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How boroughs work

The rhythm of a borough

Every borough runs the same shape: a 90-minute weekly meeting, three officers, and a clear attendance standard. Skim the cards below or read straight through.

Boroughs are regional. Each borough is rooted in a city, county, or metro. National or country-wide boroughs aren’t allowed, the weekly rhythm only works when brothers can sit down together.

How boroughs work

The weekly meeting

90 minutes, same shape every week so visitors always know what’s next.

  1. Open networking (15 min) - brothers and visitors mingle.
  2. Call to order & intros (5 min) - President opens.
  3. 60-second pitches (~25 min) - every member gets 60 seconds: who you are, your business, the ideal referral you want this week.
  4. Featured Presentation (8-10 min) - one member presents in depth, rotating each week.
  5. Referrals & closed business (~15 min) - hand off referrals, thank brothers for deals that closed.
  6. Referral reality check (3 min) - President picks 1-3 prior referrals and asks for status.
  7. Announcements & close (5 min) - borough business, visitor thanks, closing word.

The three officers

Small leadership team. Terms run 6-12 months.

  • Borough President - runs the weekly meeting, signs off on new members, holds the gavel. Final word on borough discipline.
  • Vice President - reports the weekly stats (referrals, 1-to-1s, visitors, attendance), screens applicants, deputizes for the President.
  • Quartermaster - Secretary and Treasurer combined. Collects dues, maintains the roster, books the venue, takes attendance.

Attendance & standing

The rhythm only works if brothers show up. Standing is your scoreboard.

  • Green - 0-1 absences in the last 6 months. You’re pulling your weight.
  • Amber - 2 absences in the last 6 months. Heads up.
  • Red - 3+ absences. At risk of losing your seat.
  • Can’t make it? Send a substitute (employee, friend, family). It does not count as an absence - but more than 3 subs in 6 months still drops you to amber.

How to start a borough

You and two other brothers can charter one this week.

  1. Find at least two other brothers who’ll commit to showing up weekly. Three is the minimum to form the officer slate.
  2. Decide together: online, in-person, or hybrid? Pick a day, time, and venue (or video room).
  3. Click New borough from the directory. You become the founding Borough President.
  4. Appoint a Vice President and a Quartermaster from your co-founders.
  5. Invite the first 5-10 brothers from the member directory. Aim for a mix of trades.
  6. Run your first meeting within 30 days of chartering. Visitors first, structure second - the agenda gets sharper as you go.

Dues & the Quartermaster

Dues are optional and borough-specific. Many boroughs keep them low or skip them entirely.

Some boroughs charge weekly or monthly dues to cover meeting venue, coffee, and breakfast. The Quartermaster records what each brother owes and marks payments as they come in (cash, Venmo, Zelle - money moves outside the app for now). Brothers see their own ledger; the Quartermaster sees the borough’s.

Dues are not yet built - they’ll land in a later phase. Until then, boroughs handle the venue tab informally.

How Boroughs Work | RWCBM