Gold Star Participation Agreement
A commitment to professional, ethical conduct is a requirement of
every member of Gold Star Referral Clubs.
Albert Camus once said, "Integrity has no need of rules."
- I will always abide by the Professional Standards of my business with honest and fair conduct.
- I will be honest and trustworthy and build goodwill among members and their referrals.
- I will not discriminate based on race, gender, religion, age, disability, national origin, or marital status.
- I will provide quality service to members and referrals at the prices I quote.
- I will follow up on all referrals that I receive promptly.
- I will honor all obligations of confidentiality when requested by members or leadership.
- I will support my fellow Gold Star members with a positive attitude.
GOLD STAR CLUBS ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES
1. Canceling Membership: Members must notify the Gold Star Corporate office when terminating membership. Please cancel your membership online by logging into the Membership Room at
www.goldstarclubs.com. At the top left, click the link "Cancel Membership." Fill out a short exit survey and click "submit." A confirmation will appear that we have received your request. Typically, memberships get canceled within two business days. Fees and dues are non-refundable.
2. Transferring to another Club: Members may request a transfer. All transfers must get approved by the Club's Membership Team and both Club's Directors.
There is a $25.00 transfer fee. A company may replace its representative at the Club by making a NEW APPLICATION. The representative must pay a $25.00 fee and get approved by the new Club's Membership Team. There is no registration fee.
a. If the new representative is unacceptable, the company can retain its membership by finding a more suitable and acceptable member. All attendance rules apply during this time.
3. Participation Fees: Gold Star Referral Clubs will notify the member by email when an account is outstanding or declined. The system will attempt to charge the account. If the payment gets declined, the member will get notified by email and regular mail that their membership is in jeopardy. The member will get terminated if dues are not brought current within 45 days. A late fee of $25.00 applies at 15 days past due.
4. Monthly recurring Members with three or more past due occurrences during twelve months may be required to upgrade to an annual membership or withdraw from the Club.
5. Annual Members will be notified of the pending yearly renewal date by email and regular mail. No annual charges occur without the member's approval.
6. Returned Checks: All returned checks will get assessed a $25.00 returned check fee. Any returned checks not resolved within ten days could result in immediate termination of membership.
7. Gold Star Referral Clubs is a marketing service that reserves the right to discontinue any membership or participation due to a breach of Guidelines and Policies.
8. Membership dues are non-refundable.
9. Gold Star Referral Clubs reserves the right to run a background check on any/all new members. There is no cost to the applicant.
Gold Star Clubs Guideline and Procedures
Gold Star Referral Clubs' policy is to treat all members equally and ethically. Belonging to a Gold Star Club is an opportunity and a privilege; therefore, we hold ourselves accountable to these guidelines and policies to maintain a high standard of professionalism.
1. Membership is exclusive; one person per business category per Club.
2 Members must follow up with referrals received promptly and professionally.
3. A member may not participate or join another "industry exclusive" business networking organization while a member of Gold Star Referral Clubs.
4. A membership may get placed on probation or forfeited for failure to adhere to these Guidelines and Procedures or our Code of Ethics.
5. ATTENDANCE:
a. If a member misses more than three meetings within a rolling 90-day period or misses three or more times in a row without a substitute, their membership may get terminated without a refund. A member may send a substitute in their place and not be considered absent. However, a substitute may not replace a member regularly. Members who arrive late or leave early during the meeting may have their membership put on probation or forfeited. Depending on the Club, a member may also be responsible for the Club's "Room Fee" every week, and if absent, they must bring the Room Fee current.
b. When a member has difficulty attending meetings regularly or requires a substitute more than 25% of the time, the Membership Team or Director should counsel the member to find a solution. If poor attendance continues, the member may get asked to leave the Club. There are no refunds.
c. Leave of Absence: A member can request a leave of absence for up to six weeks, specifically if the leave is due to medical, military, family, or job-related reasons (such as international travel, etc.). A leave is NOT granted due to a heavy work schedule. Each case will get considered, approved, or disapproved by the
Club's Director individually. (Substitutes are encouraged.) Being on leave of absence does not stop your payment of membership dues.
d. Tardiness is unprofessional and disruptive. Multiple occurrences can result in an absence.
6. A member should not solicit or recruit Club members or visitors into distributors or associates in a multi-level (or other) business endeavor during regular meetings. Any unwanted solicitations of this kind may be cause for termination of membership.
a. During the 60-second or 10-minute presentation time of the regular Club meeting, the member should present the product or service side of the business, not the business-building side that includes recruiting or sponsoring.
b.However, outside of the regular Club meeting, a member may inform another member about the income opportunity available with a business, as long as it is not an unwanted or pressured solicitation.
7. Gold Star Club's member lists may
not be used for any solicitation.
a. Any mass email campaign
MUST have an
unsubscribe feature.
b. Gold Star members shall not get solicited to non-Gold Star networking meetings without the advance consent
of the Gold Star Corporate office.
8. Transfers: Transferring members must submit their request to the Gold Star Corporate office by email to
membership@goldstarclubs.com. The Directors and the new Club will determine and approve transfers. Transferring is discouraged because it can be disruptive and seldom results in member success.
There is a $25.00 transfer fee.
9. Change of Classification: A member who wishes to change industry or classification within a Club must submit the request to the Membership Team and the Club's Director. The request may get approved or disapproved at the Club's sole discretion.
10. Visitors may attend a Club twice - a total of two Club meetings. After that, only if an application is submitted and in process for approval.
11. Cross-Clubbing: Members may visit other Gold Star Clubs if their industry seat is open. Cross-Clubbers may not solicit or promote their home Club meetings. Neither can they recruit nor set up 121s with the visitors at that Club while Cross-Clubbing.
12. New Member Applications:
a. Applications, when completed online, get emailed to the Club's Director. In turn, they will send it out to the Club's members, asking for feedback on the potential member.
b. It is the responsibility of members to voice any concerns about an applicant BEFORE the applicant is approved. If no concerns get raised, the Membership Team will assume that the applicant is acceptable.
c. When there is a concern, the Membership Team should treat that concern discreetly and professionally before making any decisions and taking the matter to the Director.
d. The application process should get completed within about a week, and the Director should notify the applicant when approved.
13. Conflict within the Club: (email
help@goldstarclubs.com)
a. In case of a problem or conflict, the member should notify the Corporate Office by email at
help@goldstarclubs.com. The Gold Star Corporate Office will try to resolve the issue promptly, confidentially, and professionally. Specific details must be able to be shared with the office personnel, including those members involved.
b. In cases relating to a member, their business practices and ethics, or a violation of Gold Star Guidelines or policies, or for any reason the member has become a detriment to their Club, the management of Gold Star Clubs, at their sole discretion, may put the member on probation or terminate the membership. There are no refunds of Membership Fees.
14.
Cancelation: To cancel your membership, go to
GoldStarClubs.com and click on Member Login. On the left side, click on Cancel Membership. There is a short exit survey. There are no refunds of Membership Fees.
a. VERBAL NOTIFICATION TO YOUR CLUB LEADERS OR THE DIRECTOR DOES NOT QUALIFY AS A FORMAL CANCELATION.
15: Contractors making an application must be prepared to provide the following:
a. A copy of the Contractor's License
b. Proof of General Liability Insurance
c. Proof of Worker's Compensation Insurance
16. Members give Gold Star Clubs consent to record, videotape, and photograph their image and voice for printed and promotional material, online, and on the website. They further understand that no special compensation applies to the use of the member's image, and members will not get notified about the specific use of the image.
17. Gold Star Clubs welcomes all ADA-recognized
service animals.
18. COVID UPDATE: any Personal Protection Equipment is welcomed at our meetings.
