland Group formed as a couple of business owners, Bob Salvas of Momentum Networking and Bill Parmentier of W. Parmentier Media, wanted to have a group of business people who just focused on business-to-business prospects. Kantelis loved the idea, and their group formed. They are currently the largest group in the organization, with 17 members.
David Englund of Englund Studio and Trust Cumberland administrator, said that the steady stream of visitors, who are now members, is a testament to the hyper-focus this group has.
“We started this ‘B2B only’ chapter to be learn, with a focus on connecting each other with business owners and decision makers,” Englund said.
Englund was the recipient of Trust Networking’s Administrator of the Year in recognition of this growth. “We have members who actively invite others to check us out. What we found is an overwhelming response from local business leaders wanting to network with us, so they in turn can grow their business,” he explained.
There are currently nine Trust Networking groups available throughout Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts. Kantelis said that he looks forward to growing the brand in other parts of the state and beyond.
He also said that the goal is expanding and reaching more people who are looking to further their network and opportunities.
“My ‘why’ is to help people become successful. When one person succeeds, then we all succeed. We had that awful worldwide shutdown a few years ago. People had no idea what they were going to do or where to turn. Out of that came a new way of doing things from a much different perspective. I am grateful for the number of people who have stepped up and either created a group and/or have joined our groups and contributed to the success of Trust,” he said.
Trust Networking is different from any networking organization out there. They offer focus groups, workshops, after-hours casual, and fun events. Trust doesn’t focus on numbers, group size, or dollar amounts. Instead, Trust focuses on value add. Each member, event, educational video, and workshop is strategically in place to add value.
Trust focuses on creating high-quality networkers through its educational resources, so they can turn around and help create more quality networkers.
“We’re becoming a viable option for networking. Members are making money and building new connections. It’s awesome to be alongside individuals who want to contribute their skills and talents to help take Trust Networking to the next level,” he said.
The organization has a 2025 goal to double in size. Kantelis said that they want to expand its footprint across the New England area by adding more meeting locations and members. Another significant goal will be adding more value through events, workshops, speed-networking, and educational activities.
According to Englund, networking has a definition, but it doesn’t have a recipe on how it should work. They allow their members to create that recipe and decide how to run their unique group.
“We’re not shoving a script down anyone’s throat; we want our members to have the opportunity to be proud of the script they created,” he said.
Visit their updated website at www.trustnetworkinggroup.com for meeting details along with our calendar of events.
You may contact Dave at
dave@trustnetworkinggroup.com or call him at 508-838-3323 for more details.
