Three Reasons to Include the BNI Foundation in Your Power Team

Posted on by BNI Global

As I travel around the world, speaking in BNI Regions about the BNI Foundation and our flagship program, Business Voices, I am becoming absolutely convinced that the foundation can be a force for business growth and more referrals in the Chapters.

  1. Being a part of the BNI Foundation amplifies your brand in your Chapter AND in your community: we are at the point in our social milieu that it is simply expected for a business to be involved in charitable/philanthropic service. Making certain your brand or company is engaged in outreach gives you a leading edge with your prospective customers, as well as creates raving fans out of your current clients. Think about it—when you are shopping for anything, say teas, water, or even jewelry, the brand that lets you know right up front on their packaging and advertising that they are involved with social causes of some sort is the one you are statistically most likely to choose. When you get involved with the BNI Foundation at the local Chapter level, you have a turn-key outreach program at the ready. You are joining thousands of other business professionals who are working together to be a positive presence in children’s educational programs! This sets you apart in your community and gives your business great visibility.
  2. Relationships between members grow stronger and go deeper when you get involved with the BNI Foundation’s Business Voices projects. As you work together outside of the weekly Chapter meetings on the outreach projects so needed by the schools and educational organizations who benefit from our time and talent, the bond between Chapter members grows faster. We’ve seen this dynamic over and over. And this is true for your Chapter and it is also true for cross-Chapter relationships. When several BNI Chapters work together on a project, all of the members find they are strengthening their relationships, and that translates into more business by referrals as the members get to know each other at the heart level. There is just something quite special about serving children, schools, and educational organizations as a group. It’s a powerfully effective way to forge close ties and strong bonds with each other. 
  3. We are filling the BNI pipeline with new members coming up from the next generation! This is a by-product of the work we are doing to improve the educational experience for the youth of our communities. When we first started our Business Voices program, I intuitively knew that our work would help to prepare all of our companies’ future employees by ensuring that their educational backgrounds were as strong as they could be. What I have come to see more and more clearly is that we are familiarizing these same young people with the concepts of business networking and the identity of BNI. My husband, Dr. Ivan Misner, laments that we are not teaching business networking in colleges and universities. But why wait until college or university? As we have seen in numerous situations, there are BNI Members who have come to us as a result of learning about business networking and BNI through our outreach programs to youth. This will only be magnified as more and more Chapters and Members get involved in Business Voices and the life-changing work of the BNI Foundation.

So, what can you do to include the BNI Foundation in your Power Team? Learn more about Business Voices at www.BNIFoundation.org under the Take Action tab.  Reach out to your BNI Director to get help to include the BNI Foundation in YOUR Power Team today. Let us know if you would like one of our Business Voices coaches to work with you. We’re here. We’re ready. And we’re more than happy to help. 

“If I Grow, My Business Grows”

Posted on by BNI Global

Charissa Renee is a proud BNI member and owner of Grace to Organize. Learn how her personal growth is helping her grow her business. Charissa is a member of BNI Rocky Mountain Business Builders Chapter in Colorado Springs, CO.


Tell us a little about your business.

I’m the owner of Grace to Organize in Colorado Springs, Colorado. My vision is to help people find the space and time to do what they are called to do. Everyone has their own purpose, and they need the space and time to focus on that. I help them to declutter, organize, and simplify their schedule so they can do what is most important to them.

What led you to BNI and what impact has it had on your business?  

I had visited several BNI Chapters before I actually joined. It wasn’t until I found the “right” group for me that I felt compelled to join. I can’t even say there was anything specific that drew me to my group, it just felt comfortable, and like I was at home.

BNI has helped me so much personally, and that is the greatest impact it’s had on my business. As a small business solopreneur, if I grow, my business grows. I’m investing in myself and my knowledge and experience, and my business is growing because of it.

What about BNI inspires you?

BNI inspires me to become excellent at networking. Before BNI I was a “popcorn” networker. I would show up to a random meeting here or there, and hope to plant seeds, and be memorable enough for others to refer me. But, BNI challenged me to be consistent, and professional in networking. It also challenged me to become better at articulating who I am, the services I offer, and how to be creative in sharing those.

What’s the most important networking tip that you think other BNI members should know?

My most important networking tip is to be open-minded. I have seen people say no to opportunities because they don’t see the value, and it’s disappointing. We can’t always see what is on the other side of a 1-2-1, or an event invite. There are many secret doors in networking that have to be opened. It’s important to be available and willing to try new things and meet new kinds of people. I have met some great friends through networking that I may have never met otherwise.

Is there anyone that you would like to recognize at BNI?

I would love to recognize Donna Austin who sponsored me in BNI. She has a great business and for quite some time I encouraged her to do her business full time. I saw the potential she had for really making great money. I got to see her quit her part time job that was not fulfilling her and was not paying well at all. She joined BNI as part of her effort to be successful and ended up inviting me to her group that I instantly clicked with. I had visited other chapters but never felt the need to join until I went to hers! 

Click here to learn more about how Grace to Organize help you achieve your personal and business goals. 

It’s All About Relationships

Posted on by BNI Global

Karan Dewan, creative director at London Animation Studio, is a member of BNI Commonwealth chapter in London, England. Read how he quickly embraced the mentality of Givers Gain®.

When I first heard of the BNI model, I didn’t quite know what to expect. It sounded like an interesting way of doing business, but I wasn’t sure of how it all worked.

I’m the creative director at London Animation Studio. We aim to help businesses convey their message through impactful animation, while being affordable. We believe telling a story is the best way to connect and resonate with your customers.

I was initially invited to BNI by a member who was always praising it. I attended a few chapters around London before finally landing on a chapter that truly felt like home – BNI Commonwealth.

Before BNI, I had to invest time and money into paid advertisements to attract new clients to my business. It was expensive, time-consuming, and the leads were hit or miss. But now, I do virtually no advertising. I’m consistently getting new business from members of my chapter, especially my power team. It was just two months before I’d recouped my joining fee and I know that my future in BNI is bright.

I’m glad that I get to work so closely with other hardworking business owners. We all have deep respect for each other and strive to help and support each other – truly living out Givers Gain. We’re all helping one another so all our businesses are growing together.

When it comes to networking, relationships are everything. There are a lot of places you can go that’ll teach you how to sell but at BNI, we’re building powerful relationships. If I go to an individual and give them a sales pitch, I’m only reaching that one person. But if I can build a relationship with that person, they’ll sell to forty people on my behalf. I’m no longer on my own. That’s the power of BNI, building relationships to help one another’s businesses.

I’m grateful to BNI members Timea Kadar and Caroline Somer, who took the initial step to build a relationship with me when I first became a BNI member. They helped me to get settled and strategize how to get (and give) the most in BNI. Their hard work is definitely paying off!

Click here to learn more about London Animation Studio.

Please see this creative video the Karan developed to help explain BNI to potential members visiting his chapter.

Hold That Door! 7 Rules for an Elevator Pitch

Posted on by Ivan Misner, Ph.D.

I used to hate the expression: “Elevator Pitch” − it just drove me crazy. But everybody is using it all over the world, so I officially give up − I’m going to go with it!

The expression developed out of the idea that you are literally in an elevator with only one minute or less to say who you are and what you do. What would you say? I want you to keep in mind that your elevator pitch is not a sales pitch . . . it is a creative and succinct way to share who you are and what you do that will generate interest in the listener.

With that in mind, here are my rules for creating an engaging Elevator Pitch: 

  1. Don’t do your pitch in an elevator! An unsolicited pitch in an elevator is basically face-to-face cold calling.  I’ve been a victim.  Don’t be a perpetrator.  Unless someone asks what you do, just say good day to them. The elevator pitch is meant to be taken out of the elevator and into the right environment.
  2. Make it tight.  It needs to be short. This is a quick pitch not a reading from War and Peace. Your pitch should be more like a work of art than a science project.  It should be succinct and expressive. It is something you must practice carefully to be able to present cohesively and professionally.  You also need to be natural. You want to rehearse but not sound rehearsed. You want to avoid sounding staged and canned. 
  3. K.I.S.S. Keep it simple. Don’t try to explain everything you do in the short amount of time you have. It will either be too much information (breaking rule number 2) or it will be too vague to be of any value. By keeping your elevator pitch simple, you have more of a chance to catch the listener’s attention, engage them with your creativity, and create interest in your product or service.  
  4. Don’t use jargon.  If at any point someone has to say, “what does that mean?” you have officially lost them.  Push the button for the next floor and exit now (I know, you’re not really on an elevator – however, you have really lost them).
  5. Share your USP. A USP is your Unique Selling Proposition.  It can serve you well in your Elevator Pitch. One example of how to craft a pithy USP is to compare a bland, general statement such as “I’m a coach and consultant” to saying something like “I help people work less, make more, and create referrals for life” instead.  This is short, powerful, and informative − the perfect combination for part of an effective Elevator Pitch.
  6. When crafting your Elevator Pitch, consider starting out with precisely how your listener will benefit. My friend, Andy Bounds, calls this the “Afters.” For your Elevator Pitch, this could be something as simple as, “I help people increase their sales by 33%, improve their closing ratio to 80%, or double the number of new clients they take on per month.” Focus on the “After” of the product or service you provide.
  7. Pass the eyebrow test. Another good friend, Sam Horn, author of Someday is Not a Day of the Week, and Pop!, writes about the eyebrow test. When you give your Elevator Pitch watch the listeners eyebrows.  If what you say in your Elevator Pitch, causes the listener’s eyebrows to go up, you’ve got ’em! By doing this, you literally will leave the listener wanting more, and that’s precisely what you want your Elevator Pitch to do.   On the other hand, if the listener’s eyebrows scrunch down – you’ve just confused them.  Find a new pitch.
    Keeping these seven rules in mind when you create an Elevator Pitch will set you apart from the crowd. It’s time to press “Open Door” and step on out of the elevator do your pitch.

Keeping these seven rules in mind when you create an Elevator Pitch will set you apart from the crowd. It’s time to press “Open Door” and step on out of the elevator do your pitch. 

When Passion Becomes Reality

Posted on by BNI Global

This Member Success story and submission comes from Betty Brunson, BNI Member and current president of BNI Results On Fire in Gainesville, Florida (BNI USA)

Betty Brunson is someone that you could consider the quintessential people person. As a former store manager for a major U.S. Supermarket, Betty knows what people want. And after 25 years, she decided to use that knowledge to propel her into the realm of entrepreneurship.

5 Years ago, with her husband by her side, Betty opened Crafty Bastards Restaurant & Pub, fulfilling a lifelong passion and dream of owning her own business. 5 years later, her business is on a roll. Not only do they serve some of the freshest food in Gainesville, Florida but they have opened up a sister Bottle Shoppe, which offers over 750 varieties of beer and a strong selection of wine.

And if you ask Betty, she attributes a lot of the success to BNI, with a little bit of blood, sweat and tears thrown into the mix.

When they first opened the restaurant, Betty joined 2 local business groups but found them mundane and not worth the investment. At Publix, where she built her career, Betty was driven and passionate, but she didn’t have the connectivity that she desired. BNI filled that void.

Invited by fellow Member, Jess Odom, Betty found a new perspective and was able to further acquire the skills needed to scale her business. It didn’t hurt that, from her perspective, BNI and Publix have some similarities that helped her adapt to the culture quickly. With a clear moral compass, incredible work ethic and a Givers Gain attitude, she became a valued Member of her chapter, ultimately being named chapter president. A role that she has now held for 1 ½ years.

BNI has not only helped Betty build her dream business, it has enhanced the leadership skills that she acquired over a long career, reinforcing the importance of Lifelong Learning for all Members. With the support of her community and chapter Betty’s business has evolved into exactly what she envisioned, a family friendly atmosphere that includes trivia, karaoke, and live entertainment on-site.

More importantly, with her sons involved in the business, she’s able to instill in them the values and attitude that she displayed throughout her career and in BNI.

To learn more about Betty’s restaurant, please click here.

To visit BNI Results On Fire, please click here.

The Emotional Toll of Entrepreneurship

Posted on by BNI Global

Submitted by regular Virginia Green, PhD, MBA – Member, BNI Pipeline, Redondo Beach. This month’s submission also includes an incredible story of resilience from fellow chapter member, Lisa Marie, survivor of the 2017 Las Vegas Mass Shooting.

“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” Steve Jobs

I am one of 582 million people,  almost 8% of the global population, who have devoted their lives to entrepreneurship. This means that for the past two decades I have been in the process of either starting or running my own business.

An entrepreneur has been described as someone who passionately and creatively pursues an idea from concept to actualization as a result of a discovered need or challenge in the market.

The mental health crisis in start-ups

In a recent study by the University of San Francisco researcher Michael A. Freeman, approximately one half (49%) of entrepreneurs suffer from at least one form of mental health condition during their lifetimes. These include ADHD, bipolar disorder and a host of addictive disorders.

Freeman’s research has shown that start-up founders are:

– Twice as likely to suffer from depression

– Six times more likely to suffer from ADHD

– Three times more likely to suffer from substance abuse

– Twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts

These conditions erode not just the effectiveness of start-up founders; they also have a negative impact on the endeavors that these highly intelligent human beings have risked their financial, relational, intellectual and emotional capital to pursue.

1. Destigmatization: BNI’s efforts to promote the idea that it’s OK for founders to be vulnerable and open up about their mental health challenge are just what we need.

2. Wellbeing resources: BNI’s philosophy of Giver’s Gain expands the horizon of its members beyond financial and other key performance indicators by also taking into account the mental wellbeing of their most important asset, the founders.

3. Partner support: as one of the most important partners we all have, BNI needs to include mental health professionals in their organizational ecosystem to serve as support systems and to implement empirically proven, enhancing and curative strategies for the leadership to help us, sometimes beleaguered, entrepreneurs.

We entrepreneurs are trained to ignore the qualitative needs of our well-being measured in meaningful and authentic relationships, overall life satisfaction and happiness. The message we have internalized from the field’s most celebrated entrepreneurs is the outdated prescription of ‘no pain, no gain’ and a pernicious message that success is purely measured in quantitative returns, return on investment and profit.

A recent blog post by fellow member Lisa Marie shows that this message is simply not true. Reflection and resiliency are vital and the support that we give each other as Members is as essential as any referral that we could receive.

So please, I encourage you to take some time and read Lisa’s story below. It’s an incredible tale of a strong individual whose story can inspire us all.

Route 91 Family: #Honor58 & #LoveWins… 

By Lisa Marie

Read Now

“No” is a One Word Sentence

Posted on by Ivan Misner, Ph.D.

To network well, you really need to learn how to help people, build relationships, and support your connections in some way.  But sometimes, just sometimes, you need to also say “no” to requests that are made of you.

It’s important to recognize when someone’s opportunity is your distraction.  These are generally situations where someone’s project is not on mission for your business or your life.  In these situations, you need to learn how to say “no.”  The word “no,” can in fact, be a one-word sentence.  It’s just not a full sentence that I like to use very often and I think there are a fair number of people like me out there.

Don’t get me wrong, I am totally good with saying “no,” to people when it is necessary.  The secret is: how do you say “no” without sounding like you don’t care?   

Here are seven ways to say “no” and not come across like a jerk (or worse). 

1. If I say yes, I’m afraid I’d let you down.  A very effective way to tell someone “no” is to tell them that you believe that you’d let them down if you do what they are asking.  It might be because you don’t have the bandwidth, the knowledge, or the expertise to do what they are asking for but, in any case – you’re not the person to help make this idea a success and you don’t want to disappoint them.

2. Recognize the difference between an opportunity and a distraction. That begins by knowing your own personal or professional mission.  If you know your purpose/expertise/mission then you can say “no” when someone comes to you with something that is a distraction to that mission.  I do this all the time by telling people that my mission is to do X and as interesting as their idea is, it’s not something that fits with what I do.

3. Refer them to someone more qualified.  When I say “no” to someone, I almost always try to refer them to someone who is more qualified or more suited to help that person.  I also try to refer them to someone who’s mission is more in alignment with their project. 

4. I don’t do that.  Sometimes the request and my response are very simple.  For example, when someone tries to get me to have a piece of cake or pie – I simply say thanks, but I don’t eat processed sugar.  When they say something like, “oh, just a bite,” I have no problem telling them they should feel free to have my bite – because, I don’t eat sugar. 

5. Don’t Seinfeld it.  One of the really funny things to see on the old TV series, Seinfeld, was how the characters would go off on some crazy subterfuge or ruse that was complicated and ended up getting them in more trouble than if they had just been candid to start with. Be polite but be honest and be direct. 

6. Propose something else.  If you are unable to do something that you’re being asked to do, offer them something else instead.  For example, I am always having people ask me to send some communication out to my entire mailing list.  The answer is always – “no.”  However, with people I know and trust, I propose something else.  I propose that I post it on my social media instead.  That generally works just as well to maintain the relationship. 

7. When you say it, mean it!  Be a broken record.  Sometimes, people don’t take “no” for an answer.  I try to be polite, smile, and repeat what I said before (on some occasions, I’ve repeated myself three times before they realized I really meant it). 

One important thing to note is; don’t become addicted to “no.”  I look for opportunities to help people and to say yes.  It’s only when I really, truly, can’t help or believe that I’m not a good fit for their request – that I actually say “no” to people.  Many times when you say “yes,” there is an opportunity cost to you for saying yes.  You have to be clear in your mind whether this is truly an opportunity or a distraction.  

The older I get, the more I have learned to say, “no thanks!”  (Ok, it’s two words but it’s still a sentence). 

Based on material from Ivan’s latest book, Who’s in Your Room, The Secret to Creating Your Best Life.

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 latest book, Who’s in Your Room, The Secret to Creating Your Best Life,  is available at bookstores and at Amazon.com.

BNI, Now and Always

Posted on by BNI Global

Nicolas Olivier is a videographer and was a finalist in the 2019 BNI Video Contest. He is the founder and managing director of Cactus Audiovisual, and joined BNI in 2016 as part of the BNI Brussels Louise Chapter in Belgium. He is currently a Member of Waterloo Imperial. Read the following Q&A to learn more about Nicolas and his experience with the contest.

 

Can you describe your business and how you differentiate yourself from your competitors?

As a videographer by trade, the majority of my productions are developed with social media in mind, specifically Facebook and Instagram. My clientele is primarily within the business sector.

What sets me apart? First of all, my creativity… I always challenge my clients to push the limits, to dare to do something different. Due this approach, we have won several international awards and are regular commended for our originality.

I’m also confident that the level of quality that we provide is industry leading and paces the competition. This is driven by our network of specialists, who all come together under my supervision and ensure an incredible product.

 

What motivated you to join BNI and what are your Membership goals?

My initial exposure to BNI was through an invitation from fellow Member Jacques Permentier of the BNI Brussels Louise Chapter. My interest was piqued and I decided to visit a chapter. I was inspired; it was pure business with a focus on relationships and proper networking, not the social gathering that I was expecting. My prior experience with networking groups had been underwhelming, none of them had a real dedication to business.

I applied after the conclusion of my second meeting and have been going strong for 3 years, with many more to come.

 

Have you held any leadership positions within the Chapter? If so, what benefits did you experience?

When I was a Member of the BNI Brussels Louise Chapter, I was in charge of communications, specifically our social media accounts. As a Member of Imperial Waterloo, I have been part of the Membership Committee and was previously our Events Coordinator. My hope is to help develop important trainings in the future and will be happy to use my talents as an experienced videographer to do so.

 

What was your initial motivation for participating in BNI’s 2019 Video Contest?

When I read about the contest, I thought to myself… “I can do this” and immediately recognized that fellow Member Aurore Delsoir was the perfect Member to tell her story. Opportunities to showcase your work and tell these stories on an international stage are rare, and I knew that I had to participate. Ultimately, it paid off and I couldn’t be more grateful to be named a finalist along with the other talented participants.

Please feel free to view our submission below!

 


How did your chapter react when your submission was named a finalist?

It was horrible, everyone started insulting me… just kidding, they were all so gracious and delighted. It was a special moment, made even more so by the fact that I wasn’t alone in making it. In addition to Aurora, fellow Members Jennifer and Delphine were involved in the production as well. The enthusiasm throughout the chapter was widespread and contagious.

But it wasn’t just my chapter that celebrated the nomination, it was all of French-speaking Belgium. In a sense, I was representative of every chapter throughout FSB and received overwhelming support from each one of them.

 

Has this exposure helped build new relationships throughout BNI?

Yes, I have actually been contacted by a number of different Chapters and Members who would like to work with us. I believe these Members see a unique approach to my videos that will allow them to take a calculated risk.

I’m happy to announce that the video will be screened at the Global Convention this November in Warsaw along with the other talented finalists.

 

Can you tell us an anecdote about BNI that you would like to share with BNI Members? (Recommendation, performance, meeting, successful project, etc.)

My submission in the contest wasn’t the first video that I developed for BNI. I had actually already produced one for both BNI Brussels Louise Chapter and Imperial Waterloo. By working on these videos, it gave me the chance to work closely with our regional directors, Alex and Gene. I was able to lean on their expertise and internalize the Givers Gain mentality. It was a great experience!

 

How has BNI allowed you to change the way you do business?

I’m a hard worker but you never know what the future will bring. Every one of my clients is a valued part of my network and I will never underestimate our relationships. The loss of a potential client is not something that I take lightly. With BNI I’m able to build my networking skills and continue to cultivate my relationships with all of my clients.

Today, it is the only way that I do business, and it works. I no longer have a need to solicit work outside of my network. As Dr. Misner says, it allows me to work within my flame, not my wax.

 

What do you want to highlight to BNI Members? (Specific request, new offer, etc.)

Every single Member deserves the chance to showcase themselves in a meaningful and powerful way. If you’re ever in need of video support, please feel free to reach out to us. Any way that we can help a BNI Member, we’ll go above any beyond to do so. Please view our channel here.

Read more about Cactus AudioVisual – www.cactusaudiovisual.be 

Visit their Youtube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/user/CactusAudiovisual 

A Glorious Success

Posted on by BNI Global

This Member Success story and submission comes from Helen Mileham, a BNI Member from BNI Hanse of Kings Lynn in the United Kingdom

Success Stories take commitment and drive, and sometimes it requires faith and a second chance. Helen Mileham, a Member from the United Kingdom first joined BNI in 2016. As a small business owner and dedicated entrepreneur, Helen was looking for a network that could help her establish her brand, Glorious Food.

And while her positive attitude helped her adapt to the BNI culture well, she faced an uphill climb. When visiting BNI Chapters throughout the globe, you’ll often find commonalities in many of the areas that Members represent, whether it be finance, insurance, real estate or one of many other well-known professions. Helen, however, focuses on dietary advocacy and lifestyle improvement, which requires a delicate approach when finding and building the right clientele.

Even so, with a dedicated commitment to her chapter, Helen has found a way to establish herself and thrive.

Glorious Food, founded by Helen in 2015, was established in order to empower people to take control of their dietary and digestive health with the goal of helping people to live Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) free. As you can imagine, this is a subject that people are not always open to discussing. But that’s the beauty of BNI… by establishing trusted relationships, Members are willing to go above and beyond for others, and to accept help more willingly.

When Helen first joined BNI, she found success, but not to the point where her Membership became a foundational piece of her business. After leaving due to time constraints, she decided to give it another shot; a decision that is paying dividends on a regular basis.

Helen not only covered the annual cost of her Membership within her first month, but she has taken on the Givers Gain mentality by helping her fellow Members with valuable referrals. She’s even taken on the role as Training & Events Coordinator, which has only reinforced her belief that everyone should take on a leadership role throughout their journey with BNI.

As she continues to build a valuable network, her commitment has shown through as Helen recently led the Norfolk region in Member Traffic Lights with a score of 100! She also helped form a Health and Wellness Power Team, helping to add balance to her chapter.

By building rapport and establishing trusted relationships, Helen’s business has now gone from precarious position to one of stability and is in the process of scaling further.

With a goal of helping 1 million people to live IBS free, Helen’s path to success has been a hard-fought journey, and she’s thankful to BNI for helping her build a foundation

About Helen and Glorious Foods

Helen specializes in food allergy testing and mainly work with people struggling with Digestive Health issues such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Diverticulitis, Crohn’s and Colitis.

She has created a program that is 70-100% effective at reducing ALL painful symptoms of these debilitating health issues and have helped over 300 people to literally change their lives with a simple change of diet.

Helen works with people globally with my online Be IBS Free program. From anywhere anytime people can learn how to be IBS free with my accountability and educational ‘easy access’ online course. That is where my main focus is right now

To learn more about Glorious Food an Helen, click here or view the video below.

An Enduring Passion

Posted on by BNI Global

This Member Success story comes from Christophe Gross, member of BNI Metz Mirabelle in BNI France

For a long time, Christophe Gross didn’t believe that BNI was the right fit. And yet, since he joined, he continues to progress both personally and professionally.

The idea of joining BNI was not instant, and it took quite a while before Christophe was ready to dive in. “As early as 2013, a partner in the French province of Champagne regularly talked to me about BNI and the opportunity that it could provide. He was adament that it could help boost my business. Unfortunately, there was no BNI Chapter on the horizon in Metz.

Later, in 2014, one of Christophe’s clients told him about a network of entrepreneurs setting up in Metz, with another way of doing business. And as luck would have it, he was referring to BNI, which Christophe immediately recognized. Subsequently, he was invited to visit this new Chapter, BNI Metz Mirabelle, during their launch in July of 2014. 

“With more than 150 people present, applauding, giving speeches, and participating in role-playing games…..  I, who was rather reserved by nature, did not initially see myself being comfortable in front of so many people. After another “official visit”, I came to understand the concept and the potential that it offered. Despite my nervous nature, I applied and joined the Group in February 2015!

“I have learned a lot, given a lot and I am still hungry for more!”

Since then, Christophe has invested a lot in his BNI Metz Mirabelle Chapter: 4 times as Vice-President (“I am nicknamed VPP: Preferred Vice-President!”), regularly participating in the Members’ and Host Committees, and acting as the Education Coordinator and Mentor. This has allowed him to integrate well into the Chapter, to have more self-confidence (especially in terms of public speaking) and to propel his personal and professional life. 

“BNI is business, but it’s also a community of friends and that’s priceless. We know that we can all count on each other in times of difficulty, when business becomes secondary. As long as I can share my BNI experience, and give to others, I will be 200% involved. There’s no question that I have learned a lot, given a lot and that I am still hungry for more! As a BNI Member today and always, I live through Givers Gain®!”

Proud of what he has given and happy with what he has received, Christophe is thrilled with what his participation has brought to his life: 

“I have given more than €580,000 in business to my co-Members and I have obtained €200,000 in referrals (70% of which is in service delivery), which is huge for a company like mine. To date, BNI represents more than 35% of my business! I was able to sign my best application thanks to BNI: a fibre optic interconnection on 30 sites for a company based in Luxembourg. I’m incredibly prideful of this, and it would never have been possible without the support of BNI.”

About Christophe and CGCOM Services

As a founding manager of CGCOM Services, a corporate telephony company, Christophe Gross offers fixed, mobile and Internet solutions for SMEs, associations and administrations. “We are the only contact person for the customer… I work with all the operators on the market (Orange, SFR, Bouygues, and all the other MNVO and Switchless). I am not married to anyone (except my wife!) which allows me to be objective and find the best technical and pricing solution in relation to the client’s needs. We provide a free audit and then follow up with a personalized offer.”

Visit BNI Metz Mirabelle

Directing Your Journey

Posted on by BNI Global

This Member Success story highlights Rohan Jardosh, Member from the Ahmedabad West region in BNI India. 

Rohan was also recently announced as the Winner of BNI’s 2019 Annual Video Contest.

Rohan Jardosh is a Director with Gennext Studio, a Film Production company based out of India which provides stunning visuals for Short Films, Corporate Films, Events, Weddings and Documentaries. The production house is registered with the Western India Film Producers’ Association (WIFPA), which is considered the leading film producers association. Gennext has covered more than 120 Events & Concerts, 80+ Corporate Shoots, 150+ Photoshoots, and 30+ Weddings.

What brought Rohan to BNI?

In 2011, Rohan’s passion for film making and acting took him to Mumbai. While there, he was given the opportunity to work for some famous film production companies. However, he felt young and directionless. Through his relationship with a BNI Member, Hitesh Patel, he was encourage to move back to Ahmedabad, India and build something of his own. With one camera to work with, and a passion to rival anyone, he began to position himself as a reliable and trusted filmmaker. Through Hitesh, he was introduced to the world of BNI and in 2014, joined BNI Prometheus. With a positive attitude and willingness to create opportunities for others, Rohan became a dedicated Member and has now been with BNI for close to 5 years.

As a Member, Rohan began to understand the influence that he could have as a trusted mentor. That let him to take on the role as a Senior Support Director Consultant. In this role, Rohan supports the BNI Ahmedabad West region. 

How has BNI led Rohan to unparalleled Success?

Through the widespread promotion of a launch video that Rohan created for BNI Prometheus, he became the go-to regional event director for BNI Ahmedabad. In this role, he’s covered more than 35+ Chapter Launches and numerous visitors days. This position also provided him the opportunity to oversee the region’s three annual events: BNI Symposium, BNI Sports League and BNI Garba.

BNI has propelled Rohan from a one person start-up to an ever expanding enterprise of 18+ team members that occupies a 5,000 square foot studio. The best part… he found his first investor within his chapter!

According to Rohan, “I am proud to share that I have invested and partnered with 3 different BNI Members. In 4 years, I’ve gone from a start-up to a mentor and now other Members can share in my success!”

“My strong belief in the philosophy of Givers Gain has given me visibility and the ability to attract investment towards me dream project, which is producing and directing a feature film. There is always one great thing that happens in your lifetime, and mine is BNI…”

2019 BNI Video Contest Winner

Rohan, who was one of 74 participants in the year’s annual video contest, was recently selected the winner with this fantastic submission, which can be seen below. Rohan will be recognized at BNI’s 2019 Global Convention, along with our 2 other finalists, Graham Nash of BNI UK and Nicolas Olivier of BNI French Speaking Belgium.

A Quick Thank You from Rohan

First and foremost, I would like to thank Mr. Hitesh Patel who introduced me to the world of BNI. Secondly, our Executive Directors, Yash Vasant and Nitish Agarwal, without whom this journey would not have possible. I would also take this opportunity to thank Dr. Ivan Misner who created an organization that allows us to grow, teach and nurture while learning to become better a entrepreneur and person.

I would also like to offer each new Member a quick word of wisdom. Invest in your first year of Membership and work hard to absorb the culture and core values of BNI. If you do so, I guarantee that your success story will be one that inspires others along the way.

Embrace the Counterculture

Posted on by BNI Global

This Member Success story and submission comes from Shawn Zwick, a BNI Ambassador and member of Queen City BNI in BNI U.S.A.

“Good Morning BNI!”

There’s a reason that all of our meetings start with the Chapter President welcoming us into yet another day with BNI. It’s because there’s new pages to be turned, knowledge to be shared, friends to be had and of course, money to be made; and isn’t that the reason that we all joined? When I joined BNI, what I really needed was a collection of people that I could rely on to send my customers to when they needed more help than I could offer. Reliable companies that I could suggest for Plumbing, Electrical, Painting and Construction work. My goal was to set up a network.

When I first joined Queen City BNI, I was greeted whole heartedly into a group of professionals who were above and beyond my expectations for a networking group. With every week that I attend a new meeting, I dive deeper and deeper into the lives of my fellow Members. Some professional, some personal, all a part of business. As an ancient of sales, I’ve come to realize that you’re never selling a product, you’re selling yourself. How you are, who you are and ultimately, how that translates into your business. To me, that seems like a sales pitch that needs to take place in person, and if I’m honest about what I love about BNI meetings, it’s that the pocket sized access to the world of information technology stops at the door.

The heart of a BNI meeting is that you are having a true HUMAN interaction with other people. You are put in an environment that forces you to look at the person across from you, to shake hands and give hugs. To listen with an ear unclouded by the white noise of our daily lives. To dig deep into other people’s businesses and eventually other people’s lives. This is the front line of the fight against the overwhelming forces of technology completely invading our lives. This is where the calls, the texts, the emails, the likes, and status updates hit a wall. This is BNI, and I’m sorry to say, you’re not phoning this one in.

So this is a call (pun intended) to all of my fellow BNI Members. To the people that show up every week and put down their phones. For those of you that show up early, and stay late. For the people that sit down in their car to return the 15 texts from your partner and employees after a chapter meeting. As much as you have business to attend to, as much as this order needs to be placed, as much as your mind is painfully rummaging through your to-do list for the day, it’ll all be there, waiting for you. 

Be at BNI. Be present. Make good honest connections with people and remember: The nature of a face-to-face, true human interaction is no longer the world’s culture, it’s the counterculture. 

I would like to recognize  Kate Dubenetsky of Hall Communications who sent me an invitation to Visitors day – I was likely one of her many. In addition, I would be remiss not to mention Heather Belanger of Lacillades Home Design. Being in the trades herself, and being able to facilitate the excellent customer service that she does while maintaining her friendships and composure in stressful situations is something that I struggle to do every day, where as she, makes it look effortless. 

Lastly, I would like to offer a quick shout out to all of my Queen City Family for making me as successful as they have. We get each other, and just like a single person can be given that gift, I feel like this whole group has been blessed with it.  They have made me a better person for almost 2 years of my life and continue to do so every week. Thank you all for being you!

Shawn Zwick

Visit Queen City BNI

Mentoring – the new trend?

Posted on by BNI Global

Submitted by Kevin Barber, Chairman of the BNI Foundation Worldwide Inc. & ED BNI Germany South-West

In his article for last month’s edition of SuccessNet, David Kauffman referred to a grant we recently approved for the MENTOR Stiftung in Konstanz, the German affiliate of MENTOR International (www.mentorinternational.org). This grant will enable MENTOR to continue their work with 13- to 17-year-old students, who meet with their mentors, some of whom are BNI Members, on a regular basis for group, but also individual, mentoring.

This fits well with the mission of the BNI Foundation as it aims to support children and education around the world. At BNI we also tell stories – that’s how we learn best – so in future issues of SuccessNet we will be talking about why we chose to support specific organizations, how the initial contact came about and what interesting, and sometimes unexpected, things happen as a result.

Mentoring is “in”. Many BNI chapters have implemented mentoring programs, where experienced members take care of new members, ensuring that they are quickly brought up to speed on all things BNI. When done well, this is a rewarding and extremely valuable experience for both the mentor and mentee. But, even outside BNI, mentoring is a trend, and rightly so. What better way to help the less-experienced benefit from the knowledge and wisdom of those who have walked the same path before them?

But is mentoring really new? “The Odyssey” is one of the two major, ancient Greek epic poems. It is the second-longest surviving work of Western literature. Scholars believe it was composed near the end of the 8th century BC, somewhere in Ionia, the Greek coastal region of Anatolia. In “The Odyssey”, Mentor was the son of Alcimus. In his old age he was a friend of Odysseus, who placed him and Odysseus’ foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and of his palace, when he left for the Trojan war.

So the role of a mentor, a trusted friend and helper, an experienced person who advises and helps somebody with less experience over a period of time, is nothing new – it dates back over 2,700 years – but it is more important today than ever!

How did the contact with MENTOR International come about? My colleague Andreas Spaett, Executive Director of the BNI Konstanz region, has supported the MENTOR Stiftung, which is based in his region, for a number of years. He invited me to speak about the BNI Foundation at a networking event in June. He mentioned that the founder of MENTOR International, Queen Silvia of Sweden, will be visiting his region in September and that he cannot be there! So, as every true BNI-networker would, I asked him if he needed a substitute!

The BNI Foundation supports children and education with the declared goal of preparing them to be responsible and successful adults in the communities in which we all live and work. If we do that, with time and funds, there is no reason why we shouldn’t look for a return. For networkers this means visibility and meeting new people! Because the more successful we are as business owners now, the more we can continue to help in the future.

Once again, Givers Gain® proved its worth – next week I am invited to the Castle to have dinner with the Queen! This is a contact which would never have happened if we hadn’t been willing to help! There are a lot of young people out there who need our support. If not us, then who? If not now, then when!

Yours, 

Kevin Barber

Chairman of the BNI Foundation Worldwide Inc. & ED BNI Germany South-West

Support Beyond Referrals

Posted on by BNI Global

Submitted by Virginia Green, PhD, MBA – Member, BNI Pipeline, Redondo Beach, CA for 13 years

“Givers Gain®,” right?  That’s what we do here in BNI, but sometimes that goes beyond a great referral. Sometimes it’s knowing when and how we can help when someone is struggling.

Few of our members are licensed mental health professionals, but most of us are compassionate human beings. Networking is about building trusting relationships, and part of that is noticing when something is wrong.

What are the signs that someone might need help with anxiety or even depression? Here are some widely accepted things to look for:

  • Personality Changes
  • Uncharacteristically angry, agitated, or moody
  • Withdrawal or isolation from other people
  • May neglect self-care and engage in risky behavior
  • Overcome with hopelessness and overwhelmed by circumstances

We might not observe these signs of emotional distress, but they might show up in a 1-2-1.

But then, what do we do? Actually, you don’t have to DO anything, but here are 5 ways you can show that you care:

  • Connect: Through your regular interaction with the person, note any changes in behavior.
  • Reach Out: Check in with the person. “How are you doing?” is a simple way to engage.
  • Inspire hope. Tell them that you care about them.
  • Offer help. It may take more than one offer, and you may need to reach out to others who share your concern about the person.
  • Show compassion. Show a willingness to find a solution when the person may not know they need help.

Not sure you signed up for this? True, you did not sign up to be anyone’s therapist. But BNI’s Code of Ethics reminds us to “Display a positive and supportive attitude.” Sometimes, that is about more than applause at a meeting. Here are some free resources that are devoted to helping people who are struggling. None of us is alone.

National Alliance on Mental Illness(NAMI): 800-950-6264, www.nami.org

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

Collecting Business Cards is NOT Networking

Posted on by Ivan Misner, Ph.D.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when networking is thinking that it’s just about running around the room collecting as many business cards as possible. These are often people who don’t really like networking but they know they have to do it and they think this is the best way to get it done. I’ve tried telling them that this is not networking—it’s either face-to-face cold calling or worse yet, it’s simply “card collecting.”  Years ago, I ran into a couple of business partners who made a competition of collecting cards at networking events.  The person who collected the least number of cards had to buy the other partner dinner that week.  They were very proud of this networking strategy (seriously – they bragged about it to me). I tried to tell them that this was really not a good networking strategy but I don’t think they ever got it.

Unfortunately, I still find myself running into people who think this is a great approach to networking effectively. My co-author of Networking Like a Pro, Brian Hilliard, has given me the solution to dealing with this issue.

Here’s what you can do:

Brian has a dog whose name is Barley. He’s a 55-pound Shiba Inu, which means he doesn’t like cats and he looks like a fox. Barley is a very well-trained, well-behaved dog. If you’d like to collect business cards at an event but you don’t want to spend all that time collecting the cards, here’s what you can do. You can hire Barley from Brian ($20/hour, two hour minimum + travel) to attend your next event. Brian will put a satchel around him (like a horse), where on one side he’ll place a stack of your business cards, along with a sign that says “Take One” and on the other side he’ll have a pocket that says, “Leave Your Card Here.”

Brian will then drive Barley up to the event, send him into the room, and return two hours later to collect Barley and his new stack of business cards. (I’m confident he’ll come out with a big stack because he’s very well trained and people really love him.)

Now after you take those cards from his side pocket (and make sure to walk him, since he’ll probably need to use the restroom after all of that hard work), will he have truly networked?

Of course not!  How could he possibly have networked by getting a stack of business cards?

It sounds ridiculous, but that’s how more than a few business professionals approach their networking. It’s like a game of who can get the most cards—and it doesn’t make any sense. Collecting cards at a networking event is not networking – it’s card collecting (which is not a profitable way to build your business). If you put this in the context of Barley running around the event letting people exchange cards with him – it seems obvious.  However, if you’re still on the fence and would like to contact Brian about potentially contracting Barley’s services, please feel free to do so.

Based on material from Networking Like a Pro (Entrepreneur Press).

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 latest book, Who’s in Your Room, The Secret to Creating Your Best Life,  is available at bookstores and at Amazon.com.

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