Submitted By: Barb Lynch, BNI® Success Partners, Northeast Florida
Our first One-to-One was over lunch. It was there, over 10 years ago, where we both committed to finding each other “Specific Referrals.”
After building trust and passing a few referrals to each other, we became each other’s customers. At the time, BNI Member Amber Payne, worked for a national magazine where their tagline was – “Mint Magazine…..Saving Families Money and Helping Businesses Grow.” I purchased monthly advertisements and she hired my cleaning company for her home, business office and vacation rentals. This rooted our referral partnership deeper.
This certainty about our business relationship has created a bond that far exceeds the 90-minute meeting agenda. Amber shared, “Barbara is not only a friend, but a sister that I could not imagine my life without.” Through many life changes, each of us have found solace in our alliance. Our years together has seen trials and victories. In fact, I was there when she experienced the ultimate joy of accepting her marriage proposal from the man of her dreams…and guess what….he was a member in BNI.
Fast forward to today. Amber is now Vice President of Marketing for Rytech INC, which is a water restoration and mold specialist company. I now work for Griffin Service, a HVAC company as their Marketing and Community Liaison. These industries align so well naturally, yet our alliance continues to advance us through many new doors of opportunities.
One thing that drives us through these “doors of opportunity” is our passion to connect and recruit for others. This has led us to a number of speaking engagements, a home service radio show, called “WSOS, St. Augustine – The Ambie and Barbie Home Show”, and training videos. Even further, and so close to my heart, Amber has helped me personally fundraise over $12, 000 for Act 4 The Nations, an organization I am involved with that helps support women and children both locally and around the world.
Some would say me joining my local BNI Chapter and meeting Amber was a coincidence. But I know it is something far greater than that. It has afforded me a world of blessings and endless possibilities…needless to say, BNI has changed my life (in the most profound, positive way)!
