The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

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   Number 1: Episode 974: Don’t Google, Greggle

   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 business was now my members, so they were my customers, and wherever I could, I pivoted my supply chain to BNI members. But I needed to find a way of adding value to my members each and every week, and that’s where the title comes from. That was my strap line for my weekly presentation. So I think the best way of explaining it is just for me to do a very quick weekly presentation. So I would stand up each week and say, “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. Ivan: I love that. That’s hysterical, and I didn’t do it nearly as humorously and creatively as you. But when I started BNI, I did in fact send out a snail-mail letter that said, “You know, if you’re looking for a referral in one of these professions, contact me.” It was long before the internet, and many people, in fact, started contacting me and wanted to be connected. So it was really about becoming a connector in the community. But I like Greggle better. Greg:Absolutely. I mean, I remember the podcast. I’ve been rerunning the podcast again, and you’ve had some fabulous ones. I think in the one you’re referring to, you use the term Rolodex, which you then have to explain. Ivan: Yes, which is… for the Gen Z people, it’s not a watch. Greg:It is definitely not a watch. No, it’s like a printed-out version of the contacts file on your mobile phone. That’s what a Rolodex was. Ivan: Oh, and what I love, Greg, is that you listen to the podcast. Too many directors don’t listen to the podcast, so I’m impressed that you know which one I was talking about. Greg:They are an incredible resource, and actually, what was really powerful about that was the fact that you didn’t list all of your members’ names, the member names, and the phone number. You said, “If you need anyone, please get in touch with me. I insist you reach out.” Ivan: And yeah, I just listed the professions, not the names. Greg:Yeah, and that really is the key about positioning yourself as the go-to person in your network. So, what I’ve just done there with the weekly presentation — I know we have Ambassadors and Directors at all levels who listen to this podcast regularly – and I would pivot your weekly presentations, if you haven’t got a specific message to deliver, when you get the opportunity, say something along those lines in your words. And then people will come to you and ask you to connect people across regions, across counties and countries, and internationally. I’ve had all of those wonderful things. But in terms of membership, how would you position yourself in the middle of your referral network? Well, we’ve covered a lot of them on the podcast previously. There was a great one with Dawn Lyons about referral layering, where she talks about using multiple referral generation systems. But there are some really, really simple ones that I make no apology about going over again because it will be the first time that some people have heard them. It will be the 10th time that others [hear it], but this will be the time that they act upon them. So the really simple one for me is: whenever you’re interacting with a customer or a supplier, whether it be over a WhatsApp voice message, whether it be old school, actually on the phone or face-to-face. Once you’ve concluded all of your business, just ask them the question, “Is there anything else I can help you with today?” It’s so powerful, and it actually confuses people. “Well, what do you mean? I’ve just placed an order with you,” and then you can go on and say, “Look, I work with 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 200 local businesses I see week in, week out. I know them. I like them. I trust them. If you’re looking for some help, either in your home or your business, please come to me first. I’ll be able to recommend you someone who I trust that lives by the same ethics and morals in their business that I do. That’s why I know them, and they’ll look after you in the same way that I look after you. So that’s one really, really easy way about positioning yourself in your network. Email signature. We’ve heard loads about… Ivan: Can I just add something to that, Greg? I’ve seen a number of members who’ve actually handed out their business card holder for those countries that are still using business card holders, and as they’re filling out whatever paperwork, they say, you know, take a look through this, and if there’s any professions in here that you see [and are interested in], let me know because I…” and then it’s the same speech that you just gave, but you’re actually showing them business cards of other people. Greg:Absolutely. And since the Great Pause, when we kind of took away the tactility around BNI, we took away business card folders and business cards, and I’ve noticed now, people started using those again. So speak to your chapter leadership. Speak to your regional leadership. Get these business card holders back. They are an incredible tool for generating referrals ongoing. Ivan: We’re almost out of we’re almost out of time. Do you have some other practical tips for generating referrals, or was that all you have? Greg:Yeah, absolutely. Do your email signature. Make sure that there is something along those lines. If you need anything, please reach out. Replicate what Ivan did with a Rolodex, but do it regularly on social media. These are a list of professions I work with week-in week-out. If you need them, reach out to me. And I’m just going to end very, very quickly. I have people message me now saying “I need a Greggle.” I’ve become a noun, which is wonderful. Ivan: (chuckling) Greg:And I just want to read this to you. “Morning, all. I’m sitting here at a wedding venue on the shores of Loch Lomond, preparing for my daughter’s wedding this afternoon, reflecting on the fact that 25 years ago, when I joined BNI, she was six years old. And I just wanted to thank you all, both past and present members, for the support you have given both my business but also my family throughout that time.” Now I’m reading that because three weeks before, Martin Greggled me and asked if I could find a videographer to go to Scotland, which is the other end of the country, and to live broadcast his daughter’s wedding because two elderly relatives couldn’t make it. We found someone through our contacts, and they live-streamed that wedding. So the people who couldn’t be in the room got to witness that incredible day. That is how powerful becoming the go-to part of your network can become. Ivan: That’s an incredible story, Greg. Or should I say, Greggle? That’s an incredibly powerful story. Any last comment before we wrap up? Greg:All I would say is, if anyone needs any products or services in London Southeast, don’t Google, Greggle. Ivan: Oh, Greg, I really truly loved working with you on the previous two books. There’s a chance we might be working on a third book. You and Julian are a blast to work with, and I want to thank you for being on the BNI Podcast again. Greg:Thank you so much for the opportunity. Ivan: Over to you, Priscilla. Priscilla:Okay, well, that was really nice. I liked that podcast very much. This podcast is sponsored by www.misneraudioprograms.com. These audio programs will provide you with the tools and the inspiration to powerfully enhance your BNI experience. So check out the great material available to you at www.misneraudioprograms.com and then use the promo code IVAN50 for 50% off of everything [this code is good for a limited time]. All of the proceeds go to the BNI Foundation. Thank you so much for listening. This is Priscilla Rice, and we look forward to having you join us again next week for another exciting episode of The Official BNI Podcast.

   August 19, 2026·13min
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   Number 2: Episode 975: Your Vision to Success

   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 week Three referrals per week Two 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, well, we’ll see what happens. Ivan:Yeah. Tom:And my thought is, let’s enter our BNI membership with a vision. I know many people who generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in business from BNI, and I know you know many people who generate millions of dollars, yen, pesos from BNI on an annual basis. I think we have to hold that vision in our mind to overcome what people perceive as obstacles in BNI. Meaning engaging in all-out effort with respect to attendance and one-to-ones and passing referrals, and bringing visitors. Ivan:No, I agree. What else? Tom:So really again, it’s about people generating a vision of getting your “twos” or your “threes” on a weekly basis. Investing in three one-to-ones per week, three referrals per week, maybe; two or three visitors per month. Because I think that level of engagement-people being on the field instead of in the stands-that’s when they are going to get results, given the philosophy of Givers Gain. Ivan:Yeah. Can I just say — you mentioned three one-to-ones in a week? I think that’ll burn people out. I’m not opposed to it, but I want people to understand that networking is a marathon, not a sprint. And I would just be ecstatic if people did four a month. Ecstatic. And the numbers show that four a month will double the number of referrals they both give and receive. The average member listening says, “Three?” Three is a big ask, and I don’t want members to burn themselves out. But look, you ran an incredibly successful region, so we can disagree slightly and still be in the same ballpark. Tom:Well, I also mentioned getting your twos, which is yes more aggressive than what you’re sharing. My point is… now, I tend to be a little bit of an overachiever. Ivan:You think? Yes, yes you are, Tom, and that’s a good thing. I wish I had more overachievers like you. Tom:Got it. But you know when I get engaged in something, I’m going to play full out, and I think if a lot of members who had the type of personality or behavior that I have, I think if they engage at that, in that level, realizing that BNI is part of their marketing plan, it’s not something they just belong to, it’s part of their marketing plan, I think their results would double, triple, quadruple. I might recommend to people: try it out for six months — see how it goes. Ivan:Okay, and then what? Tom:Well, I think this model also applies to conversations in BNI. For instance, if I’m meeting with a fellow member, maybe someone who’s in my Contact Sphere, I need to share with them and sell them on the fact that being in a relationship with me is a fantastic investment. Ivan:Yeah. Tom: And we want to build a vision in their mind of what’s possible if we work together. I don’t know if it’s in print anymore, Business by Referral? Ivan:It’s not, but much of what is in that book is in the fourth edition of The World’s Best Known Marketing Secret. Tom:Excellent, excellent. That book is a goldmine of networking strategy when it comes to 15 ways others can promote you, which that number may have changed; 18 tactics to motivate your sources. I’m going back to my time — back in the day, if you will. But using those strategies to build a vision in the mind of your referral partners of how you can work together to build visibility, credibility, profitability with each other. Again, I just think it’s a goldmine. Ivan:Yeah, and that’s where VCP came from, was that book. Tom:Yes, absolutely, absolutely. I think bigger picture too. The model just relates to life and business. I think if people have a very small vision of their business, I don’t know what level of engagement they’re willing to put forth towards their business. Versus if we support people with thinking through what’s possible with one’s business, I do believe it… Ivan:Doesn’t this go back to your original conversation about the obstacles? I think people see the obstacles in front of them, and they lose sight of the vision behind those obstacles. Tom:Yes. Ivan:The obstacles they’re always there. I’ve never done anything in business that didn’t have obstacles. And so the key is, like I said earlier, to work around, over, through, under, whatever it takes — hold the vision, not the obstacles. And when you can do that, then you’re going to be successful. I see BNI people that just get caught up in the obstacles, and what happens when they get caught up in the obstacles is that’s all they talk about. And if that’s all they talk about, they become experts at the obstacles… Tom:Absolutely. Ivan:…and not experts at the vision. And so, what people have to do — and that’s why I say hold the vision, not the obstacle, because you want to be an expert at the vision. And the more you can get people to focus on the vision that you’ve got, the more successful that you, as an individual, that a chapter is. Tom:I think your wisdom that you just shared is just kind of a great way to wrap this conversation up. Ivan:Yep, I agree. Is there anything you’d add? I love your graphic. I’ll make sure it gets put into the podcast. You’ve been a great participant in the BNI program for many, many years, and I appreciate everything that you have contributed over the years. Any last thought? Tom:No, just other than thank you for allowing me to continue to contribute via this platform. Whenever I have something that I feel will give members an opportunity to think through a different model or a strategy, I’m happy to contribute and I thank you. Ivan:My pleasure. Your Vision to Success, Tom Fleming. Tom, thanks for being on. Over to you, Priscilla. Priscilla:Okay, thank you both. That’s great information. This podcast is sponsored by www.misneraudioprograms.com. These audio programs will provide you with the tools and the inspiration to powerfully enhance your BNI experience. So check out the great material available to you at www.misneraudioprograms.com and then use the promo code IVAN50 for 50% off of everything [this code is good for a limited time]. All of the proceeds go to the BNI Foundation. Thank you so much for listening. This is Priscilla Rice, and we look forward to having you join us again next week for another exciting episode of The Official BNI Podcast.

   August 26, 2026·13min
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   Number 3: Episode 973: The BNI Foundation and Ambassador Program

   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 Foundation is? Shirley:Yeah, so the BNI Foundation is to benefit children and education, and we do that through different avenues. Business Voices is where you put your talent in. You go to local schools and have an impact on that level. We have Future Leaders Week, where we spend time with young folks, letting them know all about BNI and mentorship. We also do some amazing Givers Gain Grants, where we really work with the schools in areas to be able to help them with giving them grants. And then lastly, there’s the [Misner] Endowment Fund, which I love because it’s going to make the BNI Foundation live forever to be able to do all this good stuff. Ivan:Yeah, and if anyone wants to be a Misner Fellow, just go to the BNIFoundation.org website and find out how you can become a Misner Fellow. We hit our first level of goal. We wanted to go over a million dollars in the Endowment, and we now have that, and we’re excited about that. But you also wanted to talk about something reasonably new, and that’s the BNI Foundation Ambassador. Shirley:Yes, so I was a member of BNI and didn’t know about the Foundation until I went to a conference, and so it’s my goal to get it out at the chapter level. And why not have BNI Ambassadors that are on the ground level that are members really representing the BNI Foundation in their regions and in their chapters. And so that’s what we’re doing. We’re getting a bunch of nonprofit-minded, Givers Gain-type people that will bring our initiatives to the chapter level. And so we have Ambassador calls every other month, and we get all the Ambassadors together to talk about what we’re going to do next. And the biggest part of that is the Business Voices. Like what can we do in our local schools to help our teachers and our leaders really be impactful in what they do through Givers Gain Grants and all of the other initiatives that we do through the Foundation. Ivan:So people who want to become Foundation Ambassadors, and I think that’s a great concept because as a member, you get to go visit many chapters as a Foundation Ambassador, and so it sort of helps two things: it helps the Foundation, but it also helps you as a business person. How can people become a Foundation Ambassador? Where would they go for that? Shirley:Yeah, so visiting our BNI Foundation Facebook page, we always announce when we are going to have the Foundation calls, and so you can register for that call and jump on the call, and we’ll share with you how to get involved at the chapter or regional level, and even the national level. So we have some folks that are doing some things like the Walk and Talk. We have Elaine Zambos that is going to take the idea that we do the Walk and Talk at conferences, and we’re going to bring those down to the regional level to just have some networking, but also to have an impact with the Foundation. Ivan:Yeah, I just went to Facebook and typed in BNI Foundation on the search engine, and I got Facebook.com/BNI Foundation. So that’s where you go, and then you can always leave a personal message and say, “Hey, I want to be an Ambassador, and somebody will get back to you. Shirley:Absolutely. Ivan:So, how can this lead to having more nonprofits in a [BNI] region that can work with the BNI Foundation? Because we don’t want to compete with nonprofits. We believe that we are compatible, and so how does this lead to nonprofits participating? Shirley:So that’s where I think my biggest vision is. Early on when I would ask members, they would be like, “Oh, I want to help the Foundation, but I don’t want to disrespect the nonprofit that we have in our chapter.” I’m like, “We never want to do that,” and I said, “Tell me about your [chapter’s] nonprofit.” It just so happens that their nonprofit had to do with children and education. I’m like, “You’re the perfect fit. Like, you are exactly what we’re looking for.” But even nonprofits that have nothing to do with children and education, we’re not going to compete with you on any level. We want to help every nonprofit take their mission next level, and so in our region we’ve worked really hard to come up with programs to support all nonprofits. We want to have webinars and get that out there. I hear that the month of November is going to be a great month to learn about BNI nonprofits and how you can get nonprofits to join your chapters. And so we’re going to be working with Heather [in BNI] Marketing to push out some of those things. But we have initiatives that go year-round to help all of our nonprofits, and then where the BNI Foundation is symbiotic, like we can help you with Givers Gain Grants if you work with children and education. So why wouldn’t we go out into the world and try to bring in a nonprofit to your chapter that has to do with children and education, and then it’s a win-win situation. But even if it’s not to do with children and education, we still can help you come up with programs to really take your nonprofit next level. Ivan, I did not know that nonprofits even existed in the BNI world until I heard a [BNI] podcast with you where you talked about how nonprofits are a big fit. And after I heard that, I was like, “Oh, I’m going to get nonprofits.” We have 22 nonprofits in our region today, and it’s all because I heard a podcast about you. That’s what got me to reach out to you and say, “Can we do a podcast about the BNI Foundation?” Because that’s how I learned, and I’m hoping that others will hear this and will learn about the BNI Foundation, and we can really get it out across our nation, but across all of the countries. We have a lot of amazing things happening in countries through Business Voices. Ivan:Yeah, Business Voices is the community outreach arm of the BNI Foundation. I mentioned BNIFoundation.com. I just did a search. At this moment, there’s an error on that connection. So you can also go to BNIFoundation.org, and that website is currently working just fine. Also, the Facebook page you mentioned, I happened to see a post for the Ambassador presentation, so that seems to be going on actively. And those are two great places where people can join. I’ve actually had members say to me, “I joined BNI because of its commitment to charitable work.” Shirley:I love that. Ivan:I just love when I hear that. Shirley:Yes. I mean, it is the way that BNI gives back. Like we operate off of a Givers Gain philosophy, but the Foundation is the way that we give back, and I love that. Ivan:Well, we’re out of time. I know you wanted me to share one story. Shirley:Yes, I did. Ivan:And this is a BNI Business Voices story. We had a number of chapters in a region on the east coast of the United States where it gets very cold [in the winter] go to an elementary school and ask the principal, “How can we help you?” And the principal was first of all blown away. He said, “Really seriously, you guys want to help?” They said, “Yeah, what can we do? What’s your problem?” He said, “At the moment, our biggest problem is that we have kids going to school with no shoes or with shoes with holes in them, and it’s cold. There’s snow. It’s freezing. When children’s feet are cold, they’re not going to be able to pay attention in class.” And so it was amazing. The region was like, “We got this,” and the principal was like, “What do you mean?” “No, no, we got this. We’ll take care of this.” And within just a few weeks, they delivered literally truckloads of shoes, lightly used, and in many cases, brand new children’s shoes. They had to pick a room [at the school] to store all the shoes so that no children would have bare feet or shoes with holes in them again. And to me, that’s such a great Business Voices project. Shirley:Oh, I love that story. That’s amazing. Like that’s the impact that we want to have. And you hit on something, “How can we help?” Like to go to a school and ask that question — they will tell you. They will share it. Ivan:They will. All right. So if you’re interested, go to the Facebook page for the BNI Foundation or go to www.BNIFoundation.org, and you’ll be able to get to the website. Shirley, thank you so much for your time. You’ve been on probably as much or more than almost any other director, and that honestly, that shows you how much I respect your contributions to the organization. Shirley:Ivan, that means the world to me. Ivan:Thank you, Shirley. Over to you, Priscilla. Priscilla:Okay, great. Thank you both so much. That was a wonderful podcast. This podcast is sponsored by www.misneraudioprograms.com. These audio programs will provide you with the tools and the inspiration to powerfully enhance your BNI experience. So check out the great material available to you at www.misneraudioprograms.com and then use the promo code IVAN50 for 50% off of everything [this code is good for a limited time]. All of the proceeds go to the BNI Foundation. Thank you so much for listening. This is Priscilla Rice, and we look forward to having you join us again next week for another exciting episode of The Official BNI Podcast. Ivan:Priscilla, I’ve never done this at the end of a podcast, but I’m going to throw something else in if you don’t mind, and that is, if you’re an Education Coordinator, please share this information with your chapter. They really need to hear it. Thanks, Priscilla. Priscilla:Okay, great. Thanks, Ivan.

   August 12, 2026·16min
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4. 4
   Number 4: Episode 971: What Is Essential to New Members?

   Synopsis Identifying the most essential things to connect business goals to activities in BNI results in more lucrative and successful memberships. Jenni Butz, Director of US CORE Training at BNI Global, introduced the twice-monthly 1st Year Member Essentials webinar to help new BNI members find value in their memberships in the earliest days. It covers the basics of BNI and provides a chance to ask live questions.15,000 new BNI members have gone through the program since its launch a few years ago. Two questions show up again and again in participant surveys: How do I use BNI Connect? How do I give a good presentation? Have you taken the 1st Year Member Essentials webinar? Tell us about your experience in the comments. Links Register for 1st Year Member Essentials on the BNI Northwest events page. Watch a recording of 1st Year Members Essentials at BNI Academy. Read Jenni’s book, Six-Word Lessons on Effective Communication. Listen to Episode 727: Visitor Contact and Experience. Listen to Episode 936: Why New Members Struggle. The Official BNI Podcast is sponsored by Misner Audio Programs. This podcast is sponsored by www.misneraudioprograms.com. These audio programs will provide you with the tools and the inspiration to powerfully enhance your BNI experience. So check out the great material available to you at www.misneraudioprograms.com and then use the promo code IVAN50 for 50% off of everything [this code is good for a limited time]. All of the proceeds go to the BNI Foundation. Thank you so much for listening. This is Priscilla Rice, and we look forward to having you join us again next week for another exciting episode of The Official BNI Podcast. Complete Transcript of Episode 971 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 melting here in Austin, Texas. Priscilla: (laughing) Ivan:July and August is hot. I have to put water out by my beehives because they desperately need something to cool them down. Priscilla:Oh, your beehives. Ivan:Yes, they’re fun. They’re fun. One day… I’m sure I’m going to learn some lessons about bees and business, and someday I may do a podcast on it. But today I have an amazing woman who has been with BNI for some time now, and she’s been on the BNI Podcast before. Her name is Jenni Butz, that’s B-U-T-Z. She’s a former high school French and English teacher. Jenni joined a BNI Chapter and see in the Seattle area in 2012 and was an employee of a tutoring company, and soon started her own business as a professional speaker and emcee. In that business, she’s worked with nonprofits, women’s groups, and businesses to help them grow effective communication. She’s written books, including Six-Word Lessons on Effective Communication, and it is available on Amazon. In 2018 Jenni began supporting several BNI regions in Director roles and now serves as the Director of US CORE Training. CORE is Company Owned Regions. She is the Director of CORE Training. Jenni, welcome to BNI Podcast. Jenni:Thank you so much for having me. Ivan:It is great to have you. We’re going to talk about something that’s reasonably new, and towards the end of this podcast, we’re going to give a few descriptions on where you can find what Jenni is going to be talking about. But Jenni, you started hosting the 1st Year Member Essentials webinars a few years ago, so could you talk a little bit about that? Jenni:Yeah, it’s been one of my favorite things to do in the last few years with BNI. We started to see that new members were easily overwhelmed, and we wanted to have one place that we could try to grab as many as possible, and I think in the last three or four years we’ve had more than 15,000 new members come on. And we just cover the basics of BNI, kind of like Member Success Program that we have in BNI Academy, but we want to give them one place where everybody gets the same information and they can ask live questions. And so it’s been a really great thing. We do it twice a month, and new members really seem to enjoy it. Ivan:Now, this isn’t meant to replace Member Success Program training, but to really, I would think, kind of nudge them into wanting to do it. Jenni:Yeah, exactly. They sometimes do one first, and then the other, it just depends. But we’re really trying to communicate to [BNI] Regional Teams, you know, the Support Directors, Ambassadors, as well as specifically targeting Mentor Coordinators, to help new members get onto this webinar, because it just reinforces a lot of the things they’re getting in Member Success Program, but with a different format and with a different voice, and sometimes it lands differently. Ivan:Yeah, so getting new members really assimilated into the chapter in the first 90 days helps them in many ways. I’m sure it helps them make more money. Jenni:Yes, yeah, because they don’t know what they don’t know. Ivan:Yeah. Jenni:And so what we are trying to counterbalance is sometimes they’re hearing from people outside BNI, or maybe even people in their own chapters, ‘Just to be patient, you won’t really see any value in your membership for another year or so.’ And I want to tell them that that’s not true at all. We want to help them find value in their memberships in the earliest days of their memberships. It may not be their dream referral right away, but there’s value in the connections, there’s value in the resources, and so we want to gear them toward that, so they can make that crucial connection between the goals they have for their businesses and what they’re doing in BNI, so that they can start to see an ROI as quickly as possible. Ivan:Yeah, there’s a lot of different variations of return on investment. One is knowledge [and] information – using BNI members as a resource for suggestions and ideas and support. And of course we want them to get referrals, but the referrals do take a little longer, depending on what profession. And I mean, a florist is going to get referrals much quicker than, say, a financial planner, but it does take a little bit of time, because people have to trust you. Jenni:Right. Ivan:And depending on what business you’re in, that trust may take a little bit longer. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get a return on your investment of time way quicker if you’re in a business that has a long Time Confidence Curve, would you agree with that assessment? Jenni:Oh, for sure, yeah. Because even in your One-to-Ones, you’re learning what podcasts I should be listening to, what books I should read, and what conferences. I remember in my first BNI Chapter, I had a business coach and a web designer in the chapter, and One-to-Ones with them were so valuable in the early weeks of my membership, because I had no idea… I’d never built a website for a business before. And I was a teacher, so I didn’t know anything about business and the laws and how to incorporate and those kinds of things. So, just meeting the people in chapters can be a super, super high value early on. Ivan:You know, sometimes members say to me, “You know, BNI just makes me do a lot of stuff.” I’d love to hear your thoughts about that, but my thought is, yeah, we want you to do a lot of things to make money. It’s all about you getting a return on your investment relationships and the advice, like I said, but also, you know, more referrals and more business. These are these are not things to do for BNI, these are things to do with your marketing team. Would you agree with that assessment? Would you alter that? Jenni:Oh, [I agree] 100%. We have been talking to members for several years now about the fact that you don’t work for BNI, you’re not doing this for us. Sometimes they don’t want to show the Power of One [Report] or the chapter traffic lights, because it feels like, oh, we’re shaming people. We say these are the metrics that successful members use to make more money. So we want to help you do the things that are going to help you. We work for you. Let us give you the tools and resources you need, because you have to meet the goals you have for your business. Ivan:Yeah, absolutely. So, what have you learned about what’s essential to brand new BNI members from the surveys and the conversations that you’ve done since you started this? Jenni:Yeah, I’ve probably read thousands of surveys since we’ve done this. Ivan:I’m so sorry. Jenni: (laughing)I actually find it fascinating because you can see so many patterns, and data is… I’m a words person, not a numbers person, but when data can tell a story, then I’m in. Ivan:I’m 100%… I agree completely, actually. Jenni:And so this has been kind of a revelation. When you see so many things that always pop to the surface, it has to be true. And so we have seen over… all of the things that we introduce and present on this webinar, over and over again, the surveys will say, “I wish you had spent more time on…” and they always say two things. 1. How do I use BNI Connect? How do I put in my One-to-Ones? How do I know what my Thank You for Closed Business is? How do I know if I can log in? Is it the same as BNI Academy? Like, logging in is the number one thing that they need help with. Ivan:Yeah. Jenni:And the second one is: How do I give a good presentation? Give me examples. And it’s not just about being a good speaker, it’s about being a good speaker who can articulate specifically who I need to meet to take my business where I want to go. And so if we can help….. Now, I take these surveys and I send them on to the field teams to people who can help, and I’ll say, “If nothing else, touch base with the Mentor Coordinators and talk to the new members and ask them, “Can you log in?” Because if you can’t log into… Now we’ve got this great MyBNI.com–one-stop shopping gets you to BNI Academy and BNI Connect, but if they can’t log into that, they really don’t have access to anything, and their frustration might keep them from finding resources that could really help their business. Ivan:Yeah, MyBNI.com — it’s new, it’s really critical. If you don’t know how to get onto it, connect with your Director, just like Jenni is saying. Jenni:Yeah, yeah. Ivan:So I’m guessing that the feedback you’re getting is that this has been really helpful. I mean, I can’t imagine that that hasn’t been the overwhelming response. Jenni:It has been. I had Dr. Caroline Irvine give our statistics a look a couple of years ago to see, to compare people who take 1st Year Member Essentials with the general population of first-year members in BNI, and it was an increase of first-year retention of about 4 to 6%, somewhere in there. Now it may be we just grab the most engaged people and they happen to be on here because that’s the kind of person they are. Or it could be that by having a reinforcement and a live webinar where they can ask questions, and I send a follow-up email. I tell them how to record their first CEUs. Sometimes it’s the first hour of learning they’ve had in BNI, which is very exciting. It reminds me when I was a first-year French teacher, and I thought every word of French, you know, I taught you. Ivan: (chuckling) Jenni:It’s a point of pride that everything they’re learning in this BNI webinar is going to help their business, and they heard it here first. It’s kind of exhilarating, actually. Ivan:So, there’s a website where anyone can find out the calendar of events. Now, in some countries, it is in the [BNI] regional website, but not in all countries. However, everyone everywhere can go to the calendar of events at BNInw.com correct? Jenni:That is correct. Yeah, we started this as a pilot in a few regions, and now it’s in all of the US Company Owned Regions. But I do know that there are some Executive Directors in the US and Canada, and a couple of other countries, who have gone to that website, BNInw.com, and taken that information, copy and paste the links, copy and paste what I’ve written, and they’re happy to put it on their own websites. And if anybody is interested in getting the emails that I send out, because I’m really convinced that the communication that goes out before and after each of these webinars every month is crucial to getting people on it. I think when I send the email reminder the night before we’re going to have one of the webinars, I usually get 100 more people who register, so that communication is crucial, and I’m happy to share that with anybody. Ivan:And at the time of this recording, you are doing these on the second Tuesday and the fourth Wednesday of the month, and your calendar will say what time, right? Jenni:Right. We do different days and different times to work around chapter meetings. Ivan:All right, remember that. Now most of what we do, we really want to be evergreen, so if years from now someone’s listening to this podcast, we are also putting up right now, there’s one of the recordings up on BNI Academy, but we may put another one up or update it from time to time on BNI Academy, where you can actually see a recording. Although I always recommend you go live, because you have a chance to ask questions, that’s always more powerful. Jenni, we’re out of time. Any last thought before we hand it over to Priscilla? Jenni:I just really, really hope everybody can do their Member Success Program and 1st Year Member Essentials, because when we can narrow down the most essential things to connect business goals to the activities in BNI, we are going to see far more lucrative and successful memberships for all of our members, and that is my hope for everybody. Ivan:That is a one-two punch, and the statistics I’ve heard with the Member Success Program training are even higher. So, what Jenni was talking about was this program, but those who have also done the Member Success Program training, retention rate is significantly higher than the average first-year member who doesn’t do the MSP training. Jenni:Absolutely. Ivan:So, thank you, Jenni. Back to you, Priscilla. Priscilla: Okay, perfect. I think that was a wonderful, enthusiastic podcast with lots of great information. This podcast is sponsored by www.misneraudioprograms.com. These audio programs will provide you with the tools and the inspiration to powerfully enhance your BNI experience. So check out the great material available to you at www.misneraudioprograms.com and then use the promo code IVAN50 for 50% off of everything [this code is good for a limited time]. All of the proceeds go to the BNI Foundation. Thank you so much for listening. This is Priscilla Rice, and we look forward to having you join us again next week for another exciting episode of The Official BNI Podcast. This podcast is sponsored by www.misneraudioprograms.com. These audio programs will provide you with the tools and the inspiration to powerfully enhance your BNI experience. So check out the great material available to you at www.misneraudioprograms.com and then use the promo code IVAN50 for 50% off of everything [this code is good for a limited time]. All of the proceeds go to the BNI Foundation. Thank you so much for listening. This is Priscilla Rice, and we look forward to having you join us again next week for another exciting episode of The Official BNI Podcast.

   July 29, 2026·14min
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   Number 5: Episode 968: Your Connection Team

   Your BNI chapter was never meant to be your sales force. They're your connection team., They identify opportunities and transfer credibility.

   July 08, 2026·14min
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