Hi BBD Members,

As a fellow business owner struggling to keep my business open during the COVID-19 Pandemic, I cannot, in good faith, ask anyone to send in dues for their 2021 membership to our organization, the Bensalem Business Directory.

We’ve always been FREE to join through the end of your first calendar year. We did this so you could attend meetings and events and get a true feel for how we promote business in Bensalem. Then, when you decided to continue as a member, you would pay only $60 before the year was up for the next year. Once the year starts the regular price to be a member of our organization is $120. Since we do not charge much to be a member of our organization, we do not have a great deal of money in the bank. Most members of our organization pay before the year is up at the rate of $60 for the year. And all Government Institutions are always FREE. It’s not right to charge them membership as they are honorary members.

But for now, NO ONE is being asked to pay dues for next. When I feel it is SAFE to have monthly meetings again and we are past this COVID-19 Pandemic then we will think about dues for members. In 2008, when the economy was bad, and my business was almost ready to shut down as no one was hiring personal trainers in a private gym, I just wanted to find a way to help others. I started down this path of running nonprofit business organizations to help people like me who are just trying to make a living.

The Bensalem Business organization — the Bensalem Business Directory — is here to help YOU and will not take any money to stay open. I will continue to do Friday morning breakfast and Zoom meetings until I am told I cannot, or until I am told I can do more, like monthly meetings and events.

Please be safe.

I hope to see you all Friday Morning.

God Bless.

Pondeli Hajioannou
Founder / President
Bensalem Business Directory
Philadelphia Private Gym