Submitted by Kevin Barber, Chairman of the BNI Foundation Worldwide Inc. & ED BNI Germany South-West
In Part One, I talked about how everything fits together – the BNI Foundation, Business Voices, BNI Connect 5, BNI Cares and referred to the “BNI Foundation” to a movement, a mindset. It is the basis of everything that BNI Members, chapters and directors across the world do to support children and education in their local communities.
The Givers Gain® Grant Program and the Business Voices™ Initiative are the two ways in which the BNI Foundation fulfills its mission of supporting children and education. This is indicated by the dotted green line in the diagram below:
Currently there are five independent, non-profit, legal-entity BNI Foundations in the US, Canada, France, Japan and Spain. These are the countries where donations can be received by a recognized BNI charity and distributed in the form of Givers Gain® grants to schools and other organizations to give children a better chance in life. The BNI Foundation Worldwide, Inc. is registered as a public charity in Charlotte, North Carolina and acts as the lead organization in developing BNI Foundation activities globally.
This does not mean that these five countries are the only places where the “The BNI Foundation” is active. There are also very active Business Voices Programs (which we know about) in Italy and Taiwan, China and similar informal activities at chapter level across the world of BNI.
Our goal is to establish some form of BNI Foundation presence in each country and then to start recording all of its activity by 2020. How this happens is less important than that it happens. Where a non-profit legal entity is legally, financially and logistically an option, this is the preferred first step. If not, identifying a “go-to person” who we can help to establish and coordinate a Business Voices Program, is a more than acceptable alternative. This individual would be able to record all the amazing things that members and chapters already do.
At the 2018 BNI Convention in Bangkok, strong interest was already expressed by directors from Spain, UK, Finland, Brazil, Cambodia, India, Hong Kong, Poland, the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand, which is a good start! Let’s keep the momentum going.
Remember, the BNI Foundation can help you support the community in which you live and work and at the same time bring real benefits for your business. We look forward to working with you.
BNI’s 2019 International Networking Week was an incredible success. Please view some of the most visible highlights from around the world.
*This page will be updated as additional submissions are received
BNI New York (BNI U.S.)
Check out the publicity for this #INW19 event out of Horseheads, New York. Two of their members, Manda Lewis and Peter Wallin, showcased this with a spotlight on their local news station. Please view the clip below!
Check out these videos submitted out of BNI Winelands & BNI Joburg South Central.
BNI Israel
BNI Israel celebrated their Members’ Day in conjunction with #INW19. This event, which included an Awards Breakfast for 68 Members, was dedicated to showing respect to our valued Members. During the event, a special award was presented to Israel’s top chapter (BNI Business in Motion) for their annual achievements:
58 Members
84% Retention Rate
14 Million Israeli Shekel in TYFCB (Equal to $4 Million USD)
In 2018, BNI Israel saw a grand total of $60 Million USD in TYFCB.
This #INW19 Awards Breakfast was an incredible success and brought hundreds of BNI Israel members to meet, network, develop more relationships for more business opportunities. We’re proud of the impact that BNI Israel Members are making across the world! Please view the recap below.
BNI Arizona (BNI U.S.)
BNI Arizona kicked off International Networking Week 2019 kicked off bang here. They had an incredible number of attendees prepared to open up A New World of Opportunity!
The 2019 #INW19 “Connect 5” Journey: Enlightenment through experience
On 3rd February BNI CEO + Community Builder, Graham Weihmiller, departed BNI’s Global Headquarters en route to New York City. Throughout the subsequent week (#INW19), Graham visited Five Member countries and International Business Hubs. During his journey, he met with some incredible BNI Members & Leaders for an experience that truly represented the global reach of BNI.
Provided below is a visual recap of that incredible journey. For more information on International Networking Week, please click here.
“Connect 5” Highlights
A Serendipitous Connection – New York City, New York
Ian Scott – a BNI Director Consultant from New York City and a terrific 20 year BNI Leader, describes some terrific serendipity – a referral to his wife Lauren (another BNI Director Consultant).
A Celebration of New Beginnings
BNI Leaders celebrated the Chinese New Yeat at the beautiful Crowne Plaza in Guangzhou City Centre – a very gracious event arranged by BNI Member Colar Chan, who is the Director of Sales & Marketing at the hotel. The following morning, Graham met with BNI Leaders at the Hilton Guangzhou Tianhe to see how BNI can best help SMEs grow a global business. A special thanks to Stella Yung, Stanley Kong, and Cindy Yung for their leadership and hospitality!
Passionate Dedication to Givers Gain®
Question: Who goes to the symphony at 7:30am in the morning?!
Answer: impressive business leaders who believe in the power of Givers Gain!
The BNI Symphony Chapter in Bangalore is serious about business and serious about keeping the Fun in fundamentals! With a retention rate of 97%, Symphony’s 72 Members have passed 6,120 referrals in the last 12 months leading to over $4.8 million USD in closed business. BNI Bangalore has 2,277 Members overall and has passed 148,283 referrals in the last 12 months leading to over $90 million in closed business. Get ready for this: BNI India has 26,780 Members. These awesome Members have passed 1,523,699 referrals in the last 12 months leading to over $1.5 billion USD in closed business! And they’re just getting started…
A Beautiful & Bright Future
Did you know that the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, at 828 meters (2,717 feet) and 163 floors, is the world’s tallest building. It is perfectly symbolic of the ambition of BNI UAE, and it provided a picturesque backdrop for their event at The Lounge in downtown Dubai. Here, exceptional BNI Members and Leaders outlined their plans to support the UAE’s continued growth as a global commercial hub.
Together, with Graham, they celebrated International Networking Week, and cheered this team’s ambitious plans for the future. A special thank you to Bijay and Anna Shah for their wonderful hospitality, and terrific thought leadership. Keep an eye on BNI UAE, there are big things underway!
The Foundation for Global Growth
Question: decades ago, which country within BNI’s 70 countries became BNIs springboard to the world?
Answer: BNI UK!
With 11,400 Members and exceptional leaders like Phil Berg, Gillian Lawson, Charlie Lawson, Tim Cook, Russ Sawdon, and Rishi Bhuptani, BNI UK is a major force for good.
A Special Thanks
A special thanks to Kevin Barber , the originator of the Connect 5 Trip Concept. Celebrating #INW19 with BNI Members & Leaders in 5 countries in 5 days is an unforgettable experience.
Purpose-driven business leaders, by growing fantastic businesses and contributing back to their communities, can make this world a really collaborative and prosperous place for everyone. This was apparent during BNI’s 2019 International Networking Week.
Thank you to Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder & Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, who has inspired all of us in BNI to be our best selves by focusing on Givers Gain. There’s never been more excitement about the future of BNI.
It’s important to highlight the impact of BNI worldwide and how it inspires our leaders to come together in support of our Members. Here’s a quick read detailing BNI’s Vietnam’s Leadership Summit from November 2018. Submitted by Director Consultant, Ali Cong Tran.
With the theme “Raising the Capabilities of the Leaders”, BNI Vietnam’s Leadership Summit was held in the beautiful city of Dalat, in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, during November 28-30, 2018.
Participants included Executive Directors (EDs) as well as Directors and Ambassadors (DnAs) nationwide. This special connection-and-training event brought DnAs the solutions to build and develop chapters, regions and areas. This was done with the help of BNI Vietnam’s leaders, who drew inspiration from success stories, lessons, experiences, tools and processes shared at the summit. Topics included “Leadership with Love”, “The Leader in You”, “Happy Members in a ‘Green’ Chapter”, “Extreme Leadership”… and each topic was enthusiastically received by all participants.
The credibility, connections and understanding among DnAs was apparent, as they proactively built and strengthened their relationships. A flame of enthusiasm was ignited during this summit and, through their concentrated efforts, it will spread throughout BNI Vietnam!
The “One BNI Vietnam” concept was introduced to summit participants as well. This concept covers the consistent and effective implementation of branding, tools, processes and awards. BNI Vietnam’s Mission for 2019 was determined to be “121270”. This number (121270) translates to:
1 (one) region achieving annual growth with two (2) new chapters.
2 (two) new members join a chapter each month.
70% of members celebrate their “BNI birthdays”. In other words, retention rate reaches 70% or higher.
Some other important takeaways included:
During the summit, participants played an exciting and meaningful simulation game entitled “Journey to the Jade Mountain”. This simulation helped participants enhance their leadership skills.
Recognition was given to distinguished EDs and DnAs for their dedicated contribution to the growth of BNI Vietnam over the past few years.
The Gala dinner was held in the legendary peak of Langbiang, where the participants enjoyed a performance by the K’ Hor ethnic minority people.
Throughout the summit, BNI Vietnam leaders were honored to encourage and support growth among DnAs in the spirit of “Givers Gain”. The event ended with a renewed perspective and appreciation from BNI Vietnam’s EDs and DnAs. As participants departed, hugs and smiles were exchanged and appointments were made for BNI Vietnam’s 2019 Leadership Summit.
When I started BNI in 1985, the most often asked question from the media was: “Is this networking thing just a fad?” Well, almost 34 years and more than 8,700 groups later – it’s clearly not a fad. There have been changes over time though. The biggest change has been the introduction of the internet. Ironically, online networking has contributed to the success of face-to-face networks by greatly reducing the communication hierarchy and allowing people to communicate through online platforms (including walled gardens just for members). I saw a trend relating to the integration of face-to-face and online networking eight years ago, and I wrote about eight years ago. [i]
According to the Small Business Administration, today around “50% of all small businesses are home-based,” [ii] and according to the BBC, “nearly half of the US workforce is expected to work remotely by 2020.” [iii] This means that 50% or more of future entrepreneurs and employees will be working remotely within the next few years.
Today, I see an even more amazing trend on the horizon as it relates to remote work, technology, and business networking. That trend is the emergence of Mixed Reality within the realm of personal networking. Mixed Reality is “the merging of real and virtual worlds where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time.” Mixed reality takes place not only in the physical world or the virtual world but is a mix of reality and virtual reality.” [iv]
“Mixed reality lets the user see the real world… while also seeing believable, virtual objects… It then anchors those virtual objects to a point in real space, making it possible to treat them as ‘real,’ at least from the perspective of the person who can see the mixed reality experience.” [v]
As this technology develops, it will allow remote teams to work together and tackle objectives no matter where the individuals are physically located. People can enter a collaborative, immersive virtual environment in order to “develop and activate relationships, to increase business, enhance knowledge, expand one’s sphere of influence, or serve the community.” In other words – network.[vi] And, in the not too distant future, I predict that they will be able to do that remotely through a Mixed Reality environment.
I believe the future of networking is a blending of the physical world with the digital world. According to Microsoft, “Mixed Reality is the next evolution in human, computer, and environment interaction and unlocks possibilities that before now were restricted to our imaginations” (see Venn Diagram). [vii]
One of the current missing elements of a video discussion is the lack of intimacy with the online communication. However, as this technology advances, people will be better able to read non-verbal language like crossed arms, leaning in, signs of nervousness, or other non-verbal queues that can be missed in a two-dimensional discussion. People attach value to the feeling of physically sharing space with another person. The more technology enables that feeling to mirror reality, the more effective it will be because as science has shown, the brain is often unable to determine what is real and what is not as it relates to virtual reality.
You may be thinking that this is an idea that is decades away – but it’s not. Bjorn Laurin, Vice President of product development at Lindon Lab predicts that virtual-meetings will “become as commonplace as owning an iPhone – within 5 to10 years!” [viii]
True, it is not the same as being there – but it will be getting closer and closer to the Jedi Knights and their holographic meetings as seen in Star Wars.
When that time comes – I want to be Obi-Wan Kenobi. I’m just saying.
Submitted by Kevin Barber, Chairman of the BNI Foundation Worldwide Inc. & ED BNI Germany South-West
The BNI Foundation has been serving children and education since 1998 because children are the future of the communities in which we live and do business. As adults they will become our customers, staff, suppliers, teachers, doctors, politicians and our neighbors.
I am often asked, “So how does this all fit together – the BNI Foundation, Business Voices, BNI Connect 5, BNI Cares?”
The best way to think of the BNI Foundation is as a movement, a mindset – BNI members, chapters and directors all over the world supporting their local communities where their support is most needed. Not just because they feel sympathy, but to make real long-term positive change.
The BNI Foundation offers two ways to help: The Givers Gain® Grants program and the Business Voices™ Initiative:
The Givers Gain® Grants program is financed through national and international donations. The money is used to fund school grants and other projects that give young people the chance to become better adults.
You can also get involved in your local communities by offering your time and talent through the Business Voices Initiative. For example, you can teach the basic business and networking skills that children will need in the real world!
So, what is BNI Cares? When bad things happen in the world – hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, floods – BNI members want to come together and help. Hard as it may sound, this is NOT the mission of the BNI Foundation. Equally we know that BNI members look to the Foundation for guidance – so, starting in 2019, we will integrate BNI Cares initiatives into the BNI Foundation’s web presence.
And BNI Connect 5? This is, of course, very close to my heart, but it too is NOT the focus of the BNI Foundation. BNI Connect 5 was born in 2011 to show just how it easy it is to connect BNI entrepreneurs in all corners of the world. As the BNI Foundation supports more and more children across the world, Lawrence Richards and I will make sure “BNI Kids” get connected too!
At BNI we are not only Changing the Way the World Does Business but also Changing the Way Business Sees the World!
Every solid structure needs a strong foundation, and the BNI Foundation can help you support your local community while bringing real benefits to your business.
Submitted by Dr. Oudi Abouchacra, Executive Director for BNI Abu Dhabi
Dr. Oudi is the Executive Director for BNI Abu Dhabi and founder of Inspired Results, performance training and coaching. He draws on almost 20 years of experience as a chiropractor.
His BNI story in a nutshell is that at the age of 27 he went from a struggling doctor in his first year to running a busy clinic thanks to BNI. He attributes his success to the Philosophy of BNI; Giver Gain® which resonated with him and matched his perspective in life that came from a life threatening situation a decade prior.
Dr. Oudi is the creator of Eat-ology, Speak-ology, Think-ology and Power House Team Building programs which are accredited by Traccert Canada. His programs, many of which have been accredited by The Department of Health in the UAE, have reached downtown Toronto, uptown Johannesburg, Australia, Africa, Lebanon, Qatar, the UAE and across Canada. His clients include The Bank of Canada, TOTAL, The Weston and Hilton Hotels, and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, just to name a few.
He would like to Thank Bijay Shah, Graham Wiehmiller, Cindy Mount, Meagan Chitwood, Colin Horner and Dr. Ivan Misner for their unparalleled support.
This BNI success story was submitted by Barry Thomas, member of BNI Peak Performers in Toronto, Canada
Does BNI work? I assume the answer depends on who you ask, but if you ask me, after being a member of the Peak Performers chapter since February of 2005, the answer is a resounding “YES!”. I’m in the car business as a broker, working with the HAV-A-KAR Auto Group in Toronto. Simply put, I can supply any new vehicle available in Canada, while providing leasing, financing or cash purchase options for my clients.
I should also mention that while cars are my business, they are also my passion and my hobby. In my chapter, I’m known as The Car Guy. What I do doesn’t seem like work to me. I truly believe this passion about what I do comes across to my clients and makes the process much more enjoyable for them. My love of cars also enables me to help my clients in a more informed way, better than if they walked into a dealership showroom and were bombarded with details specific only to that brand.
Here is a story of how one referral from a chapter member blossomed into an amazing amount of new and repeat business. To my mind this is the true power of BNI.
In my first year as a member, we had a home builder join our chapter. Shortly afterwards, he referred his wife to me, since she was looking for a new van. As always, I made some recommendations based on my knowledge of the current vehicles on the market. Once she decided, I delivered her new family van to her door, a service I offer to all of my clients. She loved it and shortly afterwards gave my name to her neighbor, who also selected the same van (out of courtesy, a different colour).
The neighbor also loved their van and my service, so they referred me to a relative in a northern suburb. This led to yet another van being delivered. Seems like I was cornering the market on mini-vans. This latest client now referred me to her mother, who lived about two hours west of Toronto. A bit of a trip, but I happily made the drive to drop off her new suv.
Now let’s cycle back to the home builder, who started this chain of new business. He needed a pick-up for his business and again after I made some suggestions, he was able to order exactly what he needed. A little later in the year, I delivered a second truck, this one to his associate. I was on top of the world, as this was a BNI referral that kept on giving.
In the meantime, the lady with the suv, referred me to another of her daughters back in Toronto. Yes, I was fortunate to earn her business and also that of her husband. Wow, BNI was working exactly as I had been told it would.
Since each new client needed insurance, I was also able to refer them to the agent in the Peak Performers. Even more business from that first van referral.
Several of these deliveries were leases. That means they have an end date, usually after 36 or 48 months. So, if I’ve done my job right and made their initial experience a pleasant one, then they would come back to me for their next vehicle. And they did.
My suburban van client has returned to me several times since her first delivery back in 2005 and in December, 2018, I delivered her fifth car. Now I’m working on something for her son. Hopefully, the start of yet another longtime relationship.
The home builder left our chapter years ago, but the relationship we built still endures and he continues to lease his and his associate’s trucks from me. I believe the count is now up to seven pick-ups since his first delivery.
My business with these clients is built on relationships, but without the initial BNI referral, none of these deliveries would have come to pass. I wouldn’t have had access to the business of any of these people and they would not have known about me.
This speaks to the power of BNI and the people that it can get us in touch with. It shows how one referral can lead to many other contacts and much more closed business over many years.
This BNI success story was submitted by Samantha DELLUC-MARCHAND, current member of 94-02 BNI Performance in BNI France
I was fortunate to begin my career with Google in 2002. It was an incredible opportunity to join a global industry leader. It’s not an overstatement to say that this was a dream job with a wonderful culture. Colleagues became friends, meals were free and it was truly structured as a flat hierarchy. I even got to travel to Google’s HQ in San Francisco for trainings.
Over time, like all organizations, massive growth occurred and changes were implemented. Our hierarchal structure became more segmented and our team grew from 20 people to 150! It lost a bit of the human touch that I came to appreciate.
After my stint with Google, I transitioned to Microsoft. Unfortunately, the culture and structure was very similar and mirrored my recent experience with Google. In addition to this, I had given birth to my daughter. That led to further stress, as I spent many long nights juggling work with personal responsibilities. Compounding this, recognition for a hard work ethic can be difficult to come by, especially in France.
So gradually I began to work on various business plans, with dreams of being my own boss… While I would certainly earn less, I would have control over my career.
So I asked myself… “What do I really want to do? What am I passionate about?”
I found inspiration from my daughter. A hobby and love of mine is baking and creating personalized pastries for events and parties that she attends. I soon realized that many of my fellow parents did not have time to organize their kids’ birthdays and desperately needed someone to take in charge. I knew then that I had to launch my own business!
Within 6 months, I took a leap of faith and quit my job. This allowed me to prepare for my pastry ‘diploma’ and start a new career from scratch. It was a challenging process and physically demanding but I stayed the course, I did not give up.
I’m proud to say that 14 months ago, I was able to launch my company, Drôles de tables. I’ve been able to invest in promotional materials and find an environment that is suitable for the success of my business. And while I occasionally work 18 hours, I have no regrets. I want to be an inspiration to my daughter and prove that her dreams can come true.
My ideal clientele included both business and individuals, and I needed to build a customer base. I had plenty of contacts for private events, but needed a stronger professional network. That’s when a friend recommended BNI. I realized the value of Givers Gain and recognized that it could help me build my business through referrals and build a global perspective. There’s no better international organization for networking. The opportunities are boundless.
And it has paid off! After my first year, 60% of my revenue comes through BNI referrals. An incredible testament to the power of a strong network.
It also helped me refine my business structure. I have refocused my efforts on attracting small and medium businesses. My goal is to regularly partner with them for the private events. However, the majority of my revenue stems from the delivery of personalized cookies that I can ship worldwide. My business is based on making personalized messages edible, which is not very common!
About My Business
I am a pastry chef and the name of my company is “Drôles de tables”. It comes from the movie “Charlie’s Angels” which in French is “Drôles de dames”, so you can say “Samantha et ses drôles de tables”, which is memorable!
One of my specialties is to create personalized cookies for people who want to celebrate an event or deliver a message. I can print your logo on my cookies, write your message, engrave your words… and ship them worldwide!
I am also organizing professional buffets and sweet tables with lovely treats and personalized decorations.
BNI’s 12th annual International Networking Week® is fast approaching! Are you ready?
International Networking Week® is an initiative of BNI® and an opportunity for members to show appreciation for their valued customers and contacts with the gift of a larger network.
The focus of International Networking Week® is to bring together representatives of government, businesses and community leaders to network and listen to talks by key networking specialists from local communities across the world. Speakers will offer advice and information on how businesses can grow and succeed through good networking practices.
Invitations to attend are open to the wider business community, members of other networking organizations, students, press representatives and interested parties from all levels of government and business.
Ensure that your chapters are fully prepared to promote International Networking Week® throughout their communities by visiting the website. You’ll find new marketing assets such as print materials, an official press release, official imagery and social media assets. Use these regularly throughout the next month, in addition to the new and official hashtag: #INW19. We want to see who has the most passion for this initiative!
We’re also calling on all members to share stories of past International Networking Week® events that were a resounding success. Submissions will be reviewed and featured on our social media pages throughout the week! Take advantage of this opportunity to spotlight a chapter in your region.
Guidelines for how to promote and run an event have been developed, and are now available for use. Please review these, provide them to your teams and contact the marketing team if you have any additional questions.
Remember, this is our chance to provide a “A New World of Opportunity” to individuals who are interested in the business of referrals. For further updates, please follow BNI’s official Facebook page, as International Networking Week® will be featured regularly over the next month.
We also have a message from our Founder and Chief Visionary Officer, Dr. Ivan Misner. Please view below.
Submitted by Matt Valantine of Rise & Refer in Perrysburg, Ohio (U.S.)
BNI put my company on the map! Thanks to an invitation from Craig to visit BNI, my coffee business is scaling 42% faster. My one-man selling show exploded into a twenty strong salesforce with momentum and intentionality when I joined Rise & Refer in Perrysburg, OH 14 months ago. 42% of my profits and sales as a company have come from BNI. 19 of my 29 Monthly ViP Subscribers are a direct result of relationships fostered in BNI.
The DRiP Coffee, LLC, launched in August 2017, exists to provide High-Quality, locally roasted coffee at an affordable price. Our dual focus is (1) becoming the highest consumed local roasted coffee brand in Northwest Ohio (we source a High-Quality bean, roast on a top-end drum roaster, and sell strategically to immerse The DRiP Coffee brand into homes, businesses, & events in Northwest, OH) and (2) providing go-to Third Spaces in Northwest Ohio designed for the moderate to avid coffee drinker to Gather, Connect, & Relax. Come after work. Come after dinner. Come after the kids are in bed. Sit back, breathe in the aroma of fresh coffee, and refresh.
Why bring people together in this environment? Life is often harsh and demanding. We pour out all day long and in return, need to be poured into to carry on. Every DRiP coffee shop will offer an atmosphere that welcomes all ages and invites the world in to enjoy amazing coffee and live music. A weekly mix of jazz, classical, open mic, comedy, and more will entertain and inspire our guests night after night.
As the owner and CEO, I manage the moving parts and employees for The DRiP Coffee. I’ve been married to my true love and best friend, Amanda, for nearly 20 years and I have four children (ages 7-17). I serve as a volunteer youth leader and operate as the Midwest Regional Sales Rep for a Pre-Press Graphics & Packaging Company. I enjoy living life on purpose, building relationships through networking and community, recreational activities, leading teams, implementing visionary ideas, and loving my family. I didn’t start drinking coffee until I was 30…. maybe I’m catching up. 3-5 cups a day…morning, noon, and night. I can drink a strong cup of coffee and be asleep minutes later. I’m not sure coffee is my passion (yet) … people are my passion. Offering something Hopeful is my goal. Creating an idea that can be anticipated. A night out with friends. A warm beverage and a great song that can inspire. Time away from the messiness.
BNI has taught me the power of networking through The Power of One (referrals, CEUs, 1-1s, presentations, relationships, people). My chapter is my guinea pig. Luckily, many of you will never experience some of my “test blends” thanks. My fellow chapter members, who I meet with weekly and fight to unearth referrals for, have become my friends. I want them to succeed as much or more as I want to be successful. Givers Gain.
In addition, BNI has contributed to the following:
The launch of my VIP program, mentioned above, which is a monthly subscription where each VIP subscriber receives 2-3 bags of Drip coffee per month. I was inspired by two fellow members in my chapter, Lisa & Crystal, to launch this.
BNI doubled the number of interested investors since I joined the Rise & Refer chapter
BNI gave me the opportunity to receive honest & constructive feedback about my product & sales strategy through one-to-ones!
You are reading about The DRiP Coffee because I was bold enough to ask for help reaching my 2019 Goals… (1) 100 bags sold per week and (2) 50 Monthly ViP subscribers. Now I want to ask you for help. Will you personally purchase a bag of our coffee? Will you gift a bag to someone you know appreciates great quality coffee? Will you help me open The DRiP Coffee Shops so others can experience the hope and connection we desire to create? Thanks for reading my story. Join us on our journey. Try a Sip of The DRiP… you won’t regret it.
Submitted by David Kauffman, BNI Foundation Vice-Chair
So, another year has ended, and we begin to look back at what we have accomplished. For the BNI Foundation, it was a huge success! We had two great conferences where we raised over $60,000 USD.
We also became a public charity, The BNI Foundation Worldwide. This allows us to partner with other organizations like Amazon. We are now included with Amazon Smile. Switch your affiliation to the BNI Foundation and Amazon will donate 0.5% back on all eligible purchases (See below). Many of you signed up to be Super Heroes by contributing as monthly donors, hopefully this will continue. We added Legacy donors and increased our single donations to all time levels. This allowed us to double the number of Givers Gain® Grants.
I would like to thank everyone who helped along our transformation in 2018. To our donors: without you we would have nothing. To our Business Voices Teams: you are the boots on the ground. You are the people who touch our children on a daily basis. To our supporters at BNI HQ and the board of directors: we could not continue to make the changes and move the foundation into its next stages without you and your support! To Ivan and Beth Misner: clearly you were and are our guiding force.
There is so much to talk about but not enough time to deliver the information in our short monthly articles, so we are launching our quarterly newsletter beginning in January. We will keep you updated with information about what we have accomplished and what we are planning. Our website has a tremendous amount of information including donor lists, Business Voices Team updates, information on how you and your regions can get involved and so much more. Below is a link to our first newsletter
We would like to thank everyone who has helped to support our children either by
We would like to thank everyone who has helped to support our children either by providing resources to educators and organizations, or funds to help make success easier for children around the world.
Please join us in creating another year of firsts and accomplishments in 2019!
To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile. Then select the BNI Foundation Worldwide as your charity.
The innovative SAVONT soap holder ensures that using hand soap is fun again. This ecological and aesthetic innovation comes from Phuc-An Tran, from the Kurfürsten Chapter (Amberg, Germany). He tells his story here, which is also a BNI success story.
BNI is an excellent platform for the development, design, production and marketing of products: A review
How often can a member say that their first customer was acquired through their chapter? I can, and it’s an incredible testament to the power of referrals.
My story begins with the realization of an everyday issue for all of us, but as a person with a strong sense of aesthetics, especially for me. When washing my hands it always bothered me that a bar of beautiful hand soap was left in the water after its first use. It almost made me a bit disgusted, and, on top of that, the precious soaps were getting used up too fast.
Even a beautiful soap dish did not change the situation. I had to clean the soap dish several times a day, and, of course, it would slip from my hand and fall with a crash into the sink.
Well, then, how about liquid soap? When you squeeze or pump a plastic bottle of liquid soap, water from your hands flows down the sides of the bottle, and a greasy, slippery ring of soap forms directly on the edge of the sink or washbasin. In addition, I really did not want to use a plastic bottle.
The soap belongs in the sink
I considered where a bar of solid soap could ideally be positioned. I thought: It should not accumulate dirt, it should look aesthetically pleasing, and it should not make a mess on the washstand. Finally, I realized: The soap belongs inside the inner basin of the sink and not on the outside. Thus, all the hand movements in hand washing could take place within the sink, and no water would splash outside.
So I was very close to the solution. I had to find parts that would allow attaching a bar of soap inside a sink basin. With the SAVONT soap holder, I found the answer.
Soap floats, thanks to BNI
Through my years of membership in BNI, I have learned to make contacts, approach people with projects and openly ask for support. So, I quickly found the first contacts necessary to develop a prototype. I was able to accomplish the development of the SAVONT brand, the creation of packaging and many other aspects of marketing with trusted partners within the BNI network. Also, with my BNI connections, the first production series was created. I do not believe that it would have been possible to create the product so quickly and bring it to market without my valuable BNI network. Ultimately, we founded SAVONT out of our existing company and even found the appropriate notarial advice within BNI.
Regarding sales, the regular 60s presentations have trained me to introduce my product in the shortest possible time, an essential point if you only have a short time in contact with a customer when networking. So I am grateful to BNI for the genius of this system and its Founder and Chief Visionary Officer, Dr. Ivan Misner.
In addition, BNI also propelled My business by:
Introducing me to the French market: During a holiday at the French coast I contacted Anne Lescure, Director Consultant of Region Terre Atlantique. She knew an important soap manufacturer in her region which is today our biggest customer in France.
Giving me an improved focus on Public Relations: Before I was weak in PR work. However, that changed after participating at the German national conference. There I received the important recommendation to a PR agency specialized on bathroom appliances. Together, we developed and launched a strong and impressionable PR campaign. I would have never gotten in touch with this business expert without having been at the national conference.
Finding a way to save costs at #BNIGC18: A competitive pricing structure is crucial to survive in the global market. I attended BNI’s Global Convention 2018 and went to the ‘Local Business Global Network’ Session. There I met Benjamin Delagoutte an expert in cost reduction. We started a project to further reduce the cost of production of the soap holder and to develop additional variations of the product.
Giving me exposure: Finally, I booked a booth at the Trade Show of BNI’s Global Convention. The visibility helped me to get in touch with several international soap manufacturers and to conduct deep conversations on how to develop each others business.
SAVONT – a contribution to the aesthetics of soap and the environment
I am happy with my soap holder because it exploits the positive aspects of solid soap: aesthetics, beauty in use and cleansing effect. In the past, soaps had to be left in wet soap dishes, or the soap holder had to be drilled into the wall. With the SAVONT soap holder, the soap is tidy, dry and directly accessible, all without polluting the environment.
Speaking of pollution: When we look into our trash cans, we see how much plastic waste our lifestyle produces. Solid bar soaps stand in stark contrast to liquid soap, which requires a plastic container. Maybe this is the best reason of all for solid bar soap.
Our Steps to Globalize
A product lives only as long as it’s growing, and we plan to GROW. Our target market is comprised of producers of solid bar soaps worldwide, especially in Europe, the USA, Canada, Russia, Japan and South Korea.
My goal is to develop a cheaper yet still aesthetic version of the SAVONT soap holder so that it can be offered in lower-income countries – where people can conserve their solid bar soaps for as long as possible.
Acknowledgements
Last, but certainly not least, I would like to ask the BNI members who supported me on this journey to take a bow:
Marketing: Harald Graf, Chapter Kurfürsten, Germany
Photography and crucial contact during the production: Marcus Rebmann, Kurfürsten Chapter, Germany
Stories and Emotionalization: Harald Koisser, Donautor Chapter, Austria
Printed by Burkhard Wehmeyer, Leineweber Chapter, Germany
Cost Reduction: Benjamin Delagoutte, Chapter Lannion Breizh Business, France
Sales: Numerous BNI members who provided contacts and motivation
As the Founder of BNI (the world’s largest referral networking organization), I often get asked about the best way to end a conversation in a networking situation. Candidly, I think the answer is pretty simple. So, I’ll start this piece with the “simple solution” and then for those of you who love to over-think things – I’ll give you some other options.
Simply say something like, “It was really nice meeting you. Do you have a card so I can have your contact information. Thanks.” That’s it. No fuss. No muss. No big deal. Don’t apologize because you have to go network and definitely don’t’ say you see someone else you need to talk to. Simply thank them and move on.
Frame what you liked about the conversation or recap part of the conversation that you found most interesting and then – see #1 above.
If they say something that makes you think of someone else they should meet – tell them and promised to make the introduction. If the other person is there at the event, make the introduction on the spot. Being a “connector” at a networking event is always a good thing.
Invite them to participate with you in another networking meeting you go to regularly. They may want to get out and meet more people. This is a great chance to connect them to another network of individuals and it gives you a chance to meet them again.
For those of you who want more – I’ve read all kinds of “exit lines” and unless they are absolutely true – I don’t recommend most of them. Keep it simple and keep it honest. OK, you want to know what some of those other lines are – here you go:
I’ve got to get home by X o’clock to have dinner with the family.
It’s been nice meeting you, I need to run to the restroom.
I’ve got a deadline on a project and I need to take off.
Anything like the above is ok but don’t fib. If you really have to do something tell them. Otherwise, simply doing what I say in #1 above is perfectly ok.
Whatever you do, don’t “Seinfeld it!” One of the really funny things on the old TV series Seinfeld was how the characters would go off on some crazy, complicated subterfuge or ruse and end up getting in more trouble than if they had just been candid to start with. Be polite, but be honest and direct. “Seinfelding it” almost always fails and both you and the other person end up uncomfortable.
Remember – don’t overthink this. Be polite and friendly. Don’t make excuses and politely move on. The real key is how you follow up. But that’s a different article.
Called the “father of modern networking” by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is also the Founder & Chief Visionary Officer of BNI (www.bni.com), the world’s largest business networking organization. His new book, Networking for Success (2nd Edition), is available at bookstores and at Amazon.com.
A special thanks to Francisco Pujol, Executive Director (BNI Peru) for this submission
Dr. Ricardo Pun-Chong, member of BNI LDS Exito in Lima, Peru was recently honored as the 2018 CNN Hero of the Year. This is an incredible accomplishment and is a testament to the true spirt of Givers Gain that Dr. Pun-Chong embodies.
He received the award on Sunday 9 December, 2018 for his tireless efforts providing free housing, meals and support for sick children and their families while they undergo various treatments. The award is determined by online voters who selected Pun-Chong from among the Top 10 CNN Heroes finalists.
The ceremony was attended by a who’s who of celebrities, and the award itself was presented by renowned hosts Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa
As a result of begin named the Hero of the Year, Dr. Pun-Chong will receive $100,000 to grow his cause. A cause that benefits hundreds of families in need through Dr. Pun-Chong’s nonprofit, Inspira
Many of those families must travel far from home to seek the best medical treatment. Often unable to pay for a place to stay, these families can find themselves homeless while fighting for their children’s lives. Some camp out in the hospital corridors.
“I couldn’t get the picture of the families sleeping on the floor out of my mind,” Pun-Chong said. “So, I decided to do something for them.”
Since 2008, Inspira has provided free housing, meals and overall support for sick children and their families while they undergo treatment. The organization has helped more than 900 families who’ve come from all over Peru.
Pun-Chong, who lives a few blocks from the shelter and is there almost every day, runs the organization with the help of a small staff and an army of passionate volunteers. He spends every holiday with the families there.
“The kids inspire me every day,” Pun-Chong said. “When I’m with these kids, and I feel how strong they are, I understand that there are no problems that we can’t resolve.
View Dr. Pun-Chong’s acceptance of the award below.
You can donate to Dr. Pun-Chong’s cause through Jan. 2, 2019
