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 

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.

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. 

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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

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.”

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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

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.

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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.

This Member Success story comes from Claudia Bautista, who is a member and current Vice-President of Centauros del Norte in BNI Mexico. Claudia is a two-year Member who has used BNI to help pave the path forward, build confidence and become and inspiration for those facing the challenges of life.

Adversity is the mother of progress – Mahatma Gandhi 

Adversity is inevitable, but it also is the foundation for success and one of life’s greatest teachers. Claudia Bautista, member of BNI Mexico, has faced an excess of adversity in her life and through it all has become an inspiration to all. Through sheer will and determination, Claudia has overcome professional, personal and health-related hardship and transformed into a successful entrepreneur that exemplifies the idea of Member Success.

With a background in Administrative Finance, Claudia had a successful career and family-oriented personality. Married, with children of her own and an entrepreneurial mindset, she not only had a successful career, but a healthy and fulfilling life. That was all tested in 2015 when Claudia was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer. The next two years were faced with hardship as she underwent surgery, radiation and 8 rounds of Chemotherapy. And to make matters worse, in May of 2017, her husband left and took their business with him. Claudia faced an uphill battle, but it was one that she was going to win.

Though “devastated morally and economically” Claudia was not one to give up. On her own, with her children, she partnered with her sister and opened her own Cosmetics Studio, Gabriela Bautista Make-Up. Even so, her confidence was down and she needed to find an outlet to not only grow the business, but to find her footing in life. That’s when BNI came into focus.

After visiting a chapter in July 2017, Claudia became a Member of Centauros del Norte in Chihuahua, Mexico the following month. It was a revelation. With her past success as an entrepreneur, her membership and relationships with her fellow members reinvigorated her. She felt that it allowed “infinite possibilities” and a new lease on life.

With her health in check and a renewed sense of focus, Claudia became heavily involved as a proud member. From April 2018 onward, she grew from an event coordinator to education coordinator and ultimately Vice-President.

With new referrals continually coming into focus and proposals in place, Claudia now views BNI as “the most powerful personal and professional network to do business, achieve your goals and develop quality relationships”.

With 2,580,379 MXP in TYFCB (132,000 USD), BNI has certainly provided financial opportunities. That said, even more importantly, it has allowed her to overcome personal adversity and embrace the strong, independent mindset that she’s always had. Her business is now prosperous and she has a new sense of self. A new lease on life.

Claudia wants to offer a special thank you to her Executive Director Arlenne Palomares who has believed in her since Day 1 and always encourages her to reach higher. She is a true mentor.

About Gmake-up Studio

Click here to visit site

Gmake-up art studio was founded in 2006 by Gabriela Bautista. She has a degree in business administration, studied professional makeup for theater, body painting, TV makeup, film, photography, special effects and a runway at Complections International Make up school in Toronto, Canada. She also specialized in editorial makeup at Mastered Val Garland in London, England. Her talent has led her to work on large fashion platforms such as New York fashion week, and in 2008 she launched her line of professional cosmetic products. In 2012, she associated with her sister Claudia Bautista, who is now responsible for marketing the company’s brand, and manages public relations. In 2017 they decided to open the first boutique for gmake –up cosmetics and as a result, Claudia now markets the products to national and international level.

Instagram – Cosmetics

Instagram – Makeup

Facebook

Get to know Claudia

Facebook

claudia@gmake-up.com

Visit Centauros del Norte 

This Member Success story comes from István Hirt, who is a member and current President of Aegopolis 6301 in BNI Hungary. István is a two-year Member who has embraced BNI and used it as a launching point to build an entirely new initiative with his fellow Members.

After Joining BNI nearly two years ago, István Hirt, a web programmer and representative of SEOKEY LTD, took it upon himself to embrace the philosophy of Givers Gain and the idea of a Power Team. Through Chapter events, Breakfast Meetings and One-to-Ones, István built a strong connection with fellow Members who represented the complementary fields of graphic design and photography and online marketing. 

These Members Rezső Soós Vexel (graphic design),  Róbert Korom MaxArt (photo), Gábor Bliszkó BeOnWeb (marketing) not only shared a common clientele, but a common goal as well. After passing referrals amongst each other and realizing the benefits of working together, an idea was born. They would transform their Power Team into a new venture. One that would allow them to synchronize services and provide a premium online appearance for customers. 

Their goal was to not settle and to meet expectations, but to surpass them and set a new standard of success in BNI. By combining their services, they had the opportunity to offer a complex, high-quality service-package for clientele that wanted to stand out from the crowd.

The seeds were planted, and from this idea sprouted Fusion4; a new venture born out of BNI. 
Developed as a premium brand offering only the highest-level of service, Fusion4 is the one-stop shop result of a Power Team that saw opportunity and embraced it.

Launching in early 2019, the team came together to represent Fusion4 at the Mach-Tech exhibition in Budapest last May. With a little bit of dedication and teamwork, Fusion4 made a significant  impression and was awarded  “Most Attractive Stall”. The culmination of a collective commitment to excellence.

Fusion4 represents not only a new approach to collaboration, but they offer a clear example of finding opportunity, advancing your network and living the Givers Gain mentality. 

Learn more about Fusion4 here.

Fuison4 is currently operating and welcomes all inquiries from Members across BNI who are in need of web services. 

The Fusion4 team members/companies are:
SEOkey (programming) – István Hirt (BNI Aegopolis 6301, Kecskemét)
Vexel (graphic design) – Rezső Soós (BNI Aegopolis 6301, Kecskemét)
MaxArt (photo) – Róbert Korom, Maximillán Korom (BNI Aegopolis 6301, Kecskemét)
BeOnWeb (marketing) – Gábor Bliszkó 

Aegopolis 6301 – BNI Hungary Chapter

This Member Success story comes from Christopher Bulin, Member and current Mentor Coordinator of N. Mississippi Achievers located in Southaven, MS 

Christopher is a long-time Member and his story is a great example of how the BNI Model works, no matter where you are.

Christopher Bulin, a Merchant Account Specialist with ClearPay Financial Solutions, is no stranger to a new environment. From the American Midwest, to the American Southeast, his career has instilled a mindset of adaptability. 

After beginning with BNI in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, Christopher saw sustained success and became a real believer in the BNI Model. Ultimately, his career moved him south and he began the transition into a valued alumni of the organization.

Fast-forward 3 years and Christopher met his wife – the woman who changed his life. She challenged him to think differently about life and how he conducted business. With his wife by his side, Christopher had a spiritual reawakening and a renewed purpose. With a focus on helping others, he was living the GiversGain mentality in business and in life.

As they began building a family, and settled in Memphis, Tennessee, he found his way back to BNI. By applying what he learned as a Member in Wisconsin, Christopher was able to overcome the challenge of anonymity when joining a new chapter. Going beyond what is expected of a new Member, he was able to embrace the Member Success Program and maximize his reach by valuing the relationships of his fellow Members. This expanded his network exponentially as he relished in the joy of helping others achieve their goals. In his mind, providing referrals and support to others “is worth far more than TYFCB”. It’s a great example of showing that the intangibles of membership really do matter.

As he became more seasoned with BNI, the value of one-to-ones and leadership on his membership could not be understated. This perspective has led him to receive referrals from Members across 10 chapters throughout the MidSouth Region. A pure example of how BNI is a community of like-minded business leaders.

Additionally, as leadership and lifelong learning are an important aspect of his everyday life, Christopher wants to help others realize the success that he has achieved. By being intentional and having a purpose in all that you do while being specific in your ask, anyone can find success. Anyone can find their inspiration.

With qualities reflective of some of the most effective leaders within the organization, Christoper has put together an detailed outline on how to conduct your one-to-ones. Please view them below.

An Outline for the one-to-one process

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A Brief Thank You!

“I would like to recognize and give attention to our Executive Director Jana Cardona, of the Midsouth Chapters. Over the past 3.5 years as a Member she has wanted nothing more than to help individual Members grow their business by utilizing the tools set forth through BNI, through workshops and education. Her goals are for BNI Members not to be viewed as just small business owners, nor a competition with any chambers but as an asset and tool to help all businesses grow through business networking, she is intentional and thrives on the good news and success of others, I see that vision and enjoy being a part of it.”  – Christopher Bulin

About ClearPay Financial Solutions

ClearPay Financial Solutions of the Midsouth has an office located in the Memphis market. Unlike the traditional electronic payments provider, we have established ourselves in the area for giving back a portion of all fees that business owners pay back to a nonprofit of “Their Choice”. We partner with multiple nonprofits to show them an untraditional way to raise funds and we connect that nonprofit to local businesses in the fight against whatever cause they choose. Our core principles for the past 10 years have been relationship focused, cutting edge technology and educating our clients on best practices. All our partners have allowed us an approach that is unconventional in the market for processing payments because we have the flexibility to meet their needs by customized solutions not a cookie cutter approach that is often found WITH OTHER providers.

Learn more about Christopher here.