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If you’d like to be a big deal in the world of international business, then you’re going to need to rub shoulders with the elites.
Expensive luxury member’s clubs are a staple of fiction: everyone, after all, finds the lives and lifestyles of the uber-wealthy to be faintly captivating, for a combination of reasons.
But organisations like this aren’t just to be found on your Netflix listings. They’re also a real-world phenomenon. If you’re a certain sort of person, with a certain set of ambitions, then there might be tangible benefits to seeking out a membership.
What are the most exclusive member’s clubs in the world?
Arguably the most famous and prestigious club in the world is the R360. This is a network for the very, very rich. You’ll need assets in excess of $100 million to be even considered – but wealth in itself is not a guarantee of entry, since the club is famously selective about the sort of person that gets approved. You don’t seek membership of this organisation out; it, rather, seeks you. If you’re not getting the phone call, you’re not getting in. If you have gotten the phone call, then it’s worth considering.
Another famous club is Core, which is favoured by some of Manhattan’s biggest names. Outside of New York, the club has outposts in Milan and San Francisco. You can pay a fairly reasonable $50,000 to get in, and a further $17,000 every year. Naturally, if you have access to this kind of money, then you can also probably stretch to luxury travel across the Atlantic, with the help of a private jet rental – or, better yet, your own private jet.
If you’d prefer something in Europe, then you might instead consider Palazzo Tornabuoni, which is based in Florence. You can expect to pay for a single bedroom at the Palazzo, or two of them. The former might cost just shy of half a million dollars, but you can get a slight discount if you shop in bulk.
Why join an exclusive club?
So, why do people bother with clubs of this sort? There are a few reasons worth mentioning. First, you’ll get bragging rights, and an ego boost. Second, you’ll get access to opportunities, and political influence. Third, you’ll get an unending source of entertainment and luxury experiences and goods.
What are the business benefits?
If you’re going to be spending a significant amount on membership, it’s worth dwelling on the commercial and business benefits. You’ll get a chance to network with people who might otherwise be inaccessible, or who might not otherwise take you seriously. Once you’re in the club, in other words, you might expect to have conversations of a very different kind.
