Since starting Caerusnet in 2008, the only “career” Caerusnet facilitator was its creator, Steven Zyskowski. After years of Zyskowski introducing and proving the Caerusnet concept worked, other professionals started to see that facilitating a Caerusnet referral passing team is a strategic and natural way to help others. Wendy Caverly, aka Caerusnet Connections, took notice in 2014 and today runs seven Caerusnet teams as her primary profession! Wendy will be honored as 2017 Southeast Michigan Facilitator of The Year at the upcoming Caerusnet Member MVP Awards & Movie Celebration on January 13th, 2018.
How long have you been a Caerusnet Facilitator?
I have been a Caerusnet Facilitator since February 2014. Since then, Facilitating has become my primary profession.
How did you get into your field?
Previously, I worked as a sales representative for a credit card processor. During that time, I was invited to visit a Caerusnet team, of which I quickly became a Member. Being new to the area, I knew I wouldn’t immediately be able to pass referrals since my personal local netw
ork was small, so I focused on having Trust Builder Meetings with other Members and on bringing guests (people I met networking in the community). I loved it! You see, I love getting to know other professionals better, what drives them and then finding out how I can help them connect with others to reach that next level. When I found myself at a crossroads with my job, I chose to follow my passion- supporting and encouraging people to grow their professional lives while connecting them to others who can help them achieve their goals.
What do you enjoy most about facilitating your team meetings?
What an awesome job I have! My business is to help others succeed at their business. My favorite part of our meetings is the Spotlight Presenter portion. It’s amazing seeing the sincerity, knowledge and professionalism of my Members. But overall, I most enjoy getting to know everyone and helping them find that person or connection they’ve been looking for. It makes me happy when I see two people having a meeting and connecting who without Caerusnet, may not have otherwise met.
Why did you decide to manage more than one group?
I have had the advantage of being a Member of more than one team, as well as guest-Facilitating several other teams. Those experiences gave me the 
opportunity to meet many quality professionals from all around. They also gave me the ability to expand my own personal network that I can tap into and refer to as needed. Caerusnet teams only take 30 Members and then they are considered full. However, there are hundreds of possible professions in the business community and I wanted as many chances as possible for other professionals and small business owners to enjoy the advantages that come with Caerusnet Membership. Membership gives them the opportunity to be part of and contribute to the much larger Caerusnet network, stretching far beyond just their home team. Having more than one team gives me a larger foot print, and also provides a direct connection for my Members to more than one area.
Do you have any words of wisdom for those thinking about becoming a facilitator or those seeking to experience more success
It really is not as easy as you think it might be. Groups may not grow as fast as you think they will. And it takes more time than you’d think to organize and run a one-hour meeting. And sometimes you have to make difficult decisions managing the teams. But Caerusnet Facilitators don’t just talk about ‘give to get’, they practice it as well. Be patient, be as flexible as you can (within reason) and enjoy it. It is worth the effort!
Wendy (aka Caerusnet Connections) facilitates seven Caerusnet referral teams located in Fenton, Howell, Dexter, Milford/New Hudson, Novi and Pickney. Email: [email protected], cell: 810-348-0820.
Article written by Ava Zyskowski.