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
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 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.
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.
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.
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 Kevin Barber, Chairman of the BNI Foundation Worldwide Inc. & ED BNI Germany South-West
In Part One, I talked about how everything fits together – the BNI Foundation, Business Voices, BNI Connect 5, BNI Cares and referred to the “BNI Foundation” to a movement, a mindset. It is the basis of everything that BNI Members, chapters and directors across the world do to support children and education in their local communities.
The Givers Gain® Grant Program and the Business Voices™ Initiative are the two ways in which the BNI Foundation fulfills its mission of supporting children and education. This is indicated by the dotted green line in the diagram below:
Currently there are five independent, non-profit, legal-entity BNI Foundations in the US, Canada, France, Japan and Spain. These are the countries where donations can be received by a recognized BNI charity and distributed in the form of Givers Gain® grants to schools and other organizations to give children a better chance in life. The BNI Foundation Worldwide, Inc. is registered as a public charity in Charlotte, North Carolina and acts as the lead organization in developing BNI Foundation activities globally.
This does not mean that these five countries are the only places where the “The BNI Foundation” is active. There are also very active Business Voices Programs (which we know about) in Italy and Taiwan, China and similar informal activities at chapter level across the world of BNI.
Our goal is to establish some form of BNI Foundation presence in each country and then to start recording all of its activity by 2020. How this happens is less important than that it happens. Where a non-profit legal entity is legally, financially and logistically an option, this is the preferred first step. If not, identifying a “go-to person” who we can help to establish and coordinate a Business Voices Program, is a more than acceptable alternative. This individual would be able to record all the amazing things that members and chapters already do.
At the 2018 BNI Convention in Bangkok, strong interest was already expressed by directors from Spain, UK, Finland, Brazil, Cambodia, India, Hong Kong, Poland, the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand, which is a good start! Let’s keep the momentum going.
Remember, the BNI Foundation can help you support the community in which you live and work and at the same time bring real benefits for your business. We look forward to working with you.
BNI’s 2019 International Networking Week was an incredible success. Please view some of the most visible highlights from around the world.
*This page will be updated as additional submissions are received
BNI New York (BNI U.S.)
Check out the publicity for this #INW19 event out of Horseheads, New York. Two of their members, Manda Lewis and Peter Wallin, showcased this with a spotlight on their local news station. Please view the clip below!
Check out these videos submitted out of BNI Winelands & BNI Joburg South Central.
BNI Israel
BNI Israel celebrated their Members’ Day in conjunction with #INW19. This event, which included an Awards Breakfast for 68 Members, was dedicated to showing respect to our valued Members. During the event, a special award was presented to Israel’s top chapter (BNI Business in Motion) for their annual achievements:
58 Members
84% Retention Rate
14 Million Israeli Shekel in TYFCB (Equal to $4 Million USD)
In 2018, BNI Israel saw a grand total of $60 Million USD in TYFCB.
This #INW19 Awards Breakfast was an incredible success and brought hundreds of BNI Israel members to meet, network, develop more relationships for more business opportunities. We’re proud of the impact that BNI Israel Members are making across the world! Please view the recap below.
BNI Arizona (BNI U.S.)
BNI Arizona kicked off International Networking Week 2019 kicked off bang here. They had an incredible number of attendees prepared to open up A New World of Opportunity!
The 2019 #INW19 “Connect 5” Journey: Enlightenment through experience
On 3rd February BNI CEO + Community Builder, Graham Weihmiller, departed BNI’s Global Headquarters en route to New York City. Throughout the subsequent week (#INW19), Graham visited Five Member countries and International Business Hubs. During his journey, he met with some incredible BNI Members & Leaders for an experience that truly represented the global reach of BNI.
Provided below is a visual recap of that incredible journey. For more information on International Networking Week, please click here.
“Connect 5” Highlights
A Serendipitous Connection – New York City, New York
Ian Scott – a BNI Director Consultant from New York City and a terrific 20 year BNI Leader, describes some terrific serendipity – a referral to his wife Lauren (another BNI Director Consultant).
A Celebration of New Beginnings
BNI Leaders celebrated the Chinese New Yeat at the beautiful Crowne Plaza in Guangzhou City Centre – a very gracious event arranged by BNI Member Colar Chan, who is the Director of Sales & Marketing at the hotel. The following morning, Graham met with BNI Leaders at the Hilton Guangzhou Tianhe to see how BNI can best help SMEs grow a global business. A special thanks to Stella Yung, Stanley Kong, and Cindy Yung for their leadership and hospitality!
Passionate Dedication to Givers Gain®
Question: Who goes to the symphony at 7:30am in the morning?!
Answer: impressive business leaders who believe in the power of Givers Gain!
The BNI Symphony Chapter in Bangalore is serious about business and serious about keeping the Fun in fundamentals! With a retention rate of 97%, Symphony’s 72 Members have passed 6,120 referrals in the last 12 months leading to over $4.8 million USD in closed business. BNI Bangalore has 2,277 Members overall and has passed 148,283 referrals in the last 12 months leading to over $90 million in closed business. Get ready for this: BNI India has 26,780 Members. These awesome Members have passed 1,523,699 referrals in the last 12 months leading to over $1.5 billion USD in closed business! And they’re just getting started…
A Beautiful & Bright Future
Did you know that the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, at 828 meters (2,717 feet) and 163 floors, is the world’s tallest building. It is perfectly symbolic of the ambition of BNI UAE, and it provided a picturesque backdrop for their event at The Lounge in downtown Dubai. Here, exceptional BNI Members and Leaders outlined their plans to support the UAE’s continued growth as a global commercial hub.
Together, with Graham, they celebrated International Networking Week, and cheered this team’s ambitious plans for the future. A special thank you to Bijay and Anna Shah for their wonderful hospitality, and terrific thought leadership. Keep an eye on BNI UAE, there are big things underway!
The Foundation for Global Growth
Question: decades ago, which country within BNI’s 70 countries became BNIs springboard to the world?
Answer: BNI UK!
With 11,400 Members and exceptional leaders like Phil Berg, Gillian Lawson, Charlie Lawson, Tim Cook, Russ Sawdon, and Rishi Bhuptani, BNI UK is a major force for good.
A Special Thanks
A special thanks to Kevin Barber , the originator of the Connect 5 Trip Concept. Celebrating #INW19 with BNI Members & Leaders in 5 countries in 5 days is an unforgettable experience.
Purpose-driven business leaders, by growing fantastic businesses and contributing back to their communities, can make this world a really collaborative and prosperous place for everyone. This was apparent during BNI’s 2019 International Networking Week.
Thank you to Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder & Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, who has inspired all of us in BNI to be our best selves by focusing on Givers Gain. There’s never been more excitement about the future of BNI.
It’s important to highlight the impact of BNI worldwide and how it inspires our leaders to come together in support of our Members. Here’s a quick read detailing BNI’s Vietnam’s Leadership Summit from November 2018. Submitted by Director Consultant, Ali Cong Tran.
With the theme “Raising the Capabilities of the Leaders”, BNI Vietnam’s Leadership Summit was held in the beautiful city of Dalat, in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, during November 28-30, 2018.
Participants included Executive Directors (EDs) as well as Directors and Ambassadors (DnAs) nationwide. This special connection-and-training event brought DnAs the solutions to build and develop chapters, regions and areas. This was done with the help of BNI Vietnam’s leaders, who drew inspiration from success stories, lessons, experiences, tools and processes shared at the summit. Topics included “Leadership with Love”, “The Leader in You”, “Happy Members in a ‘Green’ Chapter”, “Extreme Leadership”… and each topic was enthusiastically received by all participants.
The credibility, connections and understanding among DnAs was apparent, as they proactively built and strengthened their relationships. A flame of enthusiasm was ignited during this summit and, through their concentrated efforts, it will spread throughout BNI Vietnam!
The “One BNI Vietnam” concept was introduced to summit participants as well. This concept covers the consistent and effective implementation of branding, tools, processes and awards. BNI Vietnam’s Mission for 2019 was determined to be “121270”. This number (121270) translates to:
1 (one) region achieving annual growth with two (2) new chapters.
2 (two) new members join a chapter each month.
70% of members celebrate their “BNI birthdays”. In other words, retention rate reaches 70% or higher.
Some other important takeaways included:
During the summit, participants played an exciting and meaningful simulation game entitled “Journey to the Jade Mountain”. This simulation helped participants enhance their leadership skills.
Recognition was given to distinguished EDs and DnAs for their dedicated contribution to the growth of BNI Vietnam over the past few years.
The Gala dinner was held in the legendary peak of Langbiang, where the participants enjoyed a performance by the K’ Hor ethnic minority people.
Throughout the summit, BNI Vietnam leaders were honored to encourage and support growth among DnAs in the spirit of “Givers Gain”. The event ended with a renewed perspective and appreciation from BNI Vietnam’s EDs and DnAs. As participants departed, hugs and smiles were exchanged and appointments were made for BNI Vietnam’s 2019 Leadership Summit.
When I started BNI in 1985, the most often asked question from the media was: “Is this networking thing just a fad?” Well, almost 34 years and more than 8,700 groups later – it’s clearly not a fad. There have been changes over time though. The biggest change has been the introduction of the internet. Ironically, online networking has contributed to the success of face-to-face networks by greatly reducing the communication hierarchy and allowing people to communicate through online platforms (including walled gardens just for members). I saw a trend relating to the integration of face-to-face and online networking eight years ago, and I wrote about eight years ago. [i]
According to the Small Business Administration, today around “50% of all small businesses are home-based,” [ii] and according to the BBC, “nearly half of the US workforce is expected to work remotely by 2020.” [iii] This means that 50% or more of future entrepreneurs and employees will be working remotely within the next few years.
Today, I see an even more amazing trend on the horizon as it relates to remote work, technology, and business networking. That trend is the emergence of Mixed Reality within the realm of personal networking. Mixed Reality is “the merging of real and virtual worlds where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time.” Mixed reality takes place not only in the physical world or the virtual world but is a mix of reality and virtual reality.” [iv]
“Mixed reality lets the user see the real world… while also seeing believable, virtual objects… It then anchors those virtual objects to a point in real space, making it possible to treat them as ‘real,’ at least from the perspective of the person who can see the mixed reality experience.” [v]
As this technology develops, it will allow remote teams to work together and tackle objectives no matter where the individuals are physically located. People can enter a collaborative, immersive virtual environment in order to “develop and activate relationships, to increase business, enhance knowledge, expand one’s sphere of influence, or serve the community.” In other words – network.[vi] And, in the not too distant future, I predict that they will be able to do that remotely through a Mixed Reality environment.
I believe the future of networking is a blending of the physical world with the digital world. According to Microsoft, “Mixed Reality is the next evolution in human, computer, and environment interaction and unlocks possibilities that before now were restricted to our imaginations” (see Venn Diagram). [vii]
One of the current missing elements of a video discussion is the lack of intimacy with the online communication. However, as this technology advances, people will be better able to read non-verbal language like crossed arms, leaning in, signs of nervousness, or other non-verbal queues that can be missed in a two-dimensional discussion. People attach value to the feeling of physically sharing space with another person. The more technology enables that feeling to mirror reality, the more effective it will be because as science has shown, the brain is often unable to determine what is real and what is not as it relates to virtual reality.
You may be thinking that this is an idea that is decades away – but it’s not. Bjorn Laurin, Vice President of product development at Lindon Lab predicts that virtual-meetings will “become as commonplace as owning an iPhone – within 5 to10 years!” [viii]
True, it is not the same as being there – but it will be getting closer and closer to the Jedi Knights and their holographic meetings as seen in Star Wars.
When that time comes – I want to be Obi-Wan Kenobi. I’m just saying.
Submitted by Kevin Barber, Chairman of the BNI Foundation Worldwide Inc. & ED BNI Germany South-West
The BNI Foundation has been serving children and education since 1998 because children are the future of the communities in which we live and do business. As adults they will become our customers, staff, suppliers, teachers, doctors, politicians and our neighbors.
I am often asked, “So how does this all fit together – the BNI Foundation, Business Voices, BNI Connect 5, BNI Cares?”
The best way to think of the BNI Foundation is as a movement, a mindset – BNI members, chapters and directors all over the world supporting their local communities where their support is most needed. Not just because they feel sympathy, but to make real long-term positive change.
The BNI Foundation offers two ways to help: The Givers Gain® Grants program and the Business Voices™ Initiative:
The Givers Gain® Grants program is financed through national and international donations. The money is used to fund school grants and other projects that give young people the chance to become better adults.
You can also get involved in your local communities by offering your time and talent through the Business Voices Initiative. For example, you can teach the basic business and networking skills that children will need in the real world!
So, what is BNI Cares? When bad things happen in the world – hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, floods – BNI members want to come together and help. Hard as it may sound, this is NOT the mission of the BNI Foundation. Equally we know that BNI members look to the Foundation for guidance – so, starting in 2019, we will integrate BNI Cares initiatives into the BNI Foundation’s web presence.
And BNI Connect 5? This is, of course, very close to my heart, but it too is NOT the focus of the BNI Foundation. BNI Connect 5 was born in 2011 to show just how it easy it is to connect BNI entrepreneurs in all corners of the world. As the BNI Foundation supports more and more children across the world, Lawrence Richards and I will make sure “BNI Kids” get connected too!
At BNI we are not only Changing the Way the World Does Business but also Changing the Way Business Sees the World!
Every solid structure needs a strong foundation, and the BNI Foundation can help you support your local community while bringing real benefits to your business.
Submitted by Dr. Oudi Abouchacra, Executive Director for BNI Abu Dhabi
Dr. Oudi is the Executive Director for BNI Abu Dhabi and founder of Inspired Results, performance training and coaching. He draws on almost 20 years of experience as a chiropractor.
His BNI story in a nutshell is that at the age of 27 he went from a struggling doctor in his first year to running a busy clinic thanks to BNI. He attributes his success to the Philosophy of BNI; Giver Gain® which resonated with him and matched his perspective in life that came from a life threatening situation a decade prior.
Dr. Oudi is the creator of Eat-ology, Speak-ology, Think-ology and Power House Team Building programs which are accredited by Traccert Canada. His programs, many of which have been accredited by The Department of Health in the UAE, have reached downtown Toronto, uptown Johannesburg, Australia, Africa, Lebanon, Qatar, the UAE and across Canada. His clients include The Bank of Canada, TOTAL, The Weston and Hilton Hotels, and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, just to name a few.
He would like to Thank Bijay Shah, Graham Wiehmiller, Cindy Mount, Meagan Chitwood, Colin Horner and Dr. Ivan Misner for their unparalleled support.
This BNI success story was submitted by Barry Thomas, member of BNI Peak Performers in Toronto, Canada
Does BNI work? I assume the answer depends on who you ask, but if you ask me, after being a member of the Peak Performers chapter since February of 2005, the answer is a resounding “YES!”. I’m in the car business as a broker, working with the HAV-A-KAR Auto Group in Toronto. Simply put, I can supply any new vehicle available in Canada, while providing leasing, financing or cash purchase options for my clients.
I should also mention that while cars are my business, they are also my passion and my hobby. In my chapter, I’m known as The Car Guy. What I do doesn’t seem like work to me. I truly believe this passion about what I do comes across to my clients and makes the process much more enjoyable for them. My love of cars also enables me to help my clients in a more informed way, better than if they walked into a dealership showroom and were bombarded with details specific only to that brand.
Here is a story of how one referral from a chapter member blossomed into an amazing amount of new and repeat business. To my mind this is the true power of BNI.
In my first year as a member, we had a home builder join our chapter. Shortly afterwards, he referred his wife to me, since she was looking for a new van. As always, I made some recommendations based on my knowledge of the current vehicles on the market. Once she decided, I delivered her new family van to her door, a service I offer to all of my clients. She loved it and shortly afterwards gave my name to her neighbor, who also selected the same van (out of courtesy, a different colour).
The neighbor also loved their van and my service, so they referred me to a relative in a northern suburb. This led to yet another van being delivered. Seems like I was cornering the market on mini-vans. This latest client now referred me to her mother, who lived about two hours west of Toronto. A bit of a trip, but I happily made the drive to drop off her new suv.
Now let’s cycle back to the home builder, who started this chain of new business. He needed a pick-up for his business and again after I made some suggestions, he was able to order exactly what he needed. A little later in the year, I delivered a second truck, this one to his associate. I was on top of the world, as this was a BNI referral that kept on giving.
In the meantime, the lady with the suv, referred me to another of her daughters back in Toronto. Yes, I was fortunate to earn her business and also that of her husband. Wow, BNI was working exactly as I had been told it would.
Since each new client needed insurance, I was also able to refer them to the agent in the Peak Performers. Even more business from that first van referral.
Several of these deliveries were leases. That means they have an end date, usually after 36 or 48 months. So, if I’ve done my job right and made their initial experience a pleasant one, then they would come back to me for their next vehicle. And they did.
My suburban van client has returned to me several times since her first delivery back in 2005 and in December, 2018, I delivered her fifth car. Now I’m working on something for her son. Hopefully, the start of yet another longtime relationship.
The home builder left our chapter years ago, but the relationship we built still endures and he continues to lease his and his associate’s trucks from me. I believe the count is now up to seven pick-ups since his first delivery.
My business with these clients is built on relationships, but without the initial BNI referral, none of these deliveries would have come to pass. I wouldn’t have had access to the business of any of these people and they would not have known about me.
This speaks to the power of BNI and the people that it can get us in touch with. It shows how one referral can lead to many other contacts and much more closed business over many years.
