Collaboration & Coaching

Posted on by BNI Global

Sid Shah is a Member of BNI® Evolve in Mumbai, India. This submission details how international, cross-chapter collaboration has accelerated his business.

In January 2019, BNI formally introduced the new Worldwide Worldwide Referrals Feature in BNI Connect. This sought-after feature allows BNI Members to pass worldwide referrals, record One-to-Ones between BNI Members from anywhere, and track closed business with anyone within BNI’s global network of passionate business leaders. BNI Members are using this new feature to help each other build fantastic businesses and achieve more than they ever thought possible.

More and more, we’re seeing Members across the world take advantage of this feature through international and cross-chapter collaboration. Members have always been proactive in the development of their networks, but this feature provides a new window of opportunity for BNI and its Members.

It will allow Members such as Sid Shah, a Life Coach from BNI Evolve in Mumbai, to formally track the business received through the International Conclaves organized by his chapter. In 2018, Mr. Shah extended his network and Academy outside of India as a result of international cooperation with BNI Members in Dubai.

Led by his chapter and 25 fellow Members, Mr. Shah attended an International Cross-Regional Conclave in Dubai that included 3 local chapter visits (BNI Gazelles, BNI Rising Phoenix and BNI Champions). It was during these visits that Mr. Shah was able to secure business with two of their chapter Members and their respective companies.

  • Mr. Vinay Modi- Tiara World Trading LLC (BNI Rising Phoenix)
  • Mr. V. Ganesh- Blue Crown Furniture (BNI Gazelles)

Mr. Shah subsequently conducted Life-Coaching programs with both Tiara World Trading and Blue Crown Furniture. Within a 3-day period, he closed on business worth 12000 AED (3,300 USD) and built an international referral base for his online academy. This has opened new opportunities around the world and has allowed Mr. Shah to accelerate the growth of his business. And thanks to BNI Connect’s Worldwide Referrals feature, he can now officially track all of his TYFCB, whether in Mumbai or Dubai. 

Visit BNI Evolve Today!

Thursday 7:30 AM

Sapphire 
Near Domestic Airport, Vile Parle East 
Mumbai, 400099 , IN

Manage the Status Quo or Lead the Disruption

Posted on by Ivan Misner, Ph.D.

I hate change.  I really do.  I like the comfort and contentment that comes with a successful status quo. The problem is that a successful status quo is the present, built upon a strong past.  Unfortunately, the present is not etched in stone for the future. Whether I like it or not – the future involves change, and the change is, by nature, disruptive.

The only thing I hate more than change – is failure.  Failure is what happens when you’re left in the dust when the change crushes our “present.”

In my lifetime there have been many companies that have been crushed by disruption.  The irony is that they could have actually led the disruption.  The fact that they were crushed by other companies was because they chose not to lead the disruption.  They chose to either ignore it or fear it.  And based on results, leading with fear is a bad strategy.

Here are three notable examples we can learn from:

Sears

Sears was once America’s largest retailer.  They began as a mail order catalog company using the postal service to deliver virtually anything, to anyone, almost anywhere, and it dominated its competition for many, many decades.  Sears was Amazon more than 100 years before Amazon.

In its day, Sears was the 800-pound gorilla that could, and did, decimate smaller retailers.  Unfortunately, Sears was so entrenched in their brick and mortar stores that when the world-wide web was introduced in 1991, they did not have the foresight to lead the way and make the transition.  In fact, just the opposite happened.  Their reaction was to actually shut down their catalog two years later in 1993.  Amazon.com was founded the very next year in 1994.

Kodak

A friend of mine who retired from Kodak many years ago told me that he felt there were few corporate blunders as staggering as Kodak’s decision to ignore the digital camera market.  This is especially true since Kodak invented the digital camera in 1973, and it went on to be issued a patent for digital cameras in 1978!

Why, then, would the company that invented the digital camera not pursue this incredible opportunity?  The answer, to them, was obvious.  They did not want to interfere with their highly lucrative film processing business, and they did not believe that people would be interested in looking at photos on a computer. Wrong on both counts.

Blockbuster

When the winds of change swept through the video industry, Blockbuster was more of a brick than a weather vane.

In 2000, Netflix approached Blockbuster with a request for Blockbuster to buy them out for roughly $50 million dollars.  Blockbuster turned them down (more than once).  Jim Keyes, the CEO of Blockbuster said in 2008: “Neither Redbox nor Netflix are even on the radar screen in terms of competition.”

By the time Blockbuster saw the success of the new Netflix model, they made several attempts to copy it.  However, they were too late.

Today, Blockbuster is bankrupt, and Netflix is worth over $100 billion!

Changing the world is always disruptive.  Today, more than ever, we need to choose to change before we are forced to change.  By the time a business is forced to change, it is probably too late.

Social scientists refer to this as the “threshold model of collective behavior.” For decades I have called this “concept recognition model.”  When I was young, people didn’t think they needed answering machines – until enough people thought they did, and then they were everywhere, used by virtually everyone.  Later, people didn’t see the need, nor the value, for fax machines. Until enough people did – and then everyone had one.  In the 90’s I met many people that had no intention of ever using email.  Now, I can count on one hand the number of people I know who don’t have an email address (and they are all over 70). Before people adopt a new concept, early adopters embrace the new process or equipment.  Later the resistant population joins in, and, under the right conditions, there is a viral cascade of change.

In today’s changing world, we will either manage the status quo which will eventually result in failure, or we can lead the disruption which is likely to lead to the reinvention of our business and possibly an industry.

In the meantime you must decide: Be disrupted, or be the disruption.  I vote to be the disruption.

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.

Accelerating our Momentum

Posted on by BNI Global

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

The BNI
Foundation has enjoyed a strong start to 2019. With over 250,000 business
owners in more than 70 countries building new connections by the day, it will
come as no surprise that as a Foundation we are also striving to expand our
footprint globally. We do this by identifying local coordinators in active BNI
countries who have a passion for children and their educational
opportunities.

Furthering the
Foundation’s cause, I’m proud to announce that we have just signed the
documents that establish the BNI Foundation Spain SLC. That said, BNI Spain has
already been proactive in their support of our initiatives.  In January, BNI Las Palmas, Gran Canaria,
organized a spectacular benefit gala to raise funds to upgrade a local
children’s hospital, with total donations of more than €32,000, significantly
exceeding all expectations!

Across the Mediterranean,
BNI Italy continues to lead the way with their incredible initiatives in
support of Business Voices. A compilation of their many projects was featured
at the Italian National Conference, which I attended, along with BNI Founder and
Chief Visionary Officer, Dr. Ivan Misner, and his lovely wife Beth, Co-Founder
and Board Secretary of the Foundation.

Our global impact
doesn’t stop there. In May, the BNI National Office of the UAE held its very
first Business Voices Event, the “BNI Giftar.” This event raised funds in
excess of $17,000 (AED 65,000) for the Basma program of the Al Jalila
Foundation during the month of Ramadan.

Progress
continues to be made as we are the process of formally establishing the
Foundation in a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, Hong Kong,
China, Malaysia, India, Israel, South Africa, Peru, and many more who are
expected to follow by the end of the year.

It is common for
successful foundations to have an endowment fund – a substantial capital base
generating a regular flow of income. 

In April, during
the BNI U.S. National Convention in Dallas, something very special happened. To
get us started, Dr. Misner and Beth, co-founders of the original BNI Foundation
20 years ago, generously offered to seed the Misner Endowment Fund with an
incredible sum of $100,000! Due to this and the incredible support of the
Directors attending the convention, we’re currently approaching close to $200,000 in
total.

We encourage
Members, Chapters and Directors to join us and help grow this fund as a means
to make a significant difference in children’s lives across the world. 

There are currently
3 levels of support for the Misner Endowment Fund:

Misner Fellow

$2,500

Misner Senior Fellow

$5,000

Misner Diamond Fellow

$10,000

A sincere THANK
YOU to all who have entrusted their pledges and donations to us. Your trust is
truly appreciated. BNI Italy has now become the first region in the world to
become a Misner Diamond Fellow, and we warmly invite any of you who are
interested in joining us to reach out and learn more.

Thanks to you and
to many like you, the momentum is building! 

Tell Us About Your Business Voices Efforts

You organized the team, did the work and put together a great project to help students in your community. Now let us shine a light on your efforts. By completing the Business Voices monthly form you will inspire others by letting the world know what your team is doing. Send us photos, videos and details of your event so we can highlight it on our website and social media.

You can find the form here. You can also visit our site to learn about past Business Voices successes.

Advanced Networking

Posted on by BNI Global

Xavier Souchet is Member of the Chapter BNI® Pouzauges Horizon in Vendée (France). His membership with BNI has not only brought great value, but eliminated a constant feeling of professional isolation.

In this Member Success Story, we conduct an in-depth Q&A with Xavier while getting a sense of how BNI is Changing the Way the World Does Business®.

1. To set the stage, could you please provide us a little background on your profession and company?

I joined BNI as a representative of West Info, which offers a multitude of computer and IT services such as sales, installation and troubleshooting. In addition, we are in a strategic partnership with a software developer and print solution specialist. My company was established in February of 2016 with only two individuals on staff, myself and Romuald Tuffery. We complemented each other well as Romuald technical expertise was balanced by my penchant for business strategy. Our seamless relationship has propelled West Info’s growth from 2 employees to 15, as of today!

2. What differentiates your company from your competitors

Our journey is atypical in that we began operations on an international scale. By positioning ourselves as a subcontractor for IT services, we have worked with Major French brands in a variety of sectors (Banking, Insurance, etc.). We have established a network across Europe, with independent service technicians available throughout the continent. Thanks to the scale of this network, our response time is incredible and allows us to be proactive with our customers. This has allowed us to promote our services with greater effectiveness over the past year.  

3. What motivating factors brought you to BNI?

As we have built an international presence, we wanted to redefine our approach and focus more strategically within individual communities. A BNI Member, Amine Boua (BFS), invited me to a local chapter, BNI Pouzauges Horizon Group. My visitation left an incredible impression as I got a sense that the Members of the chapter were not only friendly and professional, but that they offered a great opportunity for growth.

4. Have you held any positions within the Chapter?

Yes, I’m happy to say that I have. In April 2018, I began my role as a Visitor Host. I found this to be a fantastic opportunity, as this role provides and even greater respect for the personal interactions among Members and guests. Subsequently, in October of 2018, I’m proud to say that I became our Chapter’s President.

5. You have employees that are also BNI Members. What are the advantages of representing your company in multiple Groups in the region? 

By being part of a Group, our employees build incredible networking skills and arm themselves with the knowledge to become even more successful. You can see a difference in the energy and demeanor as a result of their membership with BNI. My partner, Romuald Tuffery, has been a Member of BNI des Sables d’Olonne Côte de Lumière since November 2018.

6. Did you attend BNI’s 2018 Global Convention in Bangkok, Thailand? If so, what were your biggest takeaways?

Yes, I did! And we were able to expand our international network thanks to our attendance. In 2019, we plan to replicate our European model in North America (Canada, United States, Mexico).

With the guidance of Anne Lescure (Regional Director) and Philippe Libaud (Consultant Director), we were able to establish new relationships in North America. Today, those relationships have blossomed and we are currently discussing a North American pilot and an eventual full-scale expansion.

7. How has BNI helped you change the way you do business?

It has significantly enhanced my demeanor. Leading a company through expansion can be stressful, from customer management to administrative expenses, it takes hard word. When Friday comes, on the morning of our chapter meetings, it’s a breath of fresh air. I’m able to openly discuss my issues with fellow Members who offer proper advice and support.

8. What would you like to highlight for BNI Members across the world?

Any BNI Member in need of enterprise IT services, or know of someone with that need, can contact us. We offer a non-exclusive contract and can manage your digital concerns on an as needed basis.

 

Visit BNI Pouzauges Horizon today!

Friday 7:30 AM

18, rue du Docteur Barbanneau
POUZAUGES, 85700, FR

Email: xsouchet@west-info.fr

West Info: https://west-info.fr/

 

The Value of Membership

Posted on by BNI Global

Rick Gomez is a Member of BNI® Wealth Builders in South Burlington, VT. This submission details the value of Membership as shown through Rick’s ten-year experience with BNI.

When I first visited a chapter just over ten years ago, like most, I had never heard of BNI. When a builder/remodeler that I had been working with informed me of its purpose and potential value, I was intrigued and decided to visit my local chapter.

At the meeting, one of the Member.s confidently declared that if I didn’t get enough business to pay for my membership, he would pay for it personally. That meeting was all I needed; I put my application in without hesitation.

Of course, being an electrician, which is quite simply, one of the easiest professions to give a referral to, he was making a very safe bet. But nonetheless, he introduced me to one client that has given me an average of $15,000 a year in business since.

This year marks two major milestones for me and BNI: first, my ten-year anniversary, and second, I just recently exceeded $1,000,000 in closed business over those ten years. Despite these incredible achievements, it was not instant success. It took a lot of work (One to One’s, CEUs, etc.) but in my second year, my BNI Thank You For Closed Business (TYFCB) exceeded 30% of my gross revenue. The Yellow Pages were no longer needed!

Just last year, BNI was responsible for 50% of my volume, and my current 12 month running total has exceeded $200K for two years, continuously. Thanks to BNI, I now have three full time employees and three trucks on the road.

When I first joined, I was somewhere around 80% billable; BNI has ensured that we stay over 110% billable. Additionally, I have not had a downturn in several years.

Besides volume of work, the thing I like best is the QUALITY of the work. The clients are nicer, they pay faster, and are quick to refer us to others. Giver’s Gain® is REAL people! It is the swiss army knife of business cards in my pocket. It feels great when I’m able refer someone to one of my clients, especially those who are new to the area. By helping them out, not only does a fellow Member get business, but I gain yet another resource as well.

I’ve seen Members come and go, but there is no question, for those that put the effort in, the juice is worth the squeeze. I encourage all current and potential Members, utilize the resources at your disposal and you will grow your business!

Where else can you get a banker, lawyer, realtor, financial advisor, and accountant all in one room every week at your disposal? 

Visit BNI Wealth Builders today!

Wednesday 8:30 AM

1712 Shelburne Road
South Burlington, VT 05403, US

A Dedication to Cause Networking

Posted on by BNI Global

What is the BNI® Foundation vs Business Voices™ Teams

Submitted by David Kauffman Vice Chair BNI Foundation

I am often asked what is the difference between the BNI Foundation and the Business Voices Teams? The BNI Foundation is helping to change lives by improving circumstances for children facing financial instability that negatively affect their educational opportunities. We support initiatives that provide resources to educators and organizations that make success easier for kids, either by removing barriers or by providing incentives for focusing on studies. For us, the mechanism to help with this shift is investing our time, treasure, and talent to assist in education where we can. We do this through our Givers Gain® Grant program and through our Business Voices teams.

Business Voices teams can best be described by the phrase “boots on the ground.”  Support looks different depending on what the schools or educational organizations identify as their greatest challenges. Our Business Voices teams have accomplished well over 250 projects worldwide in the past 12 months, although I think this is like reporting TYFCB. There is so much not reported! These projects included things like:

  • Team Italy supplying over 1000 dental exams to students. 
  • The BNI Main Line Team donating health care products and coats to children in shelters.
      
  • The BNI Global Support Team collecting school supplies for the Ashley Park School.
      
  • The BNI CEO Team raising over $5000 dollars for school fees and allowing 70 children to continue their studies.
      

There are so many ways to get involved and help these children. That is why we recommend listening to what the schools, teachers and even the students identify as their unique challenges. Wherever there are young people there are ways they will benefit from having us in their stories.

We call this work cause networking — and who better to lead the way with cause networking than the world’s largest, most successful networking organization?

Tell
Us About Your Business Voices Efforts

You
organized the team, did the work and put together a great project to help
students in your community. Now let us shine a light on your efforts. By
completing the Business Voices monthly form you will inspire others by letting
the world know what your team is doing. Send us photos, videos and details of
your event so we can highlight it on our website and social media.

You
can find the form here. You can also visit our site to learn
about past Business Voices successes.

Little Company – Big Vision

Posted on by Ivan Misner, Ph.D.

It was 1986 and I had just started my little enterprise a year earlier.  The concept of working “on” my business and not just “in” my business really resonated with me.  So, I wanted to do some vision making for my business and do my best to think ahead for the next 5-10 years.   How many clients did I foresee?  How many states would I be operating in?  What additional support could we provide our clients?  All of these objectives came down to the need for a more comprehensive organizational infrastructure.  I needed a bigger operation to eventually handle the bigger vision that I had for the company.

So, I sat down and started my multi-year plan by drafting an organization chart – not for what currently existed but for what I envisioned: an organization chart for what I thought the company would be like 5-10 years into the future. I began by considering all the functions that my two part-time employees (each worked 20 hours a week) were covering along with all the roles that I was currently filling.  I came up with at least 15 different boxes of current and future positions.

When your company is small, everyone pitches in and does multiple roles.  So, I worked at de-constructing everyone’s roles and drafting an organization chart based on all the functions that we were currently sharing.  Then, I put the three of us into every box I drew relating to the functions that each person was currently covering.  For example, my assistant was also the receptionist for the company and my shipping person also did the production of all the client materials.   Consequently, I put their two names in four separate boxes for the roles that I envisioned as being separate in the future.

Then, I put my name into all the roles that I was currently covering.  It was at that moment that the old saying, “chief cook and bottle washer” came to mind.  Because there I was, the Founder & CEO of the company, listed in many, many boxes.  In addition to the CEO, I was the marketing director, the complaint department, and yes… even the janitor.

This exercise gave me unwavering clarity on what I had to do to grow the company – I had to get OUT of all the boxes I was in except for CEO.  Now that is easier said than done.  This was my 5-10 year plan, and I knew it would take at least 5 years to get there.  That meant I needed to start now to make that happen.  I began by thinking about the things I hated doing and accounting was at the top of the list.  I knew that if I wanted to grow the company, I needed this and other things off my plate.

I believe an entrepreneur is either working in their flame or working in their wax.  When they are in their flame they are on fire.  The are excited about what they do.  You can hear it in their voice and you can see it in the way they act.  When an entrepreneur is working in their wax, they are being drained, and they are tired of what they are doing.  You can hear it in their voice and can see it in the way they act.  Accounting was my wax and I knew it.  It was one of the first things I needed to replace.  The beauty of business is that something that may be my wax – happens to be someone else’s flame.  I remember the first bookkeeper I hired.  She loved accounting!  One day she came to me and said, “the books were off by 5 cents but I found it!”  It took her two hours to find it, but she did!  She was so proud.  Now, some of you may be thinking wait – you paid her two hours to find 5 cents!  Yes I did, and I congratulated her on her hard work.  For me, it could have been $50 dollars and I would have said, “oh well, close enough!”  Could you imagine if it were $500 off?  She wouldn’t go home and sleep until she tracked that money down.  Bookkeeping was her flame and I was glad it was.

With each person I hired, I would put a line through the name in the box and write in the name of the person who replaced me or one of my first employees.   It took about seven years, but I eventually replaced everyone on that original organization chart.  Today, my company, BNI, has almost 100 employees in several corporate offices around the world.  In addition, it has over 12,000 franchisees, director consultants, and employees working for the company in more than 70 countries and it all began with that hand-written, vision-making org chart.

This is a great exercise for you to do at any point in your business – not just early on (I ended up doing it several times).  One other thing I recommend – keep the first one!  Had I kept it, it would be framed and on my wall today.

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.

Five Reasons We Meet Weekly

Posted on by BNI Global

Meeting every week is a commitment.  Some people don’t like meeting week in and week out. So in 1986, as an experiment, I opened seven chapters that met twice a month.  Over time, we found that these groups passed 52% less referrals than the groups that met every week.  I was disappointed, but I was not surprised. I visited each group individually, and I said, “If I could show you one thing that will double the number of referrals you get in your group, would you do it?”  They all said, “Yes, of course!”  I then said, “Meet every week.” I showed them the data, and I had six of the seven groups successfully make the change.  One would not.  That one was closed within the year.  By 1987, all BNI groups then met weekly.

I’ve talked about this many times over the years and you can find the above story in the book, Givers Gain, The BNI Story.  What I’ve never written about is “why” I think that the weekly meetings produced double the results of the groups that met twice a month, so I’ve been giving it some thought. Here are the reasons that I believe weekly meetings generate double the amount of business of groups that meet twice a month:

  1. Weekly meetings are a form of “spaced repetition.”  Spaced repetition builds a habit of learning and engagement that leads to success.  There is a massive amount of research on this concept, including a 2016 Dartmouth paper published in the Journal of Policy Insights From the Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 
  2. The avoidance of “benign neglect.”  Benign neglect is where relationships deteriorate over time.  It is not always intentional, but it is almost always damaging to long-term relationship building.  Meeting weekly makes that virtually impossible.
  3. Practice, practice, practice.  We all know deep down that if you want to excel at anything, you have to practice.  Professional athletes do NOT stop practicing when they are at the top of their game.  Business people shouldn’t either. Meeting every week is about improving and learning.  It is the conditioning and practice to be a champion in business.
  4. VCP® (Visibility, Credibility, Profitability) is all about the process of building relationships that lead to on-going referrals.  Meeting weekly is a force-multiplier to moving through these stages.
  5. Seeing people every single week keeps your fellow members “top of mind.”  You know you are going to see them on your meeting day, so you incorporate your presentations and referral activity on a weekly basis.  When you meet weekly, you can’t set the program to the side.  It is consistent and structured.  Plus, and this point can’t be underestimated – it’s important to give referrals while they are hot.  The longer you wait, the more than can cool down.

All of this leads to more business.  Time and time again, the data has shown that there is a direct and dramatic linear correlation between attending the BNI meetings regularly and generating more business (a lot more business).

For many years I’ve said that if you want to be really successful in business, you need to do “six things a thousand times, not a thousand things six times.”  Meeting every week to practice your networking skills is a six-things-a-thousand-times strategy. Learning how to refer your fellow members and consistently passing referrals is a tried and true method of building life-long referrals and relationships.

BNI’s CEO, Graham Weihmiller, likes to say that BNI is the CrossFit of networking.  I couldn’t agree more.  Consider your weekly BNI meeting to be your networking aerobics and make the most of your commitment.

 

BNI Accelerates Global Growth & Innovation

Posted on by BNI Global

BNI, the World’s Largest Business Network, Announces Strategic Investment to Accelerate Global Growth & Innovation

BNI® is poised to broaden its global footprint with an increased focus on innovation and collaboration as it accepts a strategic investment.

Today, BNI Global, LLC (“BNI”), the largest global business network of its kind in the world, announced it has taken in a strategic investment from Pamlico Capital (“Pamlico”) that will accelerate innovation and growth.

In the last year, BNI’s 250,000+ Members generated over $15 billion USD in closed business from their BNI membership. That creates significant economic development, job creation, and entrepreneurship worldwide. 

And BNI is just getting started. In the next decade, BNI will help shape the landscape of global business like never before. BNI’s goal is a future in which purpose-driven business leaders grow terrific businesses and, in so doing, support their families, provide good jobs for employees, and actively participate in their community. 

Today, BNI has 8 corporate support offices across 6 countries and over 300 exceptional corporate staff. BNI is developing cutting-edge technology, creating new global training programs, launching large global events, hiring exceptionally talented staff, and opening new offices – all with one goal: to make BNI Members worldwide more successful than they ever thought possible.

As BNI embarks on its next phase of its development, it is very excited to announce that Pamlico Capital – a world-class investment group based in Charlotte, North Carolina has made a strategic investment into BNI. 

BNI’s Founder & Chief Visionary Officer, Dr. Ivan Misner remarks: “Wow – what can I say? I’m thrilled to work with Pamlico Capital as I continue my role on the board of BNI. They are an exceptional investment group and they are already offering up ideas and resources that will greatly increase the support and opportunities available for BNI Members and BNI Directors worldwide. This is a terrific development for BNI as a global organization.”

“When we all look back in 10 or 20 years, I’m confident that we will look at this moment as an inflection point in the trajectory of BNI’s development,” shares Graham Weihmiller, BNI’s Chairman & CEO. “With Pamlico Capital’s strategic insights and resources, we now have what we need to help BNI Members and BNI Directors like never before. We should think in a much larger way about the future of BNI. I’ve never been more energized for what’s next.”

“We are so impressed with BNI’s culture and traditions,” says Jay Henry, Vice President at Pamlico Capital. “Our firm has always felt that operating with the spirit of Givers Gain® is the right way to do business. And what an honor it is for us to work with great leaders like Dr. Misner, Graham, and Marc-William. Pamlico Capital is all-in and ready to help BNI Members and Directors worldwide achieve their dreams.”

Marc-William Attie, BNI’s President of Global Strategy & Innovation adds, “Over the last 7 years, BNI has truly become a Global Organization, and I’m really proud of that. Now, to fully achieve our mission and ambition to ‘change the way the world does business’ we need to be very strategic and focused and to have the right partners. Pamlico Capital will provide us with knowledge and resources to become the most prominent platform for business development. I’m pleased to work closely with partners of this caliber.”
For any questions or press inquiries, contact Claire Sherman, BNI’s Senior Manager of Global Operations (claire@bni.com).

Contact Information
Claire Sherman
BNI Global LLC
(704) 604-6649

2019 BNI Video Contest

Posted on by BNI Global

BNI’s 2019 Video Contest is now open

BNI is a global community of business leaders that make a positive impact in lives around the world. 

Stories of Member success are widespread and inspiring. With BNI’s 2019 Video Contest, we want to give you an opportunity to share your story, and to share how BNI has positively changed your business and your community.

These submissions, which highlight the extent of BNI’s positive influence throughout the world, will be accepted until June 30th, 2019 at 5:00PM EST.

Each video will be judged accordingly by BNI Directors and Members around the world. The top 10 selections will be featured across BNI’s various social channels (Youtube, Facebook etc.) and on bni.com.  The grand prize winner will receive complementary registration to BNI’s 2019 Global Convention (#BNIGC19) in Warsaw, Poland. In addition, the winning video will also be featured on stage during #BNIGC19.

This contest is open to any Member or Director currently active in BNI. Click here more information on eligibility and requirements. To submit your video, please click here.

Please contact marketing@bni.com with any questions

Here are some excellent submissions from our 2018 entrants

“My Journey with BNI” by Amogh Giridhar

Posted on by BNI Global

Submitted by Amogh Giridhar, Support Director Consultant and Member of BNI Symphony (Bangalore, India) .

I’m a proud Member of BNI Symphony, Bangalore, India, and represent Prequate, a Finance+Strategy Consulting firm based out of Bangalore.  We have completed successful assignments in almost 20 countries.  Established in 2010, we have a focus on the IT, ITES, and the Manufacturing sector. We work with businesses over 4M USD in revenue and add value to them as a cross-functional impact team whose goal is to deliver measurable, tangible, and regular outcomes.  We are on a mission to work with 1000 business by December 2021 and are a third of the way towards achieving that target with 370 current business relationships. 

Prequate’s initiatives range from business (markets, offerings, pricing, board activation & management line extensions, spin-offs, acquisitions, growth planning) to financial (cash flow management, capacity utilization, profitability, capability, technical guidance, structuring).  As a practice, we provide an external view across the business and are proactive in nature.  We are focused on dedicated outcomes, which makes us effective with our developed and sustainable approach.  We implement a cross-functional team to work with businesses, which provides the client more flexibility and a hands-on solution to their business problems.

My 2-year journey is BNI with the Symphony chapter has been an incredibly fruitful one.  My business is largely dependent on referrals, and we felt that BNI would be a great platform.  It would allow us to bring in more qualified referrals and reciprocate as needed.  

Initially, as a Member, I wondered how other Members could refer to a business/concept that was new or foreign to them.  However, through the mentoring process the benefits of BNI became clearer.  Although I had one official mentor, a lot of Members were easy to approach and were always happy to help me unlock the potential of BNI.  With this, I started getting quality referrals very quickly from BNI Members across Bangalore and other locations.  This was a direct result of regular one-to-ones across my chapter and region, numerous trainings and a commitment to fully utilizing my BNI connect profile. 

BNI is very effective, especially if you follow the recommend processes, trainings and readings.  My journey is a clear example of that.  However, I believe that I’ve only scratched the surface of BNI’s potential.  There are more opportunities to be had, not just in India, but across the world.

Thanks to the trust of fellow chapter Members and regional Directors, I have held both Leadership (Chapter President) and support roles (Ambassador).  At the moment, I am currently supporting the launch of a new chapter in Bangalore as a Support Director Consultant.  These roles, in addition to my Membership, have helped me expand my network and business.  More importantly, BNI is one of our most profitable customer acquisition channels.

I have a lot of Members to thank for this incredible journey, especially the Members of BNI Symphony. There are 2 people in particular I’d like to recognize for their continuous support and guidance.  The first one is, of course, my sponsor, the person who introduced me to BNI, Mr. Dwarakanath Kini.  The second person has been a guiding light for Members across Bangalore, Mr. Parimal Rao.  Mr. Rao is also the Support Director Consultant of BNI Symphony, of which I am proud to be a Member of.

The Essence of Givers Gain®

Posted on by BNI Global

Submitted by Trey McAlister, Executive Director of BNI Northern California.

On November 8, 2018, one of the most devastating fires in U.S. history broke out in Butte County. When all was said and done, not only were hundreds of thousands of acres burned, but thousands of homes were destroyed including approximately 70-80% of the town of Paradise, CA.

Now, we at the BNI Northern CA office had personally experienced the Santa Rosa fires less than a year before AND had experienced fires around our Members in Redding CA in August.  However, as a result of the Butte County Camp Fire, the impact on our BNI member community was exponential.

When all was said and done, 21 BNI families (out of roughly 300 Members regionwide) in the Chico and Paradise area lost their homes (and about a 1/3 lost their business/offices also).  Needless to say, the need for everything was extraordinary.  As is typical, the BNI family reached out and started providing incredible support right out of the gate. 

As we were just coming into the holiday season, an idea materialized about creating a “Secret Santa” program for all of these affected families.  While the BNI community had already been assisting through the provision of “essentials”, this program would take it a step further.  We wanted to provide these families a sense of normalcy by providing more recreational or “fun” items.

As we continued to plan this initiative, our office began hearing from a number of Members, chapters, AND regions about how they could help. Once this “Secret Santa” idea materialized, we reached out to these folks to let them know what we were planning.  I am pleased to report that the response and results were exceptional! 

From the response we were able to pair up not one, but TWO sponsoring groups (Members, chapters, or regions) for EACH family.  A few of our Members in Chico even helped to extend this initiative beyond the Northern CA region.  Danielle Vogel of DK Web Design and Don Krause of Caliber Home Loans coordinated the distribution of gifts from “sponsors” outside of the affected area.  An incredible gesture that helped make the holidays a lot brighter for those who lost everything.

BNI Northern CA would like to thank the following for their generosity to our families:

  • Abhishikhaa Bhadouriva
  • Abundant Referral Circle Chapter
  • Bailey Family
  • BNI By the Bay Chapter
  • Brook Terhune and the Referral Machine Chapter
  • Carmel Valley Chapter
  • Carrie Rice Family
  • Contra Costa Business Referral Network Chapter
  • Daniel Canales and Rivertown Chapter
  • Danielle Wagoner Family
  • Dawn Lyons and Mike Macedonio – BNISFBay
  • Deborah Fisher
  • Ed Wilson and Katherine Lodal – BNI San Diego
  • Escondido Chapter
  • Jayda Zemansky Aflac Insurance
  • Karen Reynolds
  • Laura Reoch 
  • Living the Dream Chapter 
  • Melissa Donald
  • Mo Shaban Family 
  • Robin Schuckmann – BNI Oregon 
  • SD Synergy Chapter 
  • Soandy Billionaires Chapter 
  • Susan Schwartz-Solano County Chapters 
  • Tim and Charlene Mayclin
  • Tom Fleming – BNI Gainesville
  • Wave of Success Chapter
  • Zemansky Insurance Services

Here are just a few of the comments and notes from the families:

 

“We received multiple gifts from Secret Santas. Thank you, BNI, and the Santas for all you have done!”

 

“We were overwhelmed with the presents you left. “Secret Santa” went well beyond what could be expected.  The effort you put into this project was enormous and very much appreciated.  Thank you very much.”

 

“Oh, Wow!! BNI has been so amazing! And now there’s even more?!”

 

“When I went to the UPS store to get my package, I wasn’t at all sure what was happening.  When I saw the gift, which replaced a dear object that I had lost, I went out to my car and cried for at least 10 minutes.”

 

“Our family cannot thank you and BNI enough for your generosity with the BNI Secret Santa and elves spoiling us.  We will continue to pay all of the kindness forward.”

 

“Thank you for the gifts and cards.  They are a BIG help and gave us lots of hope and joy receiving them.  I love the plaques.”

As someone who has been a part of this organization for almost 18 years, I understand that BNI is a worldwide organization that helps businesses generate more business from referrals.  However, what most people out there don’t realize is that it is SO MUCH MORE…..

The outpouring of the folks mentioned above was unparalleled. They supported numerous families, of which many they didn’t even know. Their willingness to take time and money to help affected families across the region unveils the true power of BNI.  Givers Gain is not just a saying or even a Core Value…it is the essence of their beings and these folks embodied it. It was an amazing display of generosity over the holiday season.

 

Thank you BNI!

 

Trey McAlister

BNI Northern CA

 

Looking Forward with the BNI Foundation

Posted on by BNI Global

BNI Foundation Looks Forward to an Inspiring Week at the BNI U.S. National Conference and around the world!

This year’s BNI U.S. National Conference provides a valuable platform for the BNI Foundation to work towards their 2019 goals.  

The week will kick off with a pre-conference fundraising mixer hosted by DFW/Ausitn/San Antonio Executive Director, Shelli Howlett.  Several activities have been planned, including a round table discussion and community service event. During this event, local students will participate in a speed mentoring session with distinguished BNI leaders.  

The BNI Foundation booth will be open throughout the conference. The booth will provide information on how all of our BNI professionals can make a difference in the lives of children. Specifically, how they can help to provide essential educational resources in their communities.  

BNI Foundation Co-Founder, Beth Misner will be leading several Thai-Chi sessions throughout the week including one on Saturday morning before the annual Walk and Talk.

Make sure to stop by the BNI Foundation booth for more information on these activities and how you can participate.

During #BNIGC18 in Bangkok, Thailand, the BNI Foundation achieved extensive exposure. As a result, many countries have contacted the Foundation with an interest in establishing either the BNI Foundation, Association, or Business Voices Teams within their respective countries.  We are thrilled to report that the BNI Foundation expects to have representation in the following countries during the course of 2019:

Active Countries:

  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Canada 
  • Taiwan, China
  • France
  • Spain 

Scheduled to Launch (2019):

  • Israel
  • South Africa
  • Malaysia
  • Hong Kong
  • India
  • Austria
  • Ireland
  • UK
  • Poland
  • Thailand 

The BNI Foundation is YOUR foundation!

Visit our website for information and resources to help you get involved!  

The One Rule to Work-Life Balance

Posted on by Ivan Misner, Ph.D.

Would you like to know the “One rule to creating balance in your life”?

Here it is… “there is no one rule!”

It’s a recipe: a combination of things that help you achieve the life you desire.  However, there is one truth, and that truth is that the quality of your life depends on the people in your life.  

Imagine you live your life in one room, and that one room has only one door.  Now imagine this door is an “Enter Only” door, “No Exit!”  Whoever comes through this door will be in your room and your life – forever!  They can never get out.

Luckily, this is a metaphor, but let’s assume for a moment it is true.  If so, would you be more selective about the people that you let into your life?  Everyone I’ve ever talked to has said, “oh yeah, definitely!”

So the question then is – why aren’t we more selective?  In fact I would argue that the “Room Principle” is more than a metaphor.  Think for a moment about someone who was once in your life, but now they are no longer part of it.  Think of their name.  Remember how they created chaos in your life.  Maybe they were angry or toxic or just difficult to be around.  Take a moment – do you have someone in mind?

Well, if they’re still in your head – they’re still in your in your room, because every decision you make in the future will be based in part on past experiences you had with this person.  Neuroscientist Dr. Daniel Amen says, “Significant input that is received in your brain triggers neural activity that cannot simply be erased.”  In other words, their fingerprints are all over your brain.

This means that if you want to create your best life, you need to learn how to screen entry into your room.  For this, I recommend the “Doorman Principle.”  The Doorman guards entry into your room and your life.  This is your conscious and subconscious mind.  It is a process of thought and feelings to help you determine whether your door should remain closed or be opened to allow someone entry into your life.

The first thing you need to do is train your Doorman on your values.  This is important, because you want to allow people into your room who have values that are resonant with yours.  They don’t have to be the same values, but they can’t be dissonant or incongruent with yours.  When I ask people to name their top 5-7 values, you can generally hear crickets.  So here’s a great technique to begin the training: I recommend you start with your “deal-breakers.”  These are people in your room with incongruent behaviors.  These are things you refuse to allow into your room and into your life from now on.  They may be things like being toxic, exhibiting excess drama, not being truthful or positive.  They are things you just can’t stand to be around.  When you start understanding these, it’s easier to move towards things you do want around you.  If you want to begin this process, go here for a free download to help you determine your important values: www.WIYRtheBook.com/Downloads.

Understanding your values and training your Doorman will help you screen all the future people who try to gain entry into your room, but what do you do with some of the negative or toxic people that are already there?

Here are two great techniques to use:

First is “Benign Neglect.”  This is where you gradually reduce contact and interaction with someone.  Assuming you don’t want to burn bridges, but you do want to remove yourself from the relationship, a gradual dis-entanglement over a period of time is very effective.  This works even when you don’t want it to.  Think about someone you really did like but with whom you lost touch over the years.  This generally happens through unplanned benign neglect.  Now, imagine achieving this with a plan.

The second way to help you address people in your room you wish you hadn’t allowed entry to is through “Homeopathic Doses.”  A homeopathic dose is the minimum dose necessary to treat a problem.  In this case, it’s about dealing with people in your room by structuring your interaction in very small doses.

People effect your happiness if you let them.  The secret to not letting them, is to curate the room you desire because the quality of your life depends on the people in your 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 book, Who’s in Your Room, is available at bookstores and at Amazon.com.

Reflections of a BNI Alum

Posted on by BNI Global

The BNI family includes both current Members and former Members. It’s always a pleasure and an insightful experience when we get to hear from our cherished alumni.

Former BNI Member Mary Irving from Eastbourne, UK recently shared details of her 15-year journey with BNI and how she was once known as her chapter’s “longest standing member in BNI”.

Mary joined BNI in 1995 with an open but anxious mindset, she felt “so nervous that I couldn’t even eat my breakfast”. As she began building those essential relationships with other Members, her confidence began to grow. Mary even started taking on a mentorship role for Members who displayed those similar, anxious tendencies. Concern shifted from her own presentation skills to her fellow Members’, which led to her joining the leadership team. In this role, she made it her mission to help Members perfect their weekly presentations and internalize the Core Value of Lifelong Learning with recommended readings from Dr. Misner and other BNI Leaders.

As many Members often mention, Mary’s time with BNI led to growth both professionally and personally. A year after joining, her father passed. Despite being the youngest sibling in her family, her growth with BNI allowed her to confidently deliver her father’s eulogy.

After 15 years of dedicating herself to BNI, Mary transitioned into an alumni, though she left an incredible influence. 8 years after leaving BNI, Mary still receives leads from Members of her former chapter. After years of dedication, BNI had helped Mary to become known as an expert in her field.

In addition, as a reflection of 15 years of Building Relationships, Mary has recommended individuals to BNI for Membership. Her niece, a hypnotherapist and counsellor, moved to Canada and joined BNI under Mary’s advisement. This kick-started her niece’s career and led to an extensive network of friendships.

As Mary reflects on her time with BNI, the benefits of Membership and BNI’s Core Values become clearer. You not only grow your business, but you grow your character and become a respected thought leader and mentor.

With fond memories and a passion for BNI, Mary would also like to thank Dr. Misner for his commitment to all BNI Members worldwide.

“BNI allows you to create a legacy that extends beyond Membership and I’m forever grateful for that” – Mary

Mary Irving

Alumni of Eastbourne BNI

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