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GIVERS GAIN
The More the Merrier
The BNI chapter in Livingston, NJ,
recently inducted three new members in one day! Edward R.Collins, chapter
President and financial consultant for Summit Financial Resources, Inc.,
warmly welcomes Carol Tauber of MetLife Financial Services, with a handshake,
as Derek MacMahon, a licensed massage therapist, and Chris Herder of Lake
Shore Roofing and Contracting, look on. Photo credit: Peter Kleinschmidt of
Studio Creations of America (chapter member).
By Karen Cise Flaherty, Ideal Health, Visitor Host for
BNI's Livingston Chapter, 973-566-9455
GIVERS GAIN
New Jersey Visitor's Day Success
New Jersey Executive Director, Anna
Banks, worked very hard on a Visitor's Day event, which was enormously
successful in drawing out far more attendees than expected. The Ramada staff
had to put up three extra tables just as the meeting got started to
accommodate the overflow.
GIVERS GAIN
Breakfast on "Bringing Home the Bacon"
On Wednesday, June 27, over 150
professionals gathered at the East Hanover Ramada Inn for a BNI breakfast.
Though most people cringe at the idea of starting their business day at 7 AM,
these enthusiastic individuals traveled from at least a dozen counties in New
Jersey, Rockland, Orange and even the 'Big Apple' in New York.
They came from all walks of life: accounting to advertising, real estate to
contracting, computer hardware to auto repair. Everyone had a chance to
introduce themselves and give the traditional BNI "commercial" describing
their ideal prospect. One of the most amusing was John O'Connor of the Shade
Tree Garage in Morristown who claimed, "Anyone who drives a car with four
wheels is my best prospect"!
Regional Director for North Jersey, Anna Banks, coordinated the event with Cia
de Lawrence of New York and members of the East Hanover Chapter which meets at
the Ramada on Rt. 10 every Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 AM. But as Cia is known
to say, "BNI is not about the breakfast, it's about bringing home the bacon"!
And the members who are active in giving the most referrals will attest to
this.
Keynote speaker Frank DeRaffele of ProActive Consulting Training Management in
Cold Spring, NY emphasized this heavily during his presentation. His main
theme was, "Never sell yourself at a business networking event. Learn about
others and offer to help them sell their business." He cited specific examples
where this philosophy has served him and those he deals with quite well.
"People call me at home in the middle of the night to find out who I know
selling truck tires, because I helped them once and want to deal with someone
they trust and feel comfortable doing business with." Naturally this leads to
opportunities to do business eventually when prospects turn themselves into
clients because of previous referrals.
By Frank McKinley, BNI-East Hanover
Chapter
GIVERS GAIN
South Africa Chapters Grow
I launched a new chapter on Thursday
and that group has already chartered 13 members +2 for next week. The
newspaper added to the success. There was an overflow of 6 /9 people, and a
new chapter will happen from that. Three will join another chapter that has
11 core members. I am busy on my third week's training for another network
and they should Kick-Off in four weeks time. Two other chapters are getting
their core members together. I am seeing two more people next week to look at
their areas. So things are really starting to happen. My message is getting
through. The existing chapters as you can see are growing nicely. The
Newlands chapter has 26 members: City Bowl chapters has 24 members, Constantia
chapter has 19 and Kenilworth chapter has 18/19.
I won R1000.00 unit trust from the largest insurance group in South Africa and
have an interview with their no.2 next week, plus a photograph and an article
in their paper and maybe the Argus again. What a way to go. Givers gain.
It's now starting to come back.
By Mike Levine, Executive Director, South
Africa
GIVERS GAIN
BNI's Six Degrees of Separation
Stuart Riley is Executive Director for
BNI Melbourne, Australia. His wife is Nicky Kilpatrick, Director of Dentistry
at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. Nicky studied dentistry at the
University of Birmingham (UK) and recently chatted to an alumni, Neil Sampson,
who is a dentist working in a practice in England and, coincidentally a member
of BNI Stoke. Neils' Director is Martin Bailey, whom Stuart met at the
International Conference in LA in November 2000.
The common link between 4 English people was BNI in Australia, the UK and the
US. This is a great example the law of "six degrees of separation"—maybe
as BNI grows this will become "five degrees of separation"!
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Director Bob Travis presents check to
Palmetto Place |
GIVERS GAIN
Palmetto Place Scores a Hole-in-One
"What can we do to give back to the
community which has given so much to us?" Jeff Jones, President of the Vista
chapter of Business Network Int'l (BNI) asked the members. Of the 12
countries in which BNI is located, the Vista chapter is the largest with 68
members. The purpose of the organization is to generate business for it's
members, and it's motto is "Givers Gain."
On May 9, 2001, the BNI Vista chapter held its first annual Giver's Gain Open
Gold Tournament. With the team effort of the entire Giver's Gain Open players,
volunteers and BNI members, the BNI Vista chapter was able to present a check
for $8,561.00 to Donna Doyle, PR Director of the Palmetto Place for
children.
It didn't take long for this energetic group to decide to hold a golf
tournament to benefit Palmetto Place Emergency Shelter for Children. Chris
Ford was selected as chair of the tournament committee. With the tireless
efforts of BNI members, Tommy Cagle, Louise Rehwinkle, Loretta Starr and Perry
Lancaster, the event quickly took shape.
Thirteen four-person teams signed up to play at the Windermere Club golf
course on Wednesday, May 9. Local business donated items for door prizes, a
silent auction, and a live auction. The Windermere Club was recruited to
provide drinks and heavy hors d' oeuvres.
After all strokes had been tallied, trophies were presented to the winners in
various categories. Members of the winning first place team were Greg Hicks,
Paul McGill, Bill Amick, and Dan Smith. Second place team members were Jeff
Jones, Todd Beckstront, Brian Dunphy and Rob Lauver.
Over 100 attended this first annual event including the Executive director of
BNI in South Carolina, Bob Travis. "I've met with the groups all over the
world," said Bob, "and this group is the most energetic I have seen. Their
more than 5400 referrals for each other have resulted in $3 million dollars
worth of business."
The true winner is this Gold Tournament was Palmetto Place. Proceeds from the
tournament will bring this emergency shelter a step closer to its dream of a
new home for children in crisis. The present shelter's 16 beds are inadequate
for the hundreds of children who need to be saved.
Although construction slowed for a time, a committed team of professions is
once again moving the shelter forward. With the help of events like the BNI
Givers Gain Open, more people than ever are helping the make a difference for
the abused, neglected and abandoned children of the Midlands.
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San Dimas, CA, BNI Member, Tony
Dalia |
GIVERS GAIN
BNI Founder Puts Ian in Driver's Seat
It's amazing how far the power of
BNI's networking can reach, as Ian Weaver, a friend of James Cruickshank,
Executive Director for East Anglia, in the UK, recently discovered.
Ian planned to expand his executive travel business by purchasing a stretch
limousine, and knowing of James's connection with BNI, he turned to him for
help to find the vehicle he needed.
Shortly afterwards, James attended the BNI Directors' International Conference
in California, where he met BNI Founder and CEO Dr. Ivan Misner. He asked him
if he knew of a supplier in the States who could produce the "perfect
limousine."
Ivan scanned his business card holder and came up with Tony Dalia of Inland
Auto in San Dimas, California, who just happened to have the exact vehicle
that Ian wanted in stock: a 4.6 litre Lincoln Stretch Towncar V, which has
considerably increased Ian's business revenue.
"It was a big investment," Ian told SuccessNet, "but definitely worth
travelling 7,000 miles to secure the car, which has now increased my business
revenue. In fact, I'm so impressed with BNI's networking reach, I'm serioulsy
thinking I should join up without delay," he added.
GIVERS GAIN
10 Share £1.5m Referral
No less than ten members of two
central London chapters have shared a £1.5 million contract to refurbish
a prestigious office development next to Buckingham Palace, prior to helping
re-locate a major investment company.
What is certainly one of the most widely-shared referrals in BNI's UK history
began when Clive Deen, a member of Victoria Chapter and a partner in Oliver
Jordan (interior builders and designers), war asked by a chapter colleague to
talk to leading investment house, Caledonia Investments.
"Caledonia wanted to relocated its headquarters to premises in Buckingham
Gate, and we were delighted to be awarded the contract to carry out extensive
internal alterations and refurbishments, and the organize the transfer of
their operations to the new address," said Clive.
"I'm sure one of the reasons our bid was successful was simply that our
offices are opposite Cledonia's old offices, so they knew communication would
be easy."
Having won the business, Clive recognized that much of the work could best be
carried our by fellow members of his own BNI chapter, so he duly handed
referrals to Austin Posner (for curtains and blinds), Emma Baker of Bowman
Cleaning Company and solicitor, David Lewis.
Meanwhile Project Manager, Paul Edelston, also from Oliver Jordan and a member
of Holborn Chapter, also identified several of his chapter colleagues to
supply goods and services for Caledonia's relocation.
Chris Rumble of Quadtronix provided new photocopiers, Warren Kempt of Admiral
installed the new telephone system and Dan Watkins from ProNsys supplied the
support systems for communications and the transfer of existing data.
Alan Clarke of Sterling Hay Corporate Risks organized insurance facilities
while Carol Couling of SRS Recruitment found a temporary assistant for Paul,
which may result in a long-term appointment.
Clive added: "Calendonia's new offices comprised nearly 30,000 sq ft, over
seven floors and it required a very sensitive refurbishment to create better
accommodation without losing the building's character.
"The company used to be involved in shipping and had some beautiful model
ships in glass cases together with some interesting artwork, and we have been
able to relocated these to dramatic effect in the new premises," said
Clive.
The project is due to be completed by September and has gone very smoothly.
"We found it so much easier to put this project together, since most of our
sub-contractors are BNI chapter colleagues - people we know and trust," said
Paul.
GIVERS GAIN
Taking the Mickey!
We all know what a lasting impression
a good one-minute presentation can make encouraging us to be creative and
different.
Which is how Anthony Rigby, of Choice Hotels, came to be pictured, with his
head framed by a makeshift TV set at a recent meeting of Loughborough Chapter
when every member was asked to give the 60-second commercial on behalf of a
colleague's business.
While individual impersonations produced the usual mirth, the most memorable
was Anthony's presentation on behalf of Brian Beedy of Switherland Spring
Water, whose permanent memory hook is 'As seen on TV'.
"I thought colleagues would remember the presentation if I delivered it from
behind the TV screen," said Anthony.
Gold Club Members
Congratulations to the following members of BNI who have sponsored six or more new members into their chapters. They have received the Gold Club Badge. For information on how you can receive the Gold Club Badge, speak to your chapter President or Director.
Jane Hagood, Savannah, GA, chapter
Randy Roe, Vista, Columbia, SC, chapter
Noveita Roe, Midlands, Columbia, SC, chapter
Russ Price, North Charleston, SC, chapter
Daisy Morales, West University, Houston, TX, chapter
Francisco Ramirez, West University, Houston, TX, chapter
Joe Melton, Exeter, NH, chapter
Richard Smith, Tayside, UK, chapter
Clive Deen, London Victoria, UK, chapter
Steve Naylor, Solihull Central, UK, chapter
Jonathon Miller, Pembroke, UK, chapter
Noel Farrelly, Little Aston, West Midlands, UK, chapter
Damian Turner, Uddingston, UK, chapter
Graham Murray, Kilmarnock Kappa, UK, chapter
Willie Hendry, Giffnock, UK, chapter
U.S. Membership Drive Winners
2001 Cancun, Mexico Trip
Alabama
Tuscaloosa: Sandra Brasher
Bay Area: Amber Herman
Arizona
Paradise Valley: Steve Deubel
Pinnacle Peak Corral: Desi Schever
California
Brea: Jason Baietto
Antelope Valley: Jayne Combs
Palm Desert: Ron Brewer
Del-Mar: Susan Alman-Pesch
Colorado
Colorado Springs: Gary Jacobson
Florida
Greater Broward: Joanne Latona
Idaho
Boise's Tuesday Team: Linda Higby
Illinois
Chicago-South Suburbs: Rita Kealy
Indiana
Assistant Director: Tim Crocker
Columbus: Carolyn Behrman
Elkhart: Michael Summers
Kentucky
Central Kentucky: Darlene Steele
Louisiana
Crescent City: Michael Ricks
Massachusetts
Beverly: Stephen Lentini
Burlington: Jay Wallus
Michigan
Downriver-Wyandotte: Robert Herriman
Grand Haven: Ed Bosch
Grand Rapids V: John Bergsma
Holland: Rick Van Der Meulen
Howell: Tom Archer
Jackson: Chuck Tomasello
Metro Novi: Moira Robinson
Shelby Township: Lashanda Golden
Minnesota
Tom Kell
Kevin Conners
New Jersey
Joe Razzano
New Mexico
Mary Rothman
New York
Poughkeepsie lll: Don Wilson
New City I: Steve Katz
Ohio
Blanchard Valley: Joe Balega
South Dayton: Pat Morgan
Greater Cincinnati: Maxine Richardson
South Carolina
Columbia Metro: Amy Spirek
Myrtle Beach: Darlene Couchman
Texas
Canyon Creek Referral: John Shepperson
West Houston: Lynn Hill
Wisconsin
Rock Rivers: Mary Monogue
Wisconsin Founding Business to Business: Tracy Coenen
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