エピソード

  • Episode 977: The Willing Conversation (Classic)

    Episode 977: The Willing Conversation (Classic)
    2026/09/09
    Note: This is a rebroadcast of Episode 748, first published on March 9, 2022. Some links and offers may no longer be valid. Synopsis To receive more effective referrals from the members of your BNI group, it’s really important to help them understand your business and your target market enough to identify a good referral. To do that, you need to make sure they know these four things. The Needs AssessmentYour Unique Selling PropositionWhy Are You in Business?What’s Your Emotionally Charged Connection? Listen to Episode 451 and read “Why You Do What You Do Is Your Key to Success” for more about Emotionally Charged Connections. What have you shared with your network that has helped you gain willing conversations with prospective customers? Share your answers in the comments. The Official BNI Podcast is sponsored by Misner Audio Programs. Complete Transcript of Episode 748 Priscilla:Hello everybody and welcome back to The Official BNI Podcast. I’m Priscilla Rice and I’m coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, California. And I’m joined on the phone today by the Founder and the Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. Hello Ivan, how are you and where are you? Ivan: I am at home in Austin, Texas this week. And, you know, most of our podcasts, almost all of our podcasts, land a post on Wednesday morning. And many of you may not know this, but for the last couple of years, every Wednesday, I have Sam Horn come over in the morning. Sam wrote the book, “POP!” where she mentioned BNI, and that was before I knew Sam. And she also wrote the book, “Someday is Not a Day in the Week.” I talk about Sam and quote her in a number of places. She comes over every Wednesday morning after this podcast goes live. And we do what we call “Writing Wednesday.” But honestly, Priscilla, it’s oftentimes ‘talking’ Wednesday. We talk. We talk a lot about writing, but we talk a lot. And today’s topic is The Willing Conversation. Priscilla:Uh huh. Ivan:And so it’s about talking to people. Do you remember, Priscilla, when you were a kid how fun magnets were to play with? Priscilla:Yes. Ivan:Yeah, I loved magnets. And depending on which way you turn the magnet, they were either attracted or repelled by one another. And as an adult, we may find ourselves feeling six years old again when we make a phone call to a referral, who turns out to not be a referral at all. And similar to a magnet that’s turned the wrong direction, you’re not being embraced in that conversation, you’re being resisted. So the referral you were given that should have been a warm introduction quickly turns into a cold call. We all want good referrals, people who want to talk to us. We want to give and receive referrals that are willing conversations about the products and services that we have to offer. And to receive more effective referrals from the members of your BNI group, it’s really important to help them understand your business and your target market enough to identify a good referral. So here are four tips that you can follow that will help you with those willing conversations. The first tip is The Needs Assessment. It’s really your responsibility to be very clear; it’s our responsibility – I’ll talk about it with me as well. It’s our responsibility to be very clear and specific with our referral partners about what constitutes a good referral. And this is a combination of an ideal prospect profile and the problems that we can solve for them. Because it’s not just about what you do, it’s about what solutions you have for the people that you’re working with. It’s about what Andy Bounds calls the AFTERs —what are things going to look like after you’ve worked with them. So, the needs assessment really is an example of you clearly defining your target market. So for a corporate coach, as an example, you might say that a small to medium sized company with fewer than 100 employees, closely held business – family owned business, regional with locations, you know, local in a state or two, and that they as a coach provide themselves on higher than average retention, getting companies to have higher than average retention for employees. And they may be in a competitive industry and as an executive coach, you can help them gain an advantage. So, you know, you want to communicate your target market very clearly to the people in your BNI group. Ivan:You also want to describe your Unique Selling Proposition. So do you have dozens or hundreds of competitors in your marketplace? You probably do. And that means that your unique selling proposition, or USP, is really important because it allows you to stand out among your competition. Your USP is a brief description of the purpose of your business. It’s stated in the most concise and compelling way possible in order to help others understand the unique value of what it is that you do. So your unique selling proposition tells ...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    12 分
  • Episode 978: Building Trust or Introducing Doubt?

    Episode 978: Building Trust or Introducing Doubt?
    2026/09/16
    Synopsis If you can empower people to want to help you, then ultimately all they need to know is how to help you, as guest Phil Berg likes to say. But before they can want to help you, your referral partners have to trust you to uphold their reputations. Prospects have to feel safe giving you their money. Don’t introduce doubts about your reliability by showing up late to meetings or complaining about how busy you are. First, get clear on your own goals, how to achieve them, and a realistic timeline. Next, make sure you know why someone would want to hire you. Only then can you teach people how to talk about you in a way that results in the other person being excited to receive a call from you. Links Read Networking Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint.Listen to Episode 888: How to Educate Others to Refer You.Listen to Episode 889: Taking a Leadership Role in Your ChapterVisit Phil Berg’s website, philberg.coach. The Official BNI Podcast is sponsored by Misner Audio Programs. Complete Transcript of Episode 978 Priscilla:Hello everybody, and welcome back to the Official BNI Podcast. I’m Priscilla Rice, and I’m coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, California, and I’m joined on the phone today by the Founder and the Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. Hello Ivan, how are you and where are you? Ivan:I just got back in time to do this podcast. I’ve been doing a keynote presentation for an organization in Tampa, and of course, I made sure to stop by BNI and do a quick BNI event there in Tampa as well. Priscilla:Oh, that sounds good. So, who do you have on the line today? Ivan:I have a really good friend, longtime friend, Phil Berg. Phil has been on four, or this may be his fifth, podcast that we have done together. Phil is married to his childhood sweetheart Jackie, and they’ve been together for 50 years. They have two kids. He’s a former UK and Ireland BNI Assistant National Director. He’s the first person in all of Europe to develop a networking group, a BNI group of over 100 members. He’s been part of BNI for 29 years to date, and he’s an Amazon best-selling author in this book that I’ve heard of called Networking is a Marathon, Not a Sprint. Actually, Phil and I are co-authors along with Bharat Daga. And of course, he’s an international keynote speaker. Phil, welcome back to BNI Podcast. Phil:Thank you so much. Thank you for having me back. Ivan:Well, I heard you do a presentation in the United Kingdom when I was visiting on building trust or introducing doubt. So, talk to me a little bit about the necessity of relationship building to ensure that you ultimately achieve what you’re trying to achieve, which is building trust. Phil:Yeah, I think trust is a necessity, and I think people need to manage their expectations regarding this. So, for example, they join our amazing BNI, and I think it’s like the equivalent of I’ve joined the gymnasium. Why aren’t I getting fit? And for me, you’ve got to build those relationships. I have a saying that if you can empower people to want to help you, then ultimately all they need to know is how to help you. But the want to, in my eyes, comes first. You know, am I safe to pass you over to someone that needs you? Is my reputation going to be intact? Are you going to, you know, live up to my boast about you, which I think is an element of trust. Ivan:So let me understand this. Are you saying that you need to know exactly what you want to achieve, and why, in order to accomplish that? Phil:I think for sure, and that’s certainly in our Networking is a Marathon, Not a Sprint book. That ultimately, if I really don’t know my why… You know, why do I want this person? What do I do for them? Why do they want me? And ultimately, why are you safe to introduce me to them? So I think the why is a very big word, and if you connect all those three, I think all three need to be in place for the introduction to happen comfortably, safely, and trustworthily. Ivan:And if you don’t do that, is that how you introduce doubt? Because the doubt is what I found interesting for your topic. Phil:Yeah, I think so. I have a saying that people’s perception is their truth until they know the real truth. So, if I have any concerns, and as you know, you say this fantastically. The way we’re seen as doing anything is the way we’re perceived as doing everything, and that’s from your good self. And that stuck with me many years ago. So if you’re generally arriving somewhere at the last moment and breathing deeply because you’ve just been panicking and rushing, then I figure that that’s how you’re going to be a first impression to the person I recommend you to. If I say to you, “How are you doing?” and you say, “Oh my goodness, it’s fantastic, but I’m working 20 hours a day.” Even that is like, “Okay, well, that sounds great, but can I introduce you to somebody? Because can you cope with that? Can I trust...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    11 分
  • Episode 979: A Better Word Than Honesty

    Episode 979: A Better Word Than Honesty
    2026/09/23
    Synopsis As a new BNI member, you need to look at every aspect of the way you present yourself to your chapter and your prospects. That includes your word choice. Using expressions like “honestly” and “to be honest” can backfire. Someone who’s just met you may wonder whether the rest of what you said was dishonest. They may wonder whether what you’re saying now is dishonest. Just make your statement. If you have to qualify the statement, Dr. Misner likes to say “In my experience.” Guest Jim Meadows prefers “to be clear” if you’re putting something in simpler words. If you say what you mean and back it up with your actions, people will know you’re honest. Links Listen to Episode 7: Simplify Your Story.Read the Reliable Insights Blog.Listen to Episode 858: The Makeover of Your Weekly Ask. The Official BNI Podcast is sponsored by Misner Audio Programs. Complete Transcript of Episode 979 Priscilla:Hello everybody, and welcome back to the Official BNI Podcast. I’m Priscilla Rice, and I’m coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, California, and I’m joined on the phone today by the Founder and the Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. Hello Ivan, how are you and where are you? Ivan:I am doing great. I’m at my home in Austin, Texas. I think I’m going to go out into the hot tub this afternoon. September is a great time to go on out into the hot tub. Priscilla:Okay, good. And who do you have with us today? Ivan:I have somebody who’s been on BNI podcast before. This is his second time on BNI podcast. He was on episode 858, The Makeover of Your Weekly Ask, and that is Jim Meadows. He’s entering his seventh year as a BNI member in Kansas City, Missouri [USA]. He’s been the Vice President, the Education Coordinator, the Chapter Success Coach. He’s a member of the International Board of Advisors. He’s earned a couple of master’s degrees. His four-decade career includes corporate training, leadership development, and change management. He specializes in credit card payment processing for the chiropractic industry. That’s a niche industry, and I love seeing niche industries in BNI, and his BNI experience has inspired a long-term goal, which is earning a DBA at Pennsylvania State University. DBA, I assume, is a Doctorate in Business Administration, Jim? Jim:Correct. Ivan:Well, welcome back to BNI Podcast. You and Kathy are now happy empty-nesters, I understand, and believe me, I get that totally. So, welcome to BNI Podcast. You’ve got an interesting concept here – A Better Word Than Honesty. So, every new BNI member wants to be a high performer as soon as possible. How is this relevant to them? Jim:Excellent question. Couple of things: when you’re new in BNI, you want to become a high performer as soon as possible, and that means everything you do, you need to evaluate. What do you look like on the power of one? Are you keeping up with all your training? How do you present yourself? What’s your deportment like? And we’re going to focus today on how do you use words. Words are very, very important. I think we’ve all been there, either as a perpetrator or a recipient or both. Someone wants to emphasize a point, create goodwill, sound persuasive, close a sale, and then it happens. You use some form of one of these phrases: “to be honest with you,” “in all honesty,” “if I’m really being honest with you.” Now Ivan, I call these phrases honesty validators. Ivan:Yeah. Jim:Because we believe that by incorporating them into our language, we somehow reinforce the truth of our words. Ivan:Right. Jim:Unfortunately, all of that belies the presence of honesty. Ivan:Yeah, I think we’ve all been guilty of that. I certainly have. Jim:Well, there was a 20th century British philosopher of language by the name of Paul Grice. He founded Gricean pragmatics. One of his key tenets is that language is supposed to be a cooperative activity, and it should also be economical. Don’t use words you don’t need. Any time you use a phrase or a word that technically is not required, it could actually be signaling the opposite of your intentions. In this case, if honesty is your default position, then why would you want to signal my default position is dishonesty? Ivan:Yeah, yeah. I think again, I think almost all of us have done it. I read a book many, I mean, decades, like 40 years ago, called ***On Writing Well, and he uses a term in there about deobfuscating your writing, to not obfuscate it by adding in words like honesty because it just…. or saying things like “honestly this is the way I feel.” Well, you know, you’re right. Do you often lie when you talk about how you feel? I mean, that’s the issue I think you’re bringing up. Yeah? Jim:Absolutely correct. Ivan:So how do you solve this dilemma? Jim:Yeah, how do we solve it? Well, a couple of points here. Naturally, most people hear this and immediately yell, “No, I’m always ...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    13 分
  • Episode 976: The Difference Between Persistence and Stubbornness

    Episode 976: The Difference Between Persistence and Stubbornness
    2026/09/02
    Synopsis Persistence becomes stubbornness when you keep trying the exact thing that didn’t work before. Healthy persistence means you listen to feedback, even when it’s difficult to hear. Refine your message, improve your product, test different approaches. Learn to distinguish between criticism of the vision and criticism of the execution. Stay committed to the vision. Stay flexible about the path. Pivoting isn’t surrender; it’s a strategy. Hold the Vision. Improve the Execution. Links Listen to Episode 211: Fear of Rejection.Listen to Episode 507: Be a Dog with a Bone.Listen to Episode 975: Your Vision to Success. The Official BNI Podcast is sponsored by Misner Audio Programs. Complete Transcript of Episode 976 Priscilla:Hello everybody, and welcome back to the Official BNI Podcast. I’m Priscilla Rice, and I’m coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, California, and I’m joined on the phone today by the Founder and the Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. Hello Ivan, how are you and where are you? Ivan:This is like the longest spell I’ve been home in quite a long time. I went to American Airlines’ Admirals Club on my last trip, and the person at the desk said, “Welcome back, Dr. Misner. Your office is right here.” This is the Admirals Lounge, because I’ve been there so many times. Priscilla:Oh my gosh! Yeah, in the airport, you mean? Ivan:Yeah, in the airport. That’s right. So I now have 2.6 million miles in American Airlines alone. Priscilla:What? Ivan:No joke. 2.6 million. Priscilla:What are you going to do with all those miles? Ivan:Well, I don’t have that many left. I’ve used a lot of them, but that’s how many miles I’ve traveled. Priscilla:Wow. Ivan:I probably have close to a million actually in the bank, and I use [them] mostly for my kids. Priscilla:Yeah, it’s good that y they can use them. They must love it. Ivan:It’s a first world problem, having them. Priscilla:Yeah, right, right, right, right. Ivan:All right, we’ve got a fun topic. Priscilla:Okay, good. Ivan:The difference between persistence and stubbornness. So one of the questions I get asked a lot is about persistence. Many people know that my first major book, and I’ve talked about it in this podcast, was rejected by 44 publishers. Forty-four publishers, and this is back before the Excel spreadsheet. And I literally had a hand-drawn sheet of paper with the publisher’s name and when I sent it, when it was rejected. I had 44 publishers before the 45th one finally said yes, and that was for my first major book, The World’s Best-Known Marketing Secret. And today, that book has sold hundreds of thousands of copies, and it’s in its fourth edition. It has been translated into roughly a dozen languages, and yet it was rejected by 44 publishers. Priscilla:Wow! Ivan:So the question for me is always the same: When does persistence become stubbornness? And at what point is being a dog with a bone too much? Because I tell people I’m a dog with a bone, but there is a point where you know it can be stubbornness, and you have to have discernment here. So that’s a fair question. And here’s how I look at it: persistence isn’t about refusing to quit; it’s about refusing to quit the right way. Now, when I was rejected 44 times, I wasn’t doing the same thing 44 times. That’s important. I wasn’t doing the same thing 44 times. I was learning 44 times. Every rejection taught me something. Sometimes it was about the proposal, the letter that I put on the manuscript. Sometimes it was about the positioning. Sometimes it was about the audience that I wanted to have the book focus on and describe that in a letter. Sometimes it was simply about finding a publisher who truly understood the vision of the book. Because if you think back into the early ’90s, there were no books written on networking. I wrote the first book… I did the first book ever written on business networking. So a lot of publishers were like, yeah, this is a fad. That’s what I used to get with the media, by the way: “This BNI thing is a fad,” and that’s certainly what I got. It’s now a fad with, at this moment, over 11,820 chapters at this moment. Quite a fad, and it’s a fad that’s lasted 42, almost 42 years. So, what I’m talking about is, you know, the difference between persistence and stubbornness. Stubbornness says, “I’ll keep doing exactly what I’m doing until someone finally agrees with me.” Persistence says, “I’m committed to the destination, but I’m willing to improve the journey.” Healthy persistence means you listen to feedback, even when it’s difficult to hear. And I got some difficult feedback in my submissions, and I changed the manuscript over those 44 attempts. You refine your message, you improve your product, you test different approaches. Those are important. You refine your message, you improve your product, you test different approaches. It...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    13 分
  • Episode 975: Your Vision to Success

    Episode 975: Your Vision to Success
    2026/08/26
    Synopsis Envision yourself standing in a field. About 30 feet away is a 30-foot-high wall. That wall is your vision for your business and your life. Ten feet short of your vision is a wall of obstacles. If you can’t see the vision over the obstacles, you get discouraged and give up. Tom Fleming joins the podcast to show you how to grow your vision. Tom Fleming’s model of human motivation Come to BNI membership with a vision, and hold that vision to overcome any obstacles you encounter. That means engaging in all-out effort with respect to attendance, one-to-ones, passing referrals, and bringing visitors. Tom’s high-achieving vision as a BNI member is Three one-to-ones per weekThree referrals per weekTwo or three visitors per month. Build a vision for your relationship and your business with every conversation you have in BNI. Try it for six months and see how your results grow with your vision. Links Listen to Tom Fleming’s other BNI Podcast episodes.Listen to Episode 711: Choose the Lens You See the World Through.Listen to Episode 475: A Path to Business Leadership. The Official BNI Podcast is sponsored by Misner Audio Programs. Complete Transcript of Episode 975 Priscilla:Hello everybody, and welcome back to the Official BNI Podcast. I’m Priscilla Rice, and I’m coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, California, and I’m joined on the phone today by the Founder and the Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. Hello Ivan, how are you and where are you? Ivan:Lady Priscilla, it’s wonderful to hear you. Greg Davies from one of the previous podcasts called you Lady Priscilla, I love that. So I might use that moniker every now and then. Priscilla: (chuckling)Okay. Ivan:You’re not a big fan, but I might use it. I am in this hot Austin weather. We looked at my swimming pool gauge, and my swimming pool, not heated, is over 90 degrees [F]. Priscilla:Oh. Ivan:So it’s like a sauna. It’s hot. Priscilla:You can just turn it into your bathtub. Ivan:Yeah, pretty much, yeah, absolutely. So I have a guest today, Tom Fleming. Tom has been on my podcast five previous times. Not too many people have been on the podcast five times. That should tell you something about my opinion of Tom’s contributions to the organization. He served in various leadership roles in BNI, including training owners to track more referrals, from 1996 to roughly 2024, and he continues to impact people’s businesses and lives. He’s now the founder of the Vision Institute. Tom works with business owners to craft a vision for their business and their life, which I think is really important. Within this framework, Tom also supports people with creating a financial vision for themselves with an emphasis on retirement planning. So it’s our goal to make a living and create a life, according to Tom. Tom loves supporting people with creating creating that life. Tom is in Nancy Short’s [BNI] region, and she’s lucky to have him as part of her region. Tom, welcome back to BNI Podcast. Tom:Well, thank you so much, Ivan. And yes, here in Florida, our pool is a little over 90 degrees as well. Ivan: (chuckling)All right, we’re in the same boat, and/or pool actually. Priscilla: (chuckling) Ivan:So we’re going to include a diagram in this podcast so people can see what we’re talking about. Could you explain the diagram that’s in here? Tom: Absolutely, I’d like the listeners to envision themselves just standing in an open field, and about 30 feet away from them is a 30-foot wall, and that wall represents their vision. Their vision of their business and/or their life, if you will. And about 20 feet out, 10 feet short of your vision, is a wall of obstacles, perceived obstacles, if you will. And for some of us, sometimes those perceived obstacles are higher in effect. Therefore, we can’t even see the accomplishment of our vision, and that obviously makes us feel overwhelmed and maybe even depressed and hopeless. But there is a strategy for people in that situation, and the strategy is to decrease their perceived obstacles. And where I shine is in increasing the vision that they have for their business and their life. And I know you have an opinion on this, Ivan. Ivan:And it’s congruent with yours, I believe. Tom:And yours is don’t even pay attention to the obstacles? Ivan:Well, no, no. My perspective on this is: focus on the vision, not the obstacles. The obstacles will always be there. Obstacles were there for BNI in 1985. Obstacles are part of BNI today, obstacles will be around, you know, 20 years from now. So it’s hold the vision. Tom:Mmm. Ivan:This is my philosophy: hold the vision, not the obstacles. Work through, around, over, under, whatever. Work through the obstacles and focus on the vision. Tom:I love it. I love it absolutely. And obviously, people are interested in, “Well, Tom, how does this apply to BNI?” Ivan:Yeah. Tom:And I think a lot of members come into BNI with, ...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    12 分
  • Episode 974: Don’t Google, Greggle

    Episode 974: Don’t Google, Greggle
    2026/08/19
    Synopsis When he became a BNI Executive Director, Greg Davies-Polaine made it his job to be the go-to person for chapters in his region. Every time he visited a chapter, he gave them this weekly presentation: Hi, my name is Greg Davies-Polaine. I’m your Executive Director. My whole job is ensuring that you get the most value from your BNI membership as you possibly would like to receive. If you’re looking to place a product or service this week that isn’t represented in this room, don’t jump onto an online directory. Don’t jump onto an online purchasing platform. Reach out to me first. If I can place that order with another BNI member that you just haven’t met yet, that revenue will stay local. It will stay in a local community and go around five to seven times before it inevitably disappears off into a national chain. And everyone it touches, it will have a positive influence on, and a rising tide really does lift all boats. So remember, Don’t Google, Greggle. Even if you’re not an Executive Director, you can become the go-to person for your chapter and your clients, the person they go to before they Google. The podcasts listed below help show you how. Links Listen to Episode 135: “The Card File Thingy”.Listen to Episode 633: I’ve Invited Everyone I Know.Listen to Episode 697: The Connector Effect.Listen to Episode 897: What Makes a Perfect Member? (Part 1).Listen to Episode 898: What Makes a Perfect Member? (Part 2). The Official BNI Podcast is sponsored by Misner Audio Programs. Complete Transcript of Episode 974 Priscilla:Hello everybody, and welcome back to the Official BNI Podcast. I’m Priscilla Rice, and I’m coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, California, and I’m joined on the phone today by the Founder and the Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. Hello Ivan, how are you and where are you? Ivan: I am still in the sweltering heat of Austin, Texas. I need to learn to leave Austin in August. I don’t know why I haven’t figured that out yet. Priscilla:Okay. And who do you have as a guest today? Ivan: I have a good friend of mine who’s been to my home, Greg Davies-Polaine. Greg’s done a couple of podcasts with me as Greg Davies, and since gotten married and has hyphenated his name, which we had a long conversation about before we actually got on the podcast, which I think is interesting. Greg is known as the Storyfella. He uses his passion for telling stories to help communities and individuals thrive. He says working hard is sometimes unavoidable and necessary. I agree with that. But if we understand why we’re doing it and surround ourselves with people who inspire us to be better, it’s worth the effort. I agree with that as well. He’s a best-selling author. He’s done two books with me, Infinite Giving and Infinite Legacy. Both were best-selling books. He’s a multi-award-winning Director of BNI and an international inspirational speaker. He still finds time to drum with the mighty Goat Patrol, I have no idea what that is. Off air, we should talk about that, Greg. And he is a not-so-secret Disney fan, and I got to tell you, I love Disney’s customer service theories a lot. So, Greg, this is your fourth visit to BNI podcast. The last two were on membership, and I think let me look here at episode 897 and 898. It was so much great content we had to break it into two. Greg:Yeah, it was an absolute privilege, and thank you for having me on. Good evening, Lady Priscilla. I believe we need to say, Lady Priscilla, now you are an absolute BNI institution, and Dr. Misner, thank you so much for having me on. Ivan: (chuckling)Lady Priscilla. I like that. I’m sure Priscilla loves that too. That’s really nice. Priscilla: (chuckling) Ivan: Nobody’s ever called me Sir Ivan, but that’s fine. I can live with that. Lady Priscilla. Yeah, thank you. So, Greg, our topic today is an interesting title: Don’t Google, instead, Greggle. So, I think that’s about really becoming the go-to person for your network. So, talk about becoming the go-to person for your network. Greg:Yeah, absolutely. It’s all about positioning. I’ve been in BNI 20 plus years now, and like a lot of people, when I joined, I joined close to where I live, close to where I grew up, and where my business was based. So I was able to refer my clients, my suppliers, my family members, my friends, my social spheres, those I met at the school gates, all those kind of things to members. And I would also go out and find really good specific referrals for people. When I decided that my path lay within BNI and I wanted to step up and help people across the region, my [local] region wasn’t available to me. So the region that I now run, London Southeast Bromley, and Croydon, which I’m immensely proud of what the members have achieved, is about an hour to an hour and a half drive. So when I walked in there, I didn’t have any established network. My ...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    13 分
  • Episode 973: The BNI Foundation and Ambassador Program

    Episode 973: The BNI Foundation and Ambassador Program
    2026/08/12
    Synopsis Shirley Towne returns to the podcast to introduce the BNI Foundation Ambassadors program. Ambassadors are BNI members who represent the BNI Foundation in their chapters and in their regions. By visiting other chapters as a Foundation Ambassador, you grow your own business by helping the BNI Foundation. Ambassadors also help bring more nonprofits into BNI through Givers Gain Grants and other initiatives that support nonprofits. To become a BNI Foundation Ambassador, register to join the next informational call at bit.ly/FoundationAmbassador. Upcoming calls are also announced on the BNI Foundation Facebook page. Links Visit the BNI Foundation website and the BNI Foundation Facebook page.Listen to Episode 395: Business Voices.Listen to Episode 571: The BNI Foundation–What’s in It for Me?Listen to Episode 730: Time and Money.Listen to Episode 781: Make a Difference in the World.Listen to Episode 784: Nonprofits in BNI? The Official BNI Podcast is sponsored by Misner Audio Programs. Complete Transcript of Episode 973 Priscilla:Hello everybody, and welcome back to the Official BNI Podcast. I’m Priscilla Rice, and I’m coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, California, and I’m joined on the phone today by the Founder and the Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. Hello Ivan, how are you and where are you? Ivan:I am at home in Austin, Texas today. [It’s] the sweltering heat of August for Austin, and I’m just thankful that the deity of your choice made swimming pools and air conditioning. Priscilla: (chuckling)Oh, that’s great! And who do you have on as a guest today? Ivan:I have somebody who’s been on the podcast now five times. Five times, Shirley Towne. Shirley has done many different podcasts for the BNI Podcast, including one of my favorites, podcast number 730. And let’s put a link in the podcast for it. I love it because Shirley talked about the fact that she used to pay, as I recall — Shirley, correct me if I’m wrong, it was $5,000 a month for yellow page advertising. Shirley:That is so correct. Ivan:Yeah, and the Gen Z people are going to go, “What’s the yellow pages?” But just advertising, and the BNI membership ended up, you know, making more money than the advertising, and so the whole point of that podcast is: if BNI cost you $5,000 a month, would you treat it differently? And I just love that concept. It’s one of my favorite podcasts. Go listen to it, episode number 730, done five years ago. Welcome back, Shirley. This is your sixth visit to BNI Podcast. Shirley:Honored to be here. Ivan:Yeah, you’re such a great Director. You joined BNI in 2013. You represented ADT Home Services, and you brought a lot of passion, obviously, to building your chapter. In 2017, you stepped into the role of [BNI] Executive Director, and I’m so glad you did. You’re the Executive Director for BNI SC Midlands [South Carolina, USA], where you really quickly made a significant impact. In your first year, you grew the region from 269 members, and over the last eight years, it’s got an impressive 761+ members. So, your leadership and your results have driven an approach that have earned you recognition as the Executive Director of the Year, three consecutive years in the organization, and the honored, prestigious CEO Award by Mary Kennedy Thompson, and it’s just such a pleasure to have you as part of the organization. And you’re now… condolences or congratulations are in order… Shirley: (laughing) Ivan:You’re now the Chairperson for the BNI Foundation, and that fits because you’re known for your heart for service and commitment to growth. And so, welcome back to the BNI Podcast. Shirley:Thank you so much. I told somebody today that I always said that when I retired, I wanted to help nonprofits raise money. And to be able to do that now through BNI is just a dream come true. So to be able to have an impact through the Foundation and all of our nonprofits, I’m just honored to be able to do so. It’s like a huge congrats for me. It’s like pinch me — I can’t believe I get to do this. Ivan:Well, pinch me. I’m happy that you’re doing it because you know it’s really important to have new blood come into a nonprofit or onto a Board [of Directors]. I’m a believer of that. I just am stepping down from the TLC board, which I’ve been on for over 14 years, and it’s good to have new blood come in and with new ideas and a new set of energy. Even when the previous board, which I was certainly a member of in BNI and a member of in the Transformational Leadership Council [TLC], even when the mature board has done amazing things, it’s still good to have new people come on, and that’s what you’ve done with the BNI Foundation. Shirley:Yeah, I’m excited for it. Ivan:So, can you briefly tell us… You know, the podcasts go by so quick. Shirley:Yes. Ivan:Can you briefly tell us what the mission and the impact of the BNI ...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    16 分
  • Episode 972: The Power of Small Talk

    Episode 972: The Power of Small Talk
    2026/08/05
    Synopsis Small talk isn’t about filling silence. It’s about opening doors. The goal is to express genuine interest. One thoughtful question creates a conversation. One conversation creates a relationship. And one relationship can change a business — or even a life. Some Thoughtful Questions Who is your ideal client or referral partner?What’s something exciting that you’re working on that most people don’t know about yet?What’s a challenge you’re dealing with right now?What can I do to assist you with that?Who do you know that I could help right now?Before we wrap up, what’s one thing I should remember about you? In your BNI chapter and with other people you’ve met before, pick up a previous conversation, refer to something they’ve said in a presentation, or bring up something positive another member said about them. Choose three of the questions in this podcast and try them during Open Networking or in your next One-to-One. Links Listen to Episode 937: Try Smart Talk, Not Small Talk.Listen to Episode 943: What to Say to Boring People.Listen to Episode 946: Small Talk. The Official BNI Podcast is sponsored by Misner Audio Programs. Complete Transcript of Episode 972 Priscilla:Hello everybody, and welcome back to the Official BNI Podcast. I’m Priscilla Rice, and I’m coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, California, and I’m joined on the phone today by the Founder and the Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. Hello Ivan, how are you and where are you? Ivan:I am doing great, and I am in Charlotte, North Carolina this week, today at BNI Global Support Office, and I’ll be talking to the staff and taking a look at the new museum room that has been set up, so I’m excited to be in Charlotte. Priscilla:So, what do you have to share with us? Ivan:Well, you know, I’ve been having a lot of people ask me about Small Talk, and I’ve done a couple of podcasts on it, and I’ve got some new content, some new material. So I thought I would talk about The Power of Small Talk, and how little conversations can develop into big relationships. I’m sure you’ve heard, I’ve certainly heard people say, “I’m just not good at small talk.” I hear that all the time. Priscilla:Oh, right, that’s a phrase. Ivan:Yeah, I’m just not good at small talk, or I don’t like small talk. Personally, I think small talk gets a bad reputation. The problem isn’t small talk, the problem is staying there in small talk. Small talk shouldn’t be the destination, it’s the doorway. And if you never walk through the doorway, you’re never going to build the kinds of relationships that generate referrals, generate opportunities that can build lifelong friendships. Networking isn’t about collecting business cards, it’s about collecting relationships, and relationships almost always begin with small talk, opening conversation. I recommend you do a search on small talk, and you’ll see a number of the podcasts that I’ve done on this, and this has some different content than what I had on those others. Many people think that they have to say something brilliant in the small talk. Well, you don’t. You just have to make the other person feel important. That is what you need to do. So, here’s something I’ve learned over 40 years of building BNI. Many people forget, they forget exactly what you say, but they’ll remember how you made them feel when your conversation makes someone feel interesting, respected, or appreciated. You’ve already separated yourself from most of the people that they’ll meet that day. So, what do you actually say? Let’s start with meeting someone for the first time, instead of asking, “So, what do you do?” Try asking, “What’s something good that’s been keeping you busy lately?” One [question] asks for a job title; the other invites a story, and people remember stories, they don’t remember job titles. Another question is, and I love this, “What do you enjoy most about what you do?” That question shifts people away from facts and towards passion. People light up when they talk about what they enjoy. Here’s another favorite. “How did you get into that?” Almost everyone has a story, and stories build a connection faster than resumes ever will. Since this is a BNI Podcast, here’s a question that every member should become comfortable asking, “Who is your ideal client or referral partner?” With that, you’re really asking, “Who can I help you meet?” Another great question is, “What’s one challenge you’re working through right now?” You know, helping people solve problems is where referrals begin, and relationships begin. And I know I’ve told stories about this, where I’ve asked a question about what’s one of the challenges. And you don’t want to lead with this question, because it’s not a good question to open with, but when somebody has talked a little bit to you, then you say, “...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    12 分