A note from our founder, James Isbell.

A year ago, I sat down with a simple idea: business grows faster when it's built on trust.

I'd been in enough networking rooms to know the difference between a card-swapping contest and a real community — and I knew Calera deserved the real thing. So I gathered a handful of local professionals who believed what I believed: that business isn't about transactions. It's about relationships. The quiet handshake that turns into a referral. The conversation that sparks an idea. The trusted friend who sends you the client you've been waiting for.

Twelve months later, that idea has become a thriving community.

I've watched our members pass referrals, open doors, and build friendships that extend well beyond the meeting room. We've celebrated wins together, weathered challenges together, and grown — personally and professionally — in ways none of us could have on our own.

We're not a room full of strangers exchanging business cards. We're a community of local professionals who show up for each other, week after week.

Whether you're a seasoned business owner or just getting started, I think you'll find something here you can't get from a LinkedIn message or a cold call: real conversations, real relationships, and the unmatched power of word-of-mouth in a community that actually knows your name.

One year in, we're just getting started — and I'd love for you to be part of what comes next.

Let's keep connecting, referring, and rising — together.

— James Isbell Founder, South Shelby Connectors