Your BNI chapter has its own personality. But if you walked in as a visitor tomorrow, would you want to come back?

In this episode, I explore how warm welcomes, specific referral requests and well-trained members help visitors see BNI at its best. I also challenge the familiar idea that “meetings are for the visitors” and explain why serving members well helps demonstrate the value of membership.

From the first hello to a helpful conversation about next steps, every member shapes the experience.

Whether you’re a BNI member, a chapter leader or considering joining, tune in for practical ways to spot the gaps, revisit the training and help your chapter deliver an experience people want to be part of.

Are business cards outdated, or are we just using them the wrong way?

In this episode of The Imperfect Podcast, Wendy Lloyd Curley makes the case for keeping business cards in your networking toolkit. For her, a card is a tangible reminder to follow up, make an introduction or continue a conversation. She shares why collecting a stack of cards rarely helps, why handing yours to everyone can feel pushy, and how to keep track of meaningful connections when someone doesn’t have a card.

Do you still carry business cards? Wendy would love to hear what works for you.

In this episode of The Imperfect Podcast, Wendy begins a journey through her book, Stop Wasting Your Time Networking, by reading the introduction and revisiting the ideas that inspired it.

It begins with a wonderfully cheeky lesson from her friend Dave... you can often get what you want if you know what you want and are willing to ask for it.

Wendy explores why networking can feel awkward, expensive, and rather unproductive when we approach it as an opportunity to sell. She also introduces the golden rule of strategic networking: thou shalt not sell.

Because networking is not about finding someone to buy from you today. It is about better conversations, meaningful relationships, and discovering who you might meet along the way.