Joining BNI
I have been in BNI since August 2011.
At the time of joining, I had a bookkeeping business.
I received a text from a friend who was also a bookkeeper.
The text read ‘Are you after more business’.
I replied ‘Of course, we never say no to more business’
She replied ‘I have a local networking group that is after a bookkeeper’
Now my first thought was ‘ok so she has a group that needs their bookkeeping done, I can do that….
So I said ‘ok’.
She replied ‘can you come to a breakfast meeting this week details are……..’
Of course, I said yes…
I turned up to the meeting 6.45am for a 7am start, wondering who would meet at this time of day and really not sure what was going to happen, basically thinking that I would meet someone and discuss with them how I could help them with their bookkeeping.
My friend had organised a member of the chapter that needed a bookkeeper to be there, so when I walked in and was welcomed this is what was said.
‘Hi, I’m really glad you could come, now I am in this chapter as a bookkeeper, so you can’t say anything about what you do, but I’ve organised Trevor to sit next to you for the meeting, he is in the Tuesday morning chapter that needs a bookkeeper’…
As you can imagine, I was totally lost and really had no idea what the meeting was going to be about.
There were other local business owners in the room, some I had met or knew of and some I hadn’t.
After the meeting, Trevor asked me what I thought of the meeting and all I could say was ‘yeah it was great’ but I actually had no idea. Trevor then invited me to his chapter meeting on the following Tuesday, for which I accepted the invite.
The following Tuesday I go along to a meeting, where the only person I knew there was Trevor (and I had only met him briefly the Thursday before). Now, this was so far outside my comfort zone you have no idea. I was so scared but pushed myself anyway.
I was introduced to a few people and then sat through the whole meeting, really having no idea what it was about, but there were two things that kept me going.
1. If my friend was in this thing then I needed to me and
2. There was another bookkeeper there who was changing categories to ‘Debt Collecting’ and she was a well-known bookkeeper in my hometown, so if she was in the chapter then I needed to be as well.
She actually came up to me after the meeting and told me all about how awesome BNI had been for her bookkeeping business and how I really needed to join.
So of course, I joined… really not knowing what I was getting into or what anything meant.
My Early BNI Years
I joined BNI in Regional Victoria, in a town called Bendigo… at the time I joined there were 3 chapters with approximately 45 members in each chapter. We had 1 Ambassador, 1 Director Consultant and a Caretaker Executive Director. Our region wasn’t owned by anyone, so technically we were owned by BNI Australia.
The first Member Success Program(MSP) that I attended really blew me away. It was in a private room at a local popular pub. I worked in and there was this welcome table where I signed in and received a book and a few more other things that I can’t remember now. We then had to order dinner and sit down to learn.
The Caretaker Executive Director that was looking after us at the time, was amazing, he had actually done lots of Training for BNI Australia, so his knowledge was great and he had a great way of presenting to us.
Two things about BNI in those early days that REALLY REALLY stressed me were my 60 seconds (now called the weekly presentation) and my 10 minute (now called Feature Presentation)… These were the main things I remember MSP was about, but I’m sure there was more to it…
For me to stand up in front of other business owners (at the time I was ‘just’ a single mum doing bookkeeping, ignoring the fact that I had 3 staff members and had been in business for 13 years, the image I had of myself was very poorly) was horrific. I felt really intimidated and wanted to vomit every time, but the training was great and I really learned a lot from it.
My BNI Journey
Over the years I developed some amazing friendships and learnt so much as a business owner. As mentioned above, I had been in business for 13 years prior to joining BNI, but mixing with other business owners, learning and growing from their knowledge, really changed things for me.
I have been in almost all positions on the BNI Leadership team. But the two that I enjoy the most are Mentor and Visitor Host.
The reason I loved being Mentor is that I loved that I got to have the ‘first’ relationship with all new members, but also because I love mentoring people, helping them get the most out of their BNI journey and I could also help them on a business level.
The reason I loved being Visitor Host was that I got to meet so many different business owners in our region and because I use to follow them up after the meeting that was another connection and most times I would either get a great contact, a great business opportunity or the start of a great friendship.
Two things that really impacted my life because of BNI were
- I started working with a life coach
- I met the most amazing people who have helped me grow and develop, both personally and professionally
Moving to North Queensland
In 2016 I was given the opportunity to move to North Queensland. This was totally left field and hadn’t been on my radar at all. BUT, like I always do, I researched the offer a bit, then threw all caution to the wind and packed up my car with clothes and computer gear and moved. Leaving behind my family, friends and house still set up. (there is a longer story to this and I will get around to it at some stage, but for now, this is enough 🙂 )
If you are going to start a business, or transfer one, then BNI is the vehicle to use to get clients. There is no way that I would have considered moving my business without having BNI as the tool.
Being Area Director in North Queensland
When I arrived in North Queensland, I helped get a new chapter off the ground, did a lot of training and mentoring to help all the members, run the chapter and get more from their memberships.
That lead me to become Area Director of North Queensland, Cairns Region. I loved that role, helping all the members get more out of their BNI membership and watching all those people grow and develop personally and professionally.
As Area Director I launched a further 2 chapters, one of them in a rural town 1-hour drive from Cairns and Cairns BNI Region grew by 180% during my time as Area Director.
Moving to Adelaide (South Australia)
While working as Area Director in North Queensland I got to do lots of training, I travelled to Melbourne (quite a few times), Gold Coast, Bangkok and Poland to attend different events and undertake different pieces of training.
During my travels, I got to meet and know Simon Derrick-Roberts (Executive Director of BNI Adelaide – CBD & South) and he became my unofficial mentor. A lot of things I implemented in the Cairns Region were a direct result of the mentoring I received from Simon.
So when the opportunity came up to work with Simon in Adelaide I didn’t hesitate to accept the role. I packed up and drove 4,700kms from Cairns, North Queensland to Adelaide, South Australia.
Becoming Regional Director
I became Regional Director for BNI SA – Adelaide CBD & South in January 2021. I have had an amazing time so far, working with so many amazing people.
I have worked with one amazing chapter to support them in going from 40 members with a $2.5 million turnover to 70 members with a $9 million turnover.
I have launched a chapter in the Brighton area.
And I am working with 2 other chapters to help them both achieve their goals of having 35+ members.
In 2023 I am also launching a chapter in the Athelstone/Campbelltown area, so if you are interested in BNI at all, reach out 🙂
My goal is to support 1,000 businesses in Adelaide to help them grow their businesses through BNI.
A bit of a Testimonial
The following is a reply email I received from a member after I sent out a ‘good bye and thank you’ email to all my members in Cairns, North Queensland.
Wishing all the best Sonya and I hope that you are blessed like you have been a blessing with everyone up here in the north. Thankyou for your persistency as you where the first person ever to send me info and about 1 000 000 invites to join BNI a couple of years ago. I am so glad you did as today I might be signing a deal worth around $350 k which will take us at Cassowary Coast over the million dollar mark for 2020. Yes a new home deal which is going to be a great project to do.
I know “our God”will protect you and guide you every step of this new journey and I pray you are blessed abundantly with not only finances but in relationships you will endue on the way. Take care
Chris And Colleen Calleja
Interviewing Dr Ivan Misner
One of the amazing things that has happened to me is that I got the opportunity to interview Dr Ivan Misner. As you all know, Dr Misner is the founder of BNI. When I was at the Global Convention in 2019 in Poland, we got to meet with Dr Misner and someone asked him what we could all do for him and his reply was ‘if you know of someone who has a podcast I’d love to be on their podcast’. My good friend that I was with at the time told him that I had a podcast and so he gave me his personal details so that I could contact him after the convention and organise a time to do the podcast.
Here is the link for you to watch the podcast being recorded -> Dr Ivan Misner Podcast Recording – 2020
Success Stories
I love hearing the success stories – Local Cleaner gets $98,000 from BNI a Year; local Handyman gets $650,000 from BNI a Year; Local Mechanic gets $100,000 from BNI a year. And then there are the personal successes – Learning to do public speaking; learning to network with people that they consider ‘above’ them.
I would love to hear your success story – please fill in the following Google Form so I can learn more about your success story -> HERE
Sonya’s Personal Vision, Mission & Core Values for BNI
As a Director of BNI, I have developed my personal vision, mission and core values. If you would like to read them, please click HERE.
Are you an Introvert?
When I joined BNI, I was very much an introvert. I was so intimidated by being in the room. I was the person who ‘hugged the wall’ at networking events, with my phone in my hand and it being the most important thing at the event. OR I would take friends with me to networking events and just hang with them so I didn’t have to speak to strangers 🙂
I am looking at writing a book this year called ‘Networking as an Introvert’ and I would love to hear how you have overcome being an introvert at networking events.
Please fill in the Google Form -> HERE to connect with me and share your story 🙂