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!
Submitted by Alyssa Gross, Member of BNI Premium (Buffalo, NY) .
If everyone in every BNI chapter brought one visitor per month, the average chapter would experience a bump in thank-you-for-closed-business (TYFCB) of $330,4801. The average Member would experience an average of $12,000 in additional TYFCB from visitors.
If you follow the Power of One, as discussed in this podcast from Dr. Ivan Misner, you’ll increase your bottom line considerably. One of the easiest ways to invite visitors is to use the acronym GRIP: Do you want to GROW your business? Would REFERRALS help? Are you INTERESTED in …? Here’s the PLACE we meet.
That said, a unique aspect of BNI is that each visitor is important, no matter the purpose of their visit. Quite often, BNI Visitors pass referrals to Members, whether they join or not. Recently, Alyssa Gross, a Member from BNI Premium (Buffalo, NY), shared a story that reinforced the value of all visitors.
The Hidden Value of Visitors – Submitted by Alyssa Gross
We often talk about the value of visitors to BNI – even those who aren’t prospects to join the chapter, but I didn’t really appreciate what visitors bring to a chapter until I had my dad visit over a year ago. Our chapter launched March 6, 2018, and as the Vice President of the new chapter, I was the feature presenter for our second meeting as an official chapter. My parents have never missed a softball game, dance recital, or any other activity – even in my adulthood – so this was no different. My dad came as my first registered BNI visitor. He’s an engineer in a manufacturing company so he wasn’t a prospect, but he was interested to see what was taking place at 6:30am every Tuesday that had me so excited.
After hearing my presentation, my dad said that while he “knew” what I did for a living (practicing law, primarily in the nonprofit sector), he had never really understood what types of introductions might be valuable to me. About a week later, he introduced me to the wife of a co-worker, who happened to be a CPA at a very large firm that works with a lot of the nonprofit organizations in our area. She has since made multiple referrals to me, including the largest BNI-originating referral I’ve received to date. My parents are also working with our chapter’s financial advisor and have used the services of several others in the chapter – all because I brought a non-prospect visitor to meet my fellow chapter Members.
I tell this story enthusiastically and often. Members, never pre-judge a prospective visitor, and certainly never qualify the invitation. The average BNI visitor brings $1000 in closed business to the chapter, even if they don’t (or can’t) join. Beyond the closed business, though, they bring so much more. That added excitement in the room. The push to be our very best, every meeting. And you never know what services or products they may be looking for, or what introductions they may be able to make for you.
And remember, if you invite visitors on a regular basis, your chapter will grow and thrive, and so will your own business.
About Alyssa
Alyssa, a member of BNI Premium (Buffalo, NY) considers herself to be BNI’s #1 fan. As a two-year member (1 Year Core Group/1 year Chapter) Alyssa served as Vice President of her chapter’s initial leadership team.
Beyond referrals, she values having a strong network of dedicated professionals to refer her clients to – she loves knowing that her clients are in good hands. BNI assures that their business needs (bookkeeping, insurance, payroll, banking, IT, and HR) are being addressed by leading professionals in their respective fields. As is often said, BNI makes Alyssa look like a hero to her clients!
Alyssa would like to extend special recognition to her region’s Director Consultant, Grace Luterek. Grace provides one on one help and mentorship to every Member as if they are the only Member she’s responsible for working with. She responds quickly to questions, big or small, and she makes a point to get to know the business and the person of each Member.
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
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.
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.
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.
Do you want an opportunity to help shape the future of BNI® merchandising & distribution?
In the last year, BNI® Members have helped each other generate over USD $15,000,000,000 billion in closed business. That a lot of business. But we’re just getting started. We’re passionate about helping you achieve more than you ever thought possible.
As you may know, all U.S. Directors and Members have access to an online store (www.bnipromos.com) where you can purchase branded items – everything from a BNI golf towel to a BNI fleece jacket. In the past two years, hundreds and thousands of Directors and Members have purchased promotional items and supplies from our online store. We are excited to ramp up our supply chain efforts to reach even more Directors and Members across the U.S.
Are you a current BNI® Member or Director who runs an exceptional comprehensive branded merchandise and fulfillment center that is experienced with national distribution? If so, we want to hear from you! Please email Janeen Leppert, Assistant U.S. National Director (janeen@bni.com) with a) a brief description of your company including a website link; b) how long you’ve been in BNI® and the roles you’ve played in the organization; and c) a brief paragraph explaining your interest in helping to streamline supplies in the U.S. and create an insanely great experience for BNI Directors and Members across the country.
Submitted by Bob Arnone, Member of Rocket City Referrals (Huntsville, Alabama).
I believe in the power of sports to shape the character of our Nation’s Youth. Studies show that students who participate in organized activities tend to have higher grade point averages, graduate, and stay out of trouble.
I retired in 2002, after 26 years in the U.S. Army. As I started my transition in 2001, I was looking for inspiration to stay in physical shape and set personal goals. I discovered my next calling, officiating high school (American) football. Since then, not only have I been officiating, but I am also a State Camp Instructor where I teach officials.
Business.
In the United States, there is a nationwide shortage of officials, which is causing school systems to reschedule or cancel organized sports. That causes a ripple effect on youth development and local economies. This shortage is partially due to the fact that becoming an official can be a confusing and complicated process. That’s because it’s ultimately our job to ensure the game is fair and the players are safe.
To simplify the process, I started Get It Rightin 2012. The intent was to exploit the power of visual learning and the advancements in gaming technologies, ultimately producing a program that could train officials. Our advanced program shows where officials need to be positioned on the field, where they should be looking, and how they are supposed to interact with their fellow crew members. We rendered animations of over 100 rules that cover American Football. These animations visually display what we need to look for to make an appropriate call. Because this program was so groundbreaking, and could be utilized in various scenarios, We began offering it to coaches as well. Not only does it help explain rules among coaching staffs, but it can help their players to minimize injuries through recognition.
Get It Right was designated as a Game Changer in the Officiating Industry by the National Association of Sports Officials.
As of 2018, we have penetrated 46 States and 11 Countries. Momentum and visibility continues to grow in 2019 as Get It Right is participating in National Coaching and Officiating clinics.
BNI Story.
My BNI experience began after I attended the Rocket City Referrals (Huntsville, Alabama) Visitors Day in December 2017. That was my second visit to the Chapter. Lisa Smith was the Chapter Consultant and described international opportunities that BNI could provide. This intrigued me and after submitting my application, I was accepted as a Member (January 2018). While I have made local progress, it’s unrealistic for my fellow Chapter Members to give me a referral when I ask “I would like a warm welcome to Betzalel Friedman, the Commissioner of the Israeli American Football League”.
Through SuccessNet™, I discovered the Global Power Team. I applied and was accepted. The GPT decided to conduct a Summit in October 2018, where GPT Members would gather outside our bi-weekly videoconferences. Our BNI Members in Tel Aviv graciously opened their invitation to host the meeting.
I embraced the opportunity and by making a connection with Mikhal Heffer in Tel Aviv, I was able to arrange a meeting with Mr. Friedman and his staff in Jerusalam. Two days later, the Israeli Football League became a Get It Right client. An incredible milestone for my country that was possibly only through my Membership with BNI.
I continue to be a proud Member of Rocket City Referrals, where I practice the philosophy of Givers Gain®. In addition, I am active participant in my Global Power Team as international opportunities become more and more prominent.
My thanks to my Chapter, my Global Power Team and BNI Israel. I’m continuing to focus my effort on Get it Right and hope to grow further with BNI. Please see a demo of our program below.
Ideal Referral: American football league commissioners and heads of officiating organizations at all levels…youth leagues up to adult/professional levels.
A friend of mine in BNI recently told me a story about her early days in the organization. Her name is Meaghan and when she joined the group, she had just come out of the construction management industry. Although she was now working as a business coach, she was still dressing to fit in at a construction site. Her entire wardrobe, according to her, was casual shirts and khaki pants which was well-dressed within the context of a construction site. One day two of her fellow members conducted a little “intervention.” They sat down with her and said, “we want to help you because – right now, as a business coach – you’re just not referable! You don’t present a professional image.” They went on to say that they believed that she was really good at what she did because they have seen her in action. The problem was that she made a marginal first impression when she showed up at a potential client’s office.
Now whether we agree with this intervention or not – one thing is definitely true. People’s “feelings” are their reality and these individuals felt they couldn’t refer her to their business clients because of the first impression that Meaghan was giving. When someone gives a referral, they give a little bit of their reputation away. Meaghan’s potential referral partners understood that if they referred her and she didn’t look the part, she might not get the business and that the referral recommendation would potentially reflect poorly on them.
Meaghan told me that she felt that her credibility as a coach came exclusively from what she knew and what she was talking about not other things like the way she dressed. Although she was really shocked by the statement, she took a moment and gave an absolutely brilliant response. She said, “Okay, so what are we going to do about it?” She went on to say that if they were going to drop this bomb on her – they couldn’t just turn and run for the hills. They had to help her out.
The sheer fact that she had the clarity of mind to not get defensive and listen to the feedback that was being given her was an absolute testament to her “walking the talk” as a coach. This openness to feedback allowed her to address the matter effectively and gave permission to her two potential referral partners to really help her. The two women that sat down with her then connected her with a cosmetic consultant and a hair stylist. One of the ladies even let Meaghan go shopping in her on closet to find clothes that fit the role she now had as a professional business coach.
What I’d like you to think about is: “How referable are you?” I certainly don’t know your situation but I would suggest to you that unless you are getting more referrals than you can possibly handle, you may not know either. So here’s the scary part – ask some people you know and trust if they would 1) give you an honest answer to that question, and 2) be willing to help you if they have suggestions.
Meaghan likes to say that: “With a great network, anything is possible. The big contact that you are looking for, the golden goose, the dream referral. All of it can happen – if you are open to feedback.” Meaghan was open to feedback and her life has changed because of it. She’s now an incredibly successful business person handling serious project management assignments that literally impact hundreds of thousands of people. Based on results, that brief meeting had a life-long impact on her life. Meetings like this can do the same for you. So, spend a little time and find out just how referable you are.
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.
With BNI’s new Worldwide Referrals feature, international relationships are coming more into focus. While the model of BNI and the passion of our Members how allowed for the cultivation of cross-border business relationships in the past, they are know at the forefront of our growth.
Throughout the month of February, and in conjunction with International Networking Week (#INW19), Members and Directors across BNI have shown that your commitment is truly Changing the Way the World Does Business®.
We encourage you to expand your boundaries. By embracing the global reach of BNI, you’ll continue to grow your business, cultivate important skills and build cultural awareness. Below are a few examples of cross-border collaboration and the potential of global power teams.
3 Directors, 3 Continents, 1 Meeting
All BNI Members are connected through their belief in Givers Gain®. This philosophy, which extends across borders, provides a foundation for Members to find success and support on the international stage. Quite often, we hear stories of Members who have encountered unforeseen circumstances while traveling abroad. In many of these cases, issues are resolved through the intervention of a local BNI Member.
Conversely, many Members & Directors see opportunity in visiting local chapters when traveling abroad. Whether to provide inspiration, cultural understanding or to show appreciation, it is a testament to the investment that we all have in BNI.
Recently, during #INW19, the Connect70 chapter in New York City, NY hosted an incredible 3 Directors from 3 different continents. The Directors who attended this meeting were:
Ben Prusky – Director Consultant, Manhattan BNI (BNI U.S.)
Jay Kantawala – Director Consultant, Mumbai South & Member of BNI Sparkle (BNI India)
Nicolas Gorski – Director-Consultant, West France (BNI France)
While it was coincidence that each Director decided to visit Connect70 during the same week, it shows that Members are interested in the BNI Experience no matter where it takes place. And while they were in New York for completely different reasons, this allowed stories to be shared, connections to be built and 121s to be conducted.
When recapping their visit, each Director emphasized that the energy displayed during the visit was contagious, giving credence to the idea that every single chapter meeting has a purpose. Nicolas stated “I’ve visited chapters in New York, Bangkok, Los Angeles… and it’s always the same. BNI works worldwide.”
Another fun fact: Connect70 had 41 visitors on that day alone!
A Step towards the Future
Jens Michael Damm, Regional Director for South Jutland (BNI Denmark) recently took a big leap forward towards greater cross-border collaboration through his connection with Members & Directors of BNI Germany. Specifically, Members from Flensburg, Dresden & Munich. And despite a difference in native language (Danish vs. German), Jens Michael saw the potential of developing an international relationship with these connections that could lead to more business for both.
Ultimately, after sending an initial invitation, a small delegation arrived from Germany to attend the BNI INW chapter in South Jutland. Jens Michael believes that through a natural but careful integration, quarterly meetings between Members from both countries are entirely possible.
Ralph Bøttcher from BNI Husum in Germany agrees: “There are many business opportunities in the border region. Danish Members can help German companies enter the Danish market, and we in Germany can reciprocate through the philosophy of Givers Gain®. In order to overcome the linguistic challenges, we can speak English. Plus, we all speak the language of referrals. This is an exciting step forward!”
A New Global Power Team
In an exciting development, BNI Members have recently established a new Russian Global Power Team. This group is open to Members around the world who speak the Russian language and are interested in expanding their business internationally.
As of now, this group includes Members from Russia, Latvia and Israel. They meet online every two weeks (fortnightly) and the agenda is structured to mirror a typical BNI Meeting. If you are interested in joining this Power Team, please see additional details below:
Meetings are conducted through “Zoom”. It is recommended that you have a strong internet connection, headphones and a webcam, if possible.
30 Second presentations should be prepared in advance and you should be ready to provide positive feedback to other members at the conclusion of their presentation.
During each meeting, this group with have one member give a 10 minute presentation about his/her business.
At the conclusion of each meeting, we encourage guests to provide feedback in order to help the development of the group.
For a list of current members and their contact information, please click here.
International Joint Chapter Meeting
During #INW19, Leaders from BNI Brazil & BNI Canada coordinated a joint-chapter meeting by video conference. This was an incredible showcase for the power of worldwide referrals. We expect this to be a launching point for future collaboration.
Submitted by John Kelliher of NRC East Environmental Services and Member of Wealth Builders BNI (South Burlington, Vermont).
John, a committed BNI Ambassador, has found value throughout his Membership with BNI. Not only has he been able to grow his business, but he has improved his time management skills and grown confident in his ability to speak publicly. The opportunity to work with a diverse group of business leaders has led to countless referrals that have come from unlikely, yet trusted sources.
John is currently serving as an Ambassador which has allowed him to expand his network among the numerous Chapters throughout VT. At the Chapter level, he’s also currently involved with Membership, but he’s also been a Visitor Host, and co-coordinator for last year’s Visitor’s Day. This resulted in, roughly, 85 visitors and 9 apps!
Please read this submission from John below which touches on the importance of treating your BNI Membership as a business. The inspiration for this topic came from U.S. National Director Tim Robert’s Power of One Podcast #218.
How do you view your BNI experience? Each week we meet with fellow Chapter Members, and we begin to become familiar with them. As that familiarity grows, so too can lassitude towards the policies that make BNI so successful: attendance, getting to (and staying in) the green, inviting visitors, maintaining a steady schedule of 121s, continuing to grow and develop through educational opportunities, the list goes on and on. We begin to see our weekly meetings devolve from a formal business meeting to an unstructured social experience.
Treat your BNI experience like a business. Make it your business to attend each meeting. Would you miss a business meeting with a colleague? Of course not! Make it your business to participate in the open networking portion of the meeting – get there early, deepen the trust and relationships you are growing with other Members. Cultivate! Be present! Make your 121s work by NOT just having a coffee, but really getting down to learning about what your partner’s needs are – who do they need you to introduce them to? What specific key words can you listen for when you are out in your circle of influence?
Make yourself listen to a podcast on the way to work. Make it your business to follow the formula that has proven to be successful.
Like a business, hold others in your Chapter accountable. How is your Leadership Team managing the Chapter? Are they leading you towards success? Likewise on Membership – treat potential Members like Interviewees. Would you as a business owner want to hire someone who was late for meetings, or wasn’t on top of their game? Is Membership holding your chapter accountable? It is not easy to address accountability issues with your friends and colleagues, but if you don’t, you are doing them (and yourselves) a disservice. Ask the hard questions of potential Members, don’t accept mediocrity.
Consider the time commitment that BNI exacts on you. Yes, it does require a lot of time and effort. Make that time commitment to BNI a part of your business. Include BNI in your annual business plan. Set that time aside so that you can work ON your business. This is how you will grow your business. Like anything else in life, you will get out of BNI what you put into it. Often, you will find that the rewards are far greater than the efforts you’ve invested. You do need to invest, there is no denying that BNI requires a commitment – Choose to be “all in”. It’s YOUR business.
John has worked in the environmental industry since 2000. He has a BS in Geology and an MS in Hydrology. In addition, John served in the US Peace Crops between 1991 – 1995, which helped provide professional clarity and enhanced skills that have proved valuable even today.
As a Senior Project Manager with NRC, John’s ideal referral would include a partnership with a fuel dealer or dealers to provide 24/7 emergency spill response services. NRC is well suited to handling environmental emergencies, from oils, hazardous materials, caustics, acids, toxics, industrial cleaning – you name it, they’ve got you covered.
John would like recognize his entire Chapter (Wealth Builders BNI, and our Director Consultant Erik Kolomaznik). They are the true heroes of his success story and provide invaluable inspiration on a weekly basis.
Submitted by Fiona Waddell, Director Consultant of Scotland South and East, BNI UK. This article was submitted on behalf of Graham Gerrard, dubbed the Braidlaw Hero.
Quite often, you will read stories of BNI Members overcoming obstacles and making an incredible impact in the lives of others. Graham Gerrard, a Member and Plasterer from the Braidlaw BNI (Midlothian) Chapter, recently exemplified this and showed how an extraordinary deed can come in any form.
Late in 2018, fellow Member Steph Green informed Graham of a situation and potential referral that involved a young girl with cancer. While in the process of receiving chemotherapy, her mother wanted to give her a small miracle… a completely refurbished bedroom, just in time for Christmas.
Steph, who first saw this request on Facebook, passed along Graham’s information. As soon as Graham met with the family and was made aware of the situation, he immediately agreed to do the job. Despite not knowing the family beforehand, Graham took the time to get to know the little girl so that he could make her dream a reality.
It was a delicate situation, as the room was viewed as a haven by the girl; she adored how two deer often came up to her window, providing a sense of wonder. But Graham was up to the challenge. By agreeing to help this family in need, he gave inspiration to the girl as she fought through a tough bout of chemotherapy.
Despite a busy schedule, Graham began work on the room as soon as possible, during his scheduled day off. He thought of his own children and how he could not bear the disappointment of this child if the room was not ready for her return from hospital. On top of this, Graham displayed an incredibly act of generosity by refusing all payment.
As Graham completed the work, he presented it to a grateful family. He was able to cherish the moment and experience a joyous occasion despite a difficult situation. And while her chemotherapy continued after the completion of the room, she was doing very well.
In the end, this was time well spent as giving this little girl hope was worth more than time or money. To recognize this incredible act of compassion, BNI Braidlaw gave Graham a standing ovation at their next chapter meeting and presented him with a framed ‘BNI Braidlaw Hero award’. A truly wonderful example of Givers Gain.
Thank you, Graham, for inspiring all of us to lead with compassion and humility. You set the standard of what a BNI Member can truly accomplish by embracing community and the power of referrals.
Submitted by Kevin Barber, Chairman of the BNI Foundation Worldwide Inc. & ED BNI Germany South-West
In Part One, I talked about how everything fits together – the BNI Foundation, Business Voices, BNI Connect 5, BNI Cares and referred to the “BNI Foundation” to a movement, a mindset. It is the basis of everything that BNI Members, chapters and directors across the world do to support children and education in their local communities.
The Givers Gain® Grant Program and the Business Voices™ Initiative are the two ways in which the BNI Foundation fulfills its mission of supporting children and education. This is indicated by the dotted green line in the diagram below:
Currently there are five independent, non-profit, legal-entity BNI Foundations in the US, Canada, France, Japan and Spain. These are the countries where donations can be received by a recognized BNI charity and distributed in the form of Givers Gain® grants to schools and other organizations to give children a better chance in life. The BNI Foundation Worldwide, Inc. is registered as a public charity in Charlotte, North Carolina and acts as the lead organization in developing BNI Foundation activities globally.
This does not mean that these five countries are the only places where the “The BNI Foundation” is active. There are also very active Business Voices Programs (which we know about) in Italy and Taiwan, China and similar informal activities at chapter level across the world of BNI.
Our goal is to establish some form of BNI Foundation presence in each country and then to start recording all of its activity by 2020. How this happens is less important than that it happens. Where a non-profit legal entity is legally, financially and logistically an option, this is the preferred first step. If not, identifying a “go-to person” who we can help to establish and coordinate a Business Voices Program, is a more than acceptable alternative. This individual would be able to record all the amazing things that members and chapters already do.
At the 2018 BNI Convention in Bangkok, strong interest was already expressed by directors from Spain, UK, Finland, Brazil, Cambodia, India, Hong Kong, Poland, the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand, which is a good start! Let’s keep the momentum going.
Remember, the BNI Foundation can help you support the community in which you live and work and at the same time bring real benefits for your business. We look forward to working with you.
BNI’s 2019 International Networking Week was an incredible success. Please view some of the most visible highlights from around the world.
*This page will be updated as additional submissions are received
BNI New York (BNI U.S.)
Check out the publicity for this #INW19 event out of Horseheads, New York. Two of their members, Manda Lewis and Peter Wallin, showcased this with a spotlight on their local news station. Please view the clip below!
Check out these videos submitted out of BNI Winelands & BNI Joburg South Central.
BNI Israel
BNI Israel celebrated their Members’ Day in conjunction with #INW19. This event, which included an Awards Breakfast for 68 Members, was dedicated to showing respect to our valued Members. During the event, a special award was presented to Israel’s top chapter (BNI Business in Motion) for their annual achievements:
58 Members
84% Retention Rate
14 Million Israeli Shekel in TYFCB (Equal to $4 Million USD)
In 2018, BNI Israel saw a grand total of $60 Million USD in TYFCB.
This #INW19 Awards Breakfast was an incredible success and brought hundreds of BNI Israel members to meet, network, develop more relationships for more business opportunities. We’re proud of the impact that BNI Israel Members are making across the world! Please view the recap below.
BNI Arizona (BNI U.S.)
BNI Arizona kicked off International Networking Week 2019 kicked off bang here. They had an incredible number of attendees prepared to open up A New World of Opportunity!
The 2019 #INW19 “Connect 5” Journey: Enlightenment through experience
On 3rd February BNI CEO + Community Builder, Graham Weihmiller, departed BNI’s Global Headquarters en route to New York City. Throughout the subsequent week (#INW19), Graham visited Five Member countries and International Business Hubs. During his journey, he met with some incredible BNI Members & Leaders for an experience that truly represented the global reach of BNI.
Provided below is a visual recap of that incredible journey. For more information on International Networking Week, please click here.
“Connect 5” Highlights
A Serendipitous Connection – New York City, New York
Ian Scott – a BNI Director Consultant from New York City and a terrific 20 year BNI Leader, describes some terrific serendipity – a referral to his wife Lauren (another BNI Director Consultant).
A Celebration of New Beginnings
BNI Leaders celebrated the Chinese New Yeat at the beautiful Crowne Plaza in Guangzhou City Centre – a very gracious event arranged by BNI Member Colar Chan, who is the Director of Sales & Marketing at the hotel. The following morning, Graham met with BNI Leaders at the Hilton Guangzhou Tianhe to see how BNI can best help SMEs grow a global business. A special thanks to Stella Yung, Stanley Kong, and Cindy Yung for their leadership and hospitality!
Passionate Dedication to Givers Gain®
Question: Who goes to the symphony at 7:30am in the morning?!
Answer: impressive business leaders who believe in the power of Givers Gain!
The BNI Symphony Chapter in Bangalore is serious about business and serious about keeping the Fun in fundamentals! With a retention rate of 97%, Symphony’s 72 Members have passed 6,120 referrals in the last 12 months leading to over $4.8 million USD in closed business. BNI Bangalore has 2,277 Members overall and has passed 148,283 referrals in the last 12 months leading to over $90 million in closed business. Get ready for this: BNI India has 26,780 Members. These awesome Members have passed 1,523,699 referrals in the last 12 months leading to over $1.5 billion USD in closed business! And they’re just getting started…
A Beautiful & Bright Future
Did you know that the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, at 828 meters (2,717 feet) and 163 floors, is the world’s tallest building. It is perfectly symbolic of the ambition of BNI UAE, and it provided a picturesque backdrop for their event at The Lounge in downtown Dubai. Here, exceptional BNI Members and Leaders outlined their plans to support the UAE’s continued growth as a global commercial hub.
Together, with Graham, they celebrated International Networking Week, and cheered this team’s ambitious plans for the future. A special thank you to Bijay and Anna Shah for their wonderful hospitality, and terrific thought leadership. Keep an eye on BNI UAE, there are big things underway!
The Foundation for Global Growth
Question: decades ago, which country within BNI’s 70 countries became BNIs springboard to the world?
Answer: BNI UK!
With 11,400 Members and exceptional leaders like Phil Berg, Gillian Lawson, Charlie Lawson, Tim Cook, Russ Sawdon, and Rishi Bhuptani, BNI UK is a major force for good.
A Special Thanks
A special thanks to Kevin Barber , the originator of the Connect 5 Trip Concept. Celebrating #INW19 with BNI Members & Leaders in 5 countries in 5 days is an unforgettable experience.
Purpose-driven business leaders, by growing fantastic businesses and contributing back to their communities, can make this world a really collaborative and prosperous place for everyone. This was apparent during BNI’s 2019 International Networking Week.
Thank you to Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder & Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, who has inspired all of us in BNI to be our best selves by focusing on Givers Gain. There’s never been more excitement about the future of BNI.
