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Misner's Moments
Networking Ideas to Build Your Business

Visit www.bni.biz to purchase and download the latest networking insights from Dr. Ivan Misner.

These MP3 files can be easily downloaded to your computer, like any other file. Simply save the file to your hard drive by following the on-screen instructions. Once downloaded, just double-click on the file to listen to it on your computer.

You can also copy the MP3 files to a CD-ROM—to play in your car stereo—or to an iPod or other portable MP3 player.

Whether for your own personal enrichment or for the educational segment of your next chapter meeting, download Misner's Moments for a quick and convenient way to learn from Master Networker Ivan Misner.


It's Your Time!

Do you know you have been put on this Earth for a greater purpose than you have been living up until now? BNI members will want to check out the new book which will be released on May 10 by Chris and Janet Attwood, "The Passion Test - The Effortless Path to Discovering Your Destiny." Janet and Chris have been BIG supporters of BNI. The organization was recently highlighted by them in an interview with Dr. Misner.

Ivan and Elisabeth Misner have reviewed part of the book, and have taken the Passion Test. They highly recommend it. The new book will come out on May 10th, and the authors have arranged for you to receive thousands of dollars in wonderful gifts from some of the world's top transformational speakers and NY Times best selling authors, such as Mark Victor Hansen, Bob Allen, Jack Canfield, Wayne Dyer, T. Harv Eker and many others.

You can check it out at: http://www.passiontestbook.com.

The Passion Test is a simple, powerful process which will help you get aligned with your purpose. The book is fun to read and contains powerful principles which will have you living a passionate, purposeful life in no time.

It's time to discover your destiny, and this book will help you live it to the fullest!


Dr. Misner Featured in New Book

Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder and Chairman of BNI, is featured in a new book released this month, Coaching Into Greatness: 4 Steps to Success in Business and Life, written by Springfield, MA BNI member Kim George. Dr. Misner's interview is one of the book's "Profiles in Greatness," which showcases people who embody a new form of intelligence called AQ, or Abundance IntelligenceTM. Selected for introducing the Giver's Gain philosophy to the business world, an excerpt of Dr. Misner's interview can be read at: http://www.coachingintogreatness.com/interviews.html.


BNI is pleased to release the official statistics for the year 2005.

Julien Sharp with Dr. Ivan Misner

As of December 31, 2005:
Total BNI Countries: 26
Total Chapters: 4,175
Total Referrals: 4.4 million
Total Value of Referrals: $1.7 billion (US Dollars)

Where do we get those numbers?

BNI's Founder & Chairman Dr. Ivan Misner explains more:

"Sometimes members ask me how we come up with the statistics we share about the number of referrals and their value. Below is a brief description of the process. Additional information can be found in my book The World's Best Known Marketing Secret, under the chapter called "Payoffs of Networking, the Research Behind the Results."

"As part of my doctoral dissertation published by the University of Southern California, I conducted a statistical stratified random sample of the members of BNI as part of a comprehensive survey of the membership.

"In this survey, we asked several questions, such as: How many referrals have you received?  What percentage of these referrals have closed in a sale? What is the average value of a referral you receive?

"From the results of this very comprehensive analysis, we generated several hundred pages of statistical tables that gave us a very clear picture of the quantity and quality of referrals generated in the organization.  Every chapter keeps track of the number of referrals that are generated in their group.  By knowing the number of referrals, determining the average value of a referral is reasonably simple utilizing the findings of this scientific study."

This subject was re-visited last year by Julien Sharp, a business consultant and BNI member from Florida. Thanks to her months of hard work and analyzing thousands of survey forms, we now have updated figures for you to share with your members and chapters.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey and contributed to this important work. Networking pays off—and we have the proof!


Fast Forward Restart
Nonprofit formed by BNI members to aid Katrina and Rita victims

The BNI community has found many ways to help people in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Fast Forward Restart is another such effort, led by a group of BNI members in Atlanta, GA.

One morning last September, Gordon Rude of the Phoenix Chapter, Atlanta, GA, wondered how he could help business owners in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina. He brought together the talents of some of his BNI colleagues and contacts to help business owners and salespeople in the affected area regroup.

The group, now a nonprofit called Fast Forward Restart, has brought a highly disciplined and comprehensive business planning process to 50 businesses, primarily in the New Orleans region. These participants have completed a detailed business assessment, a two-day workshop, and are now involved in the coaching and seminar phases of the process. Program benefits are available for a one-year period.

Fast Forward Restart is supported by corporate sponsors, individual contributions, foundations, and government economic development funding. The first sponsor to enable operations was the Misner Foundation. Dr. Misner has also stepped up as the Interim Chairman of the FFR Board of Directors.

To further funding, Hazel Walker, Executive Director, Central Indiana, has suggested every BNI member contribute one dollar. Eddie Esposito, BNI member, New Orleans business owner, and Fast Forward Restart Coach, has begun developing 10 referral sources to raise $1,000 each for the effort.

To quote Carolyn Fredericks, a program participant, "This is not just a quick fix. This is not just a hand-out of a few hundreds dollars that will help us get through the next month. This is a long-term solution." Carolyn is the wife of BNI member and Area Director Erik Fredericks, and, along with Erik, owns Bee's Flowers of Metairie, LA.

While Fast Forward Restart is available to the general business community, it is built by BNI members and their belief in Giver's Gain. You can find out more about Fast Forward Restart and how you can help by going to www.fastforwardrestart.org.


1st BNI Worldwide Conference

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is going to be the venue for the first international event for BNI members. The BNI Worldwide Conference will be held June 20 through June 22, 2006.

The event will celebrate not only the first 20 years of BNI but also the fulfillment of Dr. Ivan Misner's vision that BNI become a truly international networking organization.

BNI has taken off in Malaysia, which as a country can boast the highest average chapter size in the world. Congratulations to National Director Avryl Au and her team of dedicated Directors.

Dr. Misner will deliver the keynote speech, and has promised to deliver a Master class. The Event will bring together members from Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, the United Kingdom, India, Singapore, Malaysia, the USA, China and many more.

For members searching for contacts in other markets, here is an opportunity to meet BNI members in friendly surroundings. There will be trade stands and focused opportunities to network.

Other speakers include the Master of Presentation Skills Andy Bounds, and Gunnar Selheden, the National Director from Scandinavia and Poland. We are hopeful that Martin and Gillian Lawson, National Directors from the UK, who have been very successful rolling out BNI in that country will also speak for us.

Kuala Lumpur is a great city of modern architecture, excellent cuisine, and has tremendous facilities for golf and shopping. The Cameron Highlands are beautiful and cool and the jungles are worth a visit.

Don't miss the opportunity to become an International Networker!

For more information please visit the website at www.bni-worldwide.com.