BNI Is All Business About Making Connections

By Kaaren Valenta

Every Thursday at precisely 7 am, in the back room of My Place restaurant, a meeting of members of the Business Network International (BNI), a business networking group, comes to order. The organization is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

The Newtown chapter, one of more than 3,700 chapters worldwide, has been in operation since 1996.

“BNI provides a structured and supportive system for giving and receiving business,” said Rosemary Bouffard, BNI Newtown president. “It provides an environment in which members can develop personal relationships with other qualified business professionals and through this grow and expand their businesses.

“It is a very positive way to work together,” she said. “And it is especially helpful for small businesses that are on a tight budget.”

After helping themselves to the breakfast buffet at the meeting last week, the 20 members took seats around a long table and prepared to take turns presenting a one-minute “commercial” explaining their businesses and their special focus for leads that week.

During his turn to speak, Bob Williams, a financial planner, said that most people believe that they cannot withdraw money from an IRA before age 59½ without incurring a penalty, but that is not always the case. “If you have to access it, there are ways to do it,” he said. “People don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan.”

Realtor Allyson Bernard told the group that the residential and commercial real estate market has quieted down enough to have a choice again. “It’s a better time to be out there looking than it has been in a long time,” she said. “The choices are there and the rates are still good.”

Deb Bacchiochi, who provides residential mortgages, agreed.

“The rates are really good,” she said. “If you are ever going to make a change, now is the time.”

Each week during the meeting one member also makes a ten-minute presentation to the group about something he or she wants to bring to their attention. It could be a new piece of equipment, a new service, or a current business trend.

Last week’s presentation involved a 28-foot black van that sat in the shopping center parking lot across from the restaurant. The converted van is the new mobile showroom of BNI member Brad Marshall, the owner of Kingdom Carpet in Bethel. Mr Marshall has been in the carpet business for 16 years and has showroom in the center of Bethel. He also has a “door-to-door” service, bringing carpet samples in his van to the homes of potential customers. As an offshoot of his carpet business, Mr Marshall has a family-owned and operated floor cleaning business.

Mary Giampietro of Paolaworks, a marketing/communications business consultant from Southbury and regular BNI substitute, has been working with Mr Marshall to produce promotional materials and an awareness program for Kingdom Carpet.

“I realized there was an opportunity for him to collaborate with another BNI member, Mary Jane Magoon, who is an interior designer and customer framer, to create an attractive, shopper friendly showroom in the trailer,” Ms Giampietro said. “As part of the makeover, she designed a cozy area for the homeowner to sit and discuss flooring ideas with Brad over coffee.”

Ms Magoon, owner of Artistic Surroundings in Sherman, provides interior decorating services to clients in the greater Newtown area. She has 26 years of experience, consulting on everything from accessories and lighting to upholstery, original window treatments, and fine art.

“Mary Jane will be available to consult with people on home decorating questions, providing a value-added service to Brad’s customers, while simultaneously gaining visibility for her own business,” Ms Giampietro said. “She is providing free one-hour consultations.”

For Ms Giampietro, the project was right in line with her role as a marketing consultant for small businesses. “Actually, I call it ‘branding’ because we often have to begin with identifying the unique aspects of the company, develop the materials, and then write the strategy. I also work with financial services — credit unions and community-based banks — as differentiation is really becoming more and more important,” she said.

BNI has members who work in such fields as residential mortgages, insurance, payroll services, travel, chiropractic, real estate, law, financial planning, web design, computer sales and installation, vitamins, and water treatment.

Because it is a business referral network, only one type of business can be represented in each chapter. Currently there are openings for members in the following occupations: printer, landscaper, massage therapist, luxury automobile retailer, electrician, plumber, florist, photographer, home inspector, sign-maker, elder care attorney, mover, painter, salon/spa owner.

BNI officers this year include Ms Bouffard, who is a Nikken health products representative; Terry Mahon, vice president, who is a software designer; and Janet Harner, secretary/treasurer, a Weekenders clothing representative.

During the meeting, the members passed around a business card box. They also provided referrals to other members. So far this year they have provided 467 referrals.

“I’m looking for a woman who has a closet full of clothes but says she has nothing to wear,” Ms Harner said, adding, “I wear my business on my back.”

Andrew Chapin of Middletown, a BNI area director, attended the meeting and led mini workshops. In one he asked members to reveal what their alternate career would be if talent were not an issue; in the other, he asked members to consult with the person next to them and find five common threads in their lives. For each exercise, he allowed a minute and a half.

“The point is to get to know each other better,” he said. “Common threads make for relationships, not the differences.”

For information about BNI Newtown Chapter, or to schedule a free visit to a meeting, call Rosemary Bouffard at 744-6998 or email her at Bouffard@All-Well-and-Good.com. Call Brad Marshall at Kingdom Carpet, 205-0645; Mary Jane Magoon of Artistic Surroundings, 860-350-3708, and Mary Giampietro of Paolaworks, 267-5783.