Across the Globe - Europe
United Kingdom
BNI Breakfast Worth the 10,000-Mile Trip

MAKING NEW FRIENDS: Sjaak Kusters, Nadine Hill and Laurel Parkinson at Melbourne's BNI Big Breakfast

How far would you go to enjoy the camaraderie of BNI members? Well Nadine Hill, a member of Wakefield's Wealthbuilders Chapter, traveled 10,526 miles to join an 'Aussie Big Breakfast'—and she says it was worth every penny!

While Nadine did not go all the way to Melbourne, South Australia just for the breakfast (she was there as part of a family holiday), she decided she could not miss the chance to attend the region's annual Big Breakfast, involving 600 members from all of the city's chapters.

Nadine, whose company provides business support services, said: "As a virtual PA I can support businesses anywhere in the world, and because BNI has been such a big part of my success in the UK, I couldn't holiday in Australia without going to a breakfast meeting. It was purely by co-incidence that I was able to network at such a big event."

She was greeted by Melbourne Executive Director David Byers who introduced her to a virtual transcription company in New Zealand, with whom she is building a business alliance. "Through just one meeting in Australia, I've gained useful contacts with people from all over the globe. That is the power of BNI: making the world a smaller place in which to do business."


United Kingdom
Tigers Roar for the 10,000th Time!

The Leicester Tigers chapter of BNI triumphantly reached their 10,000th referral on Friday, March the 24th. If you can believe it the Tiger chapter consists of only 33 members and has only been in existence for 5 years!

The Membership Co-ordinator at the time, Philip Van Roose, owner of Van Haydon Travel, an independent travel agent in Leicester, said that he became aware the milestone was achievable during his term in office sometime before Christmas. He realised that the group only had to average 62 referrals a week to reach the magic number by the end of his term in March.

Since that time, every effort was made to make that goal a reality. The high point of the Tigers' attempts was a spectacularly successful Visitor's Day at the beginning of March, with 30 new businesses visiting the chapter and over 100 referrals passed that week alone.

Chapter Director, Henrik Jespersen, commissioned local sign makers and BNI members, Sign Here, to create a 'referral thermometer' so that the group could see how far they had to go and the new totals were unveiled week by week.

By Philip's last meeting as Member Co-ordinator on the 24th, spirits were running high and it was clear that the 10,000th referral was about to become a reality. That day 108 referrals were passed! As the 10,000th referral was read out, music played, party poppers exploded, and champagne was uncorked, heralding the end of a tremendous 6 months of effort and some serious business won for the members of BNI Tigers.

Submitted by Dafydd Prichard, Leicester Tigers Chapter Director


United Kingdom
Move Over SuccessNet - We've Got Our Own Newsletter!

With a graphic designer, a copywriter, and a PR consultant in their ranks, members of Ealing's Walpole Chapter in West London had all the necessary resources when they decided to launch their own monthly newsletter.

The double-sided A4 publication has a threefold purpose: give added value to the four 10-minute speakers each month, ensure members get the most from BNI (copies are emailed to everyone), and provide an extra publicity tool in promoting the chapter to the local business community.

"The idea is to help members maximize their benefits from BNI by keeping them fully informed, and to help our group continue its remarkable growth," said Chapter Director Shainul Kassam. "But its main aim is to increase referral rates by giving our ten-minute speakers the opportunity to reiterate their key messages in writing, while boosting everyone's motivation by highlighting the chapter's best referrals."

Ruth Rollason designs the newsletter and copywriter Cathy Howells is responsible for drawing together its editorial content, supported by BBC TV producer and PR executive Lindsay Grist. Cathy said: "It is also useful to have something tangible to send out with our invitation letters to visitors. At a glance, the newsletter shows them we're a busy and successful group, encouraging them to come along."


United Kingdom
Steel City's Charity Event Brings Group Together

Members of Sheffield's Steel City Chapter have just marked five years of successful networking by announcing that they've generated over £1 million of authenticated new business for each other.

One of the region's top-performing chapters, and nudging toward the optimum 40-strong membership, its immediate past chapter director, Pete Turner, attributed their success to "a fantastic group of business professionals who are very supportive of each other."

Under Pete's direction, Steel City saw a significant growth in size, resulting from successful visitor days. Its leadership team has also taken an innovative approach to building strong relationships within the group. Recently, 20 members took part in a charity abseiling (rappelling) challenge, suspended from the Millersdale Viaduct in Derbyshire—100 feet above the River Wye!

That event was organised by Steel City's Glyn Brown whose company, Challenge the Peak, provides development training and team building for commercial organisations. He said: "Members raised over £2,000 for charity, but it also helped strengthen the bonds between them since they had to help and rely on each other during the abseil. It was a truly adrenaline-fuelled event."


United Kingdom
Professionals Come to the Rescue

Wallace and Roisin prepare for their trek

With Sheffield Professionals Chapter Member Wallace Murray facing one of his biggest challenges ever, there was just one solution: seek help from all the professionals in his aptly-named chapter!

Wallace, along with his wife Roisin, set the daunting task of raising at least one million pounds for the Rainbows Children's Hospice and Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice, by walking 1,000 kilometres across northern Spain on an ancient pilgrims' route to Cap Finisterre.

Wallace's problem was that he needed help to promote the cause—but had no knowledge, funding or expertise to mount such a major fund-raising venture. So he turned to his chapter colleagues and quickly found that Givers Gain really works.

Wallace and Roisin's impressive website was designed and built by fellow chapter members, Effective Internet and Rebus Creative, while photographer Tracey Welch provided superb pictures. To raise his own profile, Graham Parker of Parker Communications is running a PR campaign. The chapter's CRM specialists, Red Cherry, gave advice on utilizing networks and contracts. And flight, hotel and transport booking is being managed by Eclipse Worldwide Travel.

"I have been blown over by the way BNI members have freely offered their support. It really does prove that BNI is the best networking organization in the world," said Wallace, who with Roisin, will set out next April from Rochester Cathedral in Kent on their six-week journey. Before then, they face a year-long intensive personal training programme and must find major sponsorship. Good Luck Wallace and Roisin!