The Club E-Book

Luciano Menezes

• Herausgeber: Editora Gato-Bravo
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 66

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

In today's fast-paced global economy, networking is no longer just an advantage — it's a necessity. "The Club: The Practical Guide for implementing a World Trade Center Business Club" is a comprehensive and strategic guide designed for business leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives who seek to establish a thriving World Trade Center (WTC) Business Club. Drawing from years of expertise and real-world experience, Luciano Menezes, Brand Owner and Managing Partner of WTC Lisboa, delivers an insightful roadmap for creating an elite business hub that fosters collaboration, innovation, and international expansion. This book offers a step-by-step approach to building a successful WTC Business Club, covering everything from defining its core purpose and structuring memberships to curating exclusive events and leveraging global trade opportunities. Through practical strategies, case studies, and expert insights, Menezes provides the tools to connect influential business minds, attract strategic partners, and enhance the economic impact of their organization. Whether you are a business leader aiming to expand your influence, a WTC executive looking to optimize operations, or an entrepreneur eager to tap into an exclusive global network, "The Club" is an essential resource. Discover how to create a high-impact business club that goes beyond networking — one that becomes a powerhouse for global commerce and innovation. Are you ready to build a business network that transforms connections into your success?

Leseprobe

© Gato-Bravo, 2025

© Luciano Menezes, 2025

The total or partial reproduction of this book, nor its registration in a computer system, transmission in any form, medium or support, is not permitted without prior written authorization from the owners of the copyright registration.

publisher Marcel Lopes

publishing coordinator Paula Cajaty

content review Louisa Lopes

images World Trade Center Lisboa

design Bookxpress

eBook Flex Estúdio

TITLE

THE CLUB

AUTHOR

LUCIANO MENEZES

PRINT

EUROPRESS

ISBN 978-989-9069-70-1

E-ISBN 978-989-9069-71-8

LEGAL DEPOSIT 548151/25

1ST. EDITION: APRIL, 2025

GATO·BRAVO

Rua Veloso Salgado, 15-A

1600-216 Lisbon

tel. [phone]

editoragatobravo.pt

A journey that began after my decision to embark on entrepreneurship, having my beloved wife Juliana and my children Felipe and Eduardo with me was essential for our move from São Paulo to Lisbon — you are the reason for my life.

Upon arriving in Portugal, I extend my special thanks to Igor, Eurico, Helena, and everyone who placed their trust in making WTC Lisboa a reality in the building, especially Vasco Couto from FVC.

Nothing happens without a team, and before everything began, my gratitude goes to José Magro, followed by Carla, Ana Paula, Andressa, as well as the partnership with Monica Monteiro and Pedro.

To all the advisors and co-presidents of the committees who believed in the Business Club, I deeply appreciate your trust.

Lastly, my gratitude to Fatima Morais, and Paula Cajaty, from Gato-Bravo Publishing, for their confidence in the project while working on the content.

Table of Contents

FOREWORD

CHAPTER1: THELEGACYOFTHEWORLDTRADECENTER

CHAPTER2: FACTSANDARGUMENTSFORTHEIMPLEMENTATIONOFaBUSINESSCLUB

CHAPTER3: THEARTOFCOMMUNITYBUILDING

CHAPTER4: THEIMPORTANCEOFHAVINGANADVISORYBOARD

CHAPTER5: THEWINNINGTEAM

CHAPTER6: THEDYNAMISMOFaCLUBDRIVENBYCOMMITTEES

CHAPTER7: EVENTSTHATMAKE A DIFFERENCE

CHAPTER 8: A MEMBER'S JOURNEY

CHAPTER9: ONTHEPATHTOBECOMEINTERNATIONAL

CHAPTER10: ACTIVATIONOFTHEBUSINESSCLUB

CHAPTER11: BUDGETANDFINANCE

CHAPTER12: THEFUTURE

FOREWORD

God wills it, man dreams, the work is born.

Fernando Pessoa,

Portuguese poet

MY PURPOSE in creating and developing business clubs originates from a philosophy that has accompanied me since my school days and has grown into a lifelong mission: sharing knowledge. For me, the goal of business clubs represents one of the highest forms of expression of this doctrine because it is based on the drive to exchange experiences, establish connections, form partnerships, and foster a spirit of mutual support that enables us to go further, faster.

That is why, after completing my academic training (which I began in Brazil and concluded in the United States), I dedicated myself to the implementation and development of business clubs in different parts of the world. I started 30 years ago in São Paulo, Brazil, one of the most cosmopolitan and dynamic cities in the global economic landscape, and I have never wanted to do anything else since.

I still remember the day I stepped into the American Chamber of Commerce. We had 400 members — a number that seemed reasonable, but I knew it could be much larger. Today, looking back, I can hardly believe that we grew to 7,500. It was an astonishing evolution in just ten years. We opened branches, expanded our reach, and multiplied our presence. At our peak, we had 300 sales representatives across 15 branches, each operating with its own internal mechanisms. What once seemed like a distant dream materialized before me, and I realized that, at its core, everything revolved around a single idea: selling an aspiration.

Throughout this journey, I have experienced great successes but — I must confess! — also some failures. And while I learned a lot when I succeeded, the truth is that my mistakes also provided me with invaluable lessons, allowing me to develop a broader perspective on business clubs, better understand their complexity and impact, and create a practical and effective methodology for implementing clubs capable of generating returns that go beyond profit — returns in the form of prestige, connections, knowledge, and future opportunities.

After taking on the challenge of managing WTC Lisbon in 2021, I immediately decided to implement a business club, utilizing all the tools and knowledge I had acquired over the years.

From the outset, I understood that we did not want to be just another business club. What we offer is not merely a service or a product… It is a dream, a promise. People believe that by joining this exclusive circle, they expand their connections, grow professionally, and achieve something beyond the limits they know.

At this very moment, we are about to embark on a journey to Finland. I am taking with me twelve entrepreneurs, each with their own vision, dreams, and eagerness to explore new territories. At WTC Helsinki, we will find answers to questions we do not yet know we have. It is a hall of mirrors, where today’s actions are reflected in tomorrow’s outcomes. What we plant now will grow, transforming into something greater than ourselves. Because a well-nurtured ecosystem knows no limits or borders.

In just a few years, our results have exceeded even the most optimistic expectations. For this reason, I have decided to share my working method and the lessons I have learned along the way with you, my esteemed WTC colleague, in the hope that it may also inspire you in the implementation or activation of your own business club.

Thus, this book emerges as a true practical guide for creating and managing a World Trade Center Business Club. Here, I have compiled principles, strategies, and experiences that can be applied in a concrete way, helping to structure a robust, innovative, and sustainable business club. I hope this knowledge serves as a starting point for other dreamers and entrepreneurs who, like me, believe in the power of connections and the transformative impact of networking.

Luciano Menezes

Brand Owner and Managing Partner of World Trade Center Lisboa

CHAPTER 1:THE LEGACY OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER

Trade needs connection, it needs introduction, it needs curation. It’s hard work, and the World Trade Center model seems to be perfect for this precinct.

David Borger,

Australian CEO of the Western Sydney Business Chamber

OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS, the World Trade Center has evolved into an icon of international commerce and a true case study in global recognition. While the WTC is widely known for its iconic building, its other facets, such as global business support and international trade facilitation, are less recognized. Few realize that the brand license may correspond to a real estate development, a Business Club, or high-level Trade Services. Some World Trade Centers encompass all three elements, others only two, and some just one. This means there can be WTCs that consist of a building without a club or services, a club without a building, or an organization supporting international trade without a real estate development or business club. The options vary, but the common goal remains: to promote international trade and global growth.

The truth is, under this exclusive brand, we now have 319 licensees in an equal number of cities across 90 countries, dedicated to connecting markets, institutions, and one million elite businesses, supported by approximately 15,000 top professionals. Through exclusive events, international trade missions, and collaborative platforms, we bring companies and professionals together. Our team is prepared to enhance the presence of our members in the global economy, offering access to a broad range of resources, events, and strategic contacts. Under the WTC brand, we create opportunities for real estate developers, development agencies, and companies seeking global expansion. Through our business centers and trade services organizations, we connect markets, drive investments, and foster economic growth.