Hive Network results: what 157 referrals taught us about referral networking

As of October 2026, Hive had 76 active members, 157 referrals passed and $234,166 in closed business, all logged in the Hive member portal. This post explains where those numbers come from, how referrals are tracked, what they do and do not tell you, and what the members who get the most from Hive tend to do.

Most networking groups tell you they produce referrals. Few show you the numbers. Anyone deciding whether to join a referral group should see real results, with dates, and know how they were counted. Here is Hive's.

From the Hive member portal, covering referrals logged from January to October 2026:

• 76 active members
• 157 referrals passed between members
• $234,166 in closed business from referrals members marked closed-won

Demo and test accounts are excluded.

Every referral a member passes is logged in the Hive member portal. The member who receives it updates the status as it moves forward, and marks it closed-won with a dollar value when the business closes, or closed-lost if it does not. The $234,166 figure is the total value of referrals marked closed-won.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Logging depends on members. Some referrals happen informally and never get logged, so the real number may be higher. Some values are estimates entered by members.
• Open referrals are not counted in closed business until they close.
• Dollar values reflect what members report, such as a commission, fee or project value, not a standardized revenue number.

Industries that serve homeowners and growing businesses tend to trade referrals naturally: real estate, lending, insurance, financial advising, home services and construction. A single home purchase can touch five or more of those categories. That is one reason Hive's one-seat-per-industry model works: each member becomes the go-to person for their field across a whole room of people who touch the same clients.

These habits come from how Hive's meetings and expectations are designed, not from a statistical study:

• They attend every month. Attendance is the price of the seat, and it keeps you top of mind.
• They give first. Members who send referrals early tend to get them back.
• They get specific. “I help first-time buyers in Hamilton County who are pre-approved under $400,000” is easier to refer than “I sell houses.”
• They book one-on-one coffees. A coffee teaches more about someone's business than a year of meetings.
• They log everything. Logging referrals and coffees in the portal shows the room what is working and keeps everyone accountable. Members are scored on three simple things: attendance, coffees and referrals given.

At $600 a year, the question is whether you will do the work. Results vary widely by member and industry. The members who show up, give first and follow up are the ones who get the most from the room. Read Is Hive Network Worth It? (/resources/is-hive-network-worth-it) for the full cost and time breakdown.

Whether you are looking at Hive or any other group, a few rules help you read the numbers honestly:

• Check the dates. A total since founding is not the same as the last 12 months.
• Check the definition. Is “business generated” closed revenue, estimated deal value or something else?
• Check per-member reality. Ask members in your industry what they have personally given and received.
• Check consistency. A group that publishes numbers regularly is more credible than one that shares a single big figure.

We update this post as new portal data comes in, with the as-of date at the top.

Hive is building out colonies around greater Indianapolis in 2027, with Westfield, Downtown and Noblesville all planned to launch or relaunch, and is looking for strong local champions to bring the model to new cities. If you want to lead a colony in your city, see /start-a-colony. If you are a young professional in the Indianapolis area, find your colony at /colonies or apply at /apply.

Next step: Apply for a 2027 seat at /apply, or learn how companies partner with Hive at /partners. Questions: info@hivenetworkofficial.com. Instagram: @jointhehive_.