Episode 882: Having a BNI Guide

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Official BNI Podcast – Episode 882: Having a BNI Guide

Introduction

In Episode 882 of The Official BNI Podcast, hosted by Priscilla Rice from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, California, listeners are welcomed by Priscilla alongside BNI’s founder and Chief Visionary Officer, Dr. Ivan Misner. This episode, released on October 16, 2024, delves into the pivotal role of having a BNI Guide within the organization, exploring how mentorship and guidance can transform networking experiences and business outcomes.

Personal Anecdotes and Guest Introduction

The episode begins with a personal touch as Dr. Ivan Misner shares a bit about his life outside BNI. At [00:49], he mentions his upcoming trip to Los Angeles to support his eldest daughter’s art show, highlighting the importance of family and personal achievements. This sets a warm and relatable tone for the discussion.

Priscilla introduces the episode’s guest, Cameron Reynolds, at [01:27]. Cameron has been deeply involved with BNI since the age of 14, assisting his father, Spencer Reynolds, the Executive Director of BNI Tampa, in launching a new chapter. Cameron’s multifaceted roles include being a successful launch specialist, spearheading a Hall of Fame launch with 36 members at BNI Champions, and founding the Articulate Advantage communication coaching firm. His philosophy centers on mastering one’s voice to amplify personal and professional impact.

Main Topic: Having a BNI Guide

The core of the episode revolves around the concept of having a BNI Guide, an analogy Cameron adeptly illustrates through his personal experiences.

Cameron’s Rafting Analogy

At [02:38], Cameron recounts a transformative family experience—a nine-day whitewater rafting trip through the Grand Canyon. He describes the treacherous conditions, including "12 Foot Rapids" and "50 degree water," underscoring the necessity of a skilled guide for safety and success. He parallels this to navigating BNI, emphasizing that without guidance, members may struggle to safely and effectively engage within the organization.

The Story of Joey Kenrick

Cameron shares the compelling story of Joey Kenrick, a member who initially embodied the "taker" mentality within BNI. At [04:15], he explains how Joey had joined BNI with the primary intention of taking referrals without giving back, resulting in minimal business gains. However, Jeremiah Williams, the chapter president, recognized Joey’s potential and addressed his lack of credibility:

“He told Joey, you have no credibility, you have no credibility. And that changed Joey's look on everything because he is a man of his word.” ([05:18] Cameron Reynolds)

This pivotal conversation led Joey to transform into a "giver," significantly increasing his contributions and business referrals within the chapter. Cameron highlights Joey’s progression to a director consultant in the region, generating substantial business for his chapter and those around him.

Importance of Guides in BNI

The analogy extends to the importance of having a guide—someone who is experienced and committed to helping others navigate the complexities of BNI. Cameron emphasizes that many members, especially newcomers, lack formal training in networking and referral marketing. A guide provides the necessary coaching and support to foster a giver’s mindset, which is essential for both personal growth and the collective success of the chapter.

Dr. Ivan Misner’s Insights

Dr. Ivan Misner builds on Cameron’s analogy, reflecting on the educational gaps in traditional institutions regarding networking and business relationships. At [06:22], he underscores:

“It's somebody else's confidence in your ability to provide a quality product or service.” ([06:22] Dr. Ivan Misner)

He reiterates the importance of establishing credibility within the BNI community, noting that confidence alone is insufficient without the trust and recognition of fellow members. This reinforces the necessity of having a guide to help members build and maintain their credibility.

Guides vs. Mentors in BNI

A key discussion point is the distinction between a guide and a mentor within BNI. At [10:07], Cameron delineates the difference:

“It's not an official role. It's something that is just, you know, I care about you enough to help you.” ([10:07] Cameron Reynolds)

While mentors are part of the structured Mentor Program, providing one-on-one guidance through the Passport to Success program, a guide operates more informally. Guides are members who take the initiative to support others beyond official mentoring roles, fostering a culture of mutual assistance and continuous improvement.

Dr. Ivan Misner concurs, suggesting that the roles of guide and mentor overlap and complement each other:

“I think that the guide can be a mentor. And, you know, using the mentor program to be a guide goes hand in hand.” ([10:58] Dr. Ivan Misner)

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In the closing moments, Cameron Reynolds encourages members to identify and act as guides within their chapters, emphasizing the profound impact this can have on both individual and collective success. Dr. Ivan Misner adds that a little coaching can go a long way in empowering members to contribute meaningfully.

“If you have that member in your chapter or even in the neighboring chapter that you see, just has the heart of a giver and truly wants to be able to help, you know you can care enough to help them.” ([11:04] Cameron Reynolds)

The episode wraps up with heartfelt thanks, reinforcing the episode’s central message: having a BNI Guide is crucial for fostering a supportive, productive, and thriving networking environment.

Key Takeaways

1. The Role of a Guide: Just as a river guide ensures safety and success in a challenging environment, a BNI Guide helps members navigate the complexities of networking and referral marketing.

2. Transformation Through Guidance: Personal stories, like that of Joey Kenrick, illustrate how effective guidance can transform a member from a "taker" to a "giver," significantly enhancing both their business success and the chapter’s overall productivity.

3. Credibility and Trust: Establishing credibility is essential in BNI. Confidence must be backed by the trust and recognition of fellow members, which is fostered through consistent giving and support.

4. Guide vs. Mentor: While mentors provide structured, one-on-one support through established programs, guides offer informal, proactive assistance to help members unlock their potential.

5. Community and Mutual Support: A thriving BNI chapter relies on members willing to invest in each other’s success, promoting a culture of mutual support and continuous growth.

This episode serves as a valuable resource for BNI members seeking to maximize their membership benefits through effective guidance and mentorship, underscoring the transformative power of giving and supporting within the BNI community.

Transcript

[Priscilla Rice]

Episode number 882, having a BNI Guide.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

You're listening to the official BNI Podcast with BNI founder and Chief Visionary Officer, Dr. Ivan Meisner. Stay tuned for networking and referral marketing tips from the man who's been called the father of modern networking, along with suggestions and insights into getting the most from your membership in the world's largest networking organization, bni.

[Priscilla Rice]

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 Meissner. Hello, Ivan, how are you and where are you?

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

I am doing great and I'm headed to LA tomorrow on a personal trip. My eldest daughter is having an art show. She just had some health issues and did a lot of paintings, more than a dozen paintings, and is going to be in a gallery and hospital. City of Hope is actually supporting the gallery showing. So I'm going to be there tomorrow and be there to support her.

[Priscilla Rice]

Oh, that's great. Didn't she just have a baby also?

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

She did a year and a half ago. Yeah, yeah.

[Priscilla Rice]

Oh, good.

[Cameron Reynolds]

Yeah.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

And. And her website is ashley miesner.com for anybody that wants to see some of them.

[Priscilla Rice]

Oh, yeah.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

But I have a guest today and his name is Cameron Reynolds. Cameron has been immersed in BNI since he was 14 years old. He has been helping his father, Spencer Reynolds, who's the Executive director of BNI Tampa, launch his first chapter today. Cameron plays a number of roles, including serving as a successful launch specialist, recently leading a Hall of fame launch with 36 members at BNI Champions. He's also founder of the Articulate Advantage communication coaching firm, which is all about empowering professionals to master their voice, enhance their public speaking and leadership skills. Cameron believes that when you master your voice, you amplify your impact. Cameron Reynolds, welcome to BNI Podcast. It's great to have you on.

[Cameron Reynolds]

Thank you, Ivan. It's good to be on.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

It's fun to do these podcasts. Now, our topic today is about having a BNI guide and you had such an interesting analogy that you wanted to use. I thought it would make a great podcast. So talk about the what you mean by a guide because it has a very specific meaning to you.

[Cameron Reynolds]

Absolutely. So this whole subject is the convergence of two experiences I've had recently. One, it was a once in a lifetime experience that my family, we got to go on and it was in the Grand Canyon, we went on this nine day whitewater rafting trip. Now in the Grand Canyon there's 12 Foot Rapids, you know, there's hundred degree air temperature and then you get smacked in the face with 50 degree water. So it's all these crazy things with huge rocks you might hit into. And our river guide, his name was Scotty Miller. Now he's a good friend of my father's, Spencer Reynolds, from back when he was in BNI originally 17 years ago when my father was the mortgage broker and Scotty, he was the auto glass guy. Now Scotty, he's a third generation river guide. This wasn't his first run down the Grand Canyon. And his job is to make sure that we're having fun, but most importantly that we stay alive. You know, this is a very possibly dangerous thing to be doing. And they make that very clear in the orientation with, you know, the state park people that interview you. And so this is where the idea of a guide really came in. Because there is no chance whatsoever that me or anyone in my family could have done this, could have navigated the river, could have navigated the canyon and done it safely without this guide.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

So make that connection to bni. How's that? How does that connect or fit with bni.

[Cameron Reynolds]

So earlier this year I met one of what is now one of my best friends. His name is Joey Kenrick. He is amazing. He's, you know, fellow 21 year old and he started in BNI when he was 19. He will tell you, he'll be the first one to tell you that he was a horrible member. Six months in he had only received $2,000 of thank you for close business and he hadn't really given anything. He's what he says is a taker. He came to the room and he just wanted to take, take, take. And so coming from this point, his chapter president, Jeremiah Williams, another good friend, you know, he saw that this new member was six months in and so he got with Joey and he said, know what are you doing man? And you know, Joey didn't really know what he was doing. And Jeremiah said one thing that changed the course of Joey's, you know, BNI career, his space in bni. He told Joey, you have no credibility, you have no credibility. And that changed Joey's look on everything because he is a man of his word. He is the most credible person I know. If he says he's going to do something, he's going to do it. And so when Jeremiah told him that, that flipped the world up on its Head for Joey. And so he then asked Jeremiah, okay, well, what do I need to do then? And so Jeremiah said, you know, let me show you.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Can I. Can I just add something to it here? I have said for years, it's not your confidence that counts. It's somebody else's confidence in your ability to. To provide a quality product or service. And I think that's what you're talking a little bit about here, is that he may have been very confident in his ability, but he hadn't. He hadn't established that credibility with the other members yet. And that's what he. That's what needed to be done. And this. This is a message that is applicable to so many BNI members. And I'm glad you're bringing it up. So sorry I cut you off. Keep going.

[Cameron Reynolds]

Absolutely not. So true. And so Jeremiah became. This died for Joey. Jeremiah, he was, you know, his chapter president. He was not the mentor. He was not directly responsible for him in any way, but he took him under his wing. He helped him, showed him how to do the things. He took him to advanced trainings with him. He took him to other chapters to meet key people that would be good for him in his business. He showed him how to use Giver's gain to support him and support their chapter as a whole. Now to really show the transition in Joey's life is I actually met him a couple months into this process when he was building up his philosophy in Giver's game, and he was truly becoming a giver. Joey today, you know, he's actually a director consultant in our region, and he does amazing visiting many chapters all around the Tampa Bay area. And he's given well into the five figures in his chapter and the chapters surrounding him, and he's received into the six figures. He's become a very productive BNI member and truly has the heart of a giver. But he didn't know how to do it at first. It's who he's always been, but he just didn't know how until he had that guide help him.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

We don't teach this in colleges and universities, and so we come into a B and I chapter or any networking group, and we're there to just get business. And we don't recognize what we have to do in order to not only get more business, but to give business so we can get more business. And that's kind of what you're describing here, that this person who took him under his wing was. Was his guide.

[Cameron Reynolds]

Absolutely.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Yeah. Go ahead.

[Cameron Reynolds]

Yeah. So this is concept with a guide is, you know, as you said, we don't know what we're doing. We're not born networkers. You know, I'm currently a college student and there's no classes on networking or giving or how to support those around you. And so I believe, you know, that's a big part. And a lot of new BNI members don't even know what they don't know.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Right.

[Cameron Reynolds]

And so it's important for members, you know, they could be the president, they could be a membership committee member, they could be a visitor hubs, they could be any member of the chapter just to care about a member that's struggling and saying, hey, you know, I know this is not natural for some people. I know this is. You've never been taught how to do this. Let me help you. And so that's the biggest thing I believe is just to let me help you, let me show you how, and then care about them enough to follow through with that and really do it.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

And the beauty of that, and you know, something I've said for years, is that we all have people in our story, but the real measure of a life is who. Whose story are we in? And so this member, you know, is in Joey's story. And that's so important because look at the amount of business that he's been able to bring into the chapter. So that effort by the member to guide Joey has resulted in the chapter generating a whole lot more business. It's a win, win situation.

[Cameron Reynolds]

Absolutely. And on top of that, he sponsored many, many more people into his chapter and all around him, he's become a very productive member, that he wouldn't have had the chance if he didn't have this guide in Jeremiah to help him do that.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

So what's the difference? Just to wrap up here, what's the difference between this concept of being a guide versus being a mentor in the mentor program?

[Cameron Reynolds]

Absolutely. I think when we think of mentoring BNI, we think of the 10 mentors that you have a one to one with at the beginning of your membership. You get through the Passport to Success program and you learn each of the key things that you need as a new member. And I think that's what we think of when we think of member. We don't really think of this guide that isn't an official role. It's something that is just, you know, I care about you enough to help you. And I think that's the real difference of it is it's not a dedicated role. It's more of A let me help you type of thing.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Well, I think. I think the concept of a guide is a brilliant one. I also think that the guide can be a mentor. And, you know, using the mentor program to be a guide is. Goes hand in hand with one another, in my opinion.

[Cameron Reynolds]

Of course.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

So, Cameron, any last thoughts before we wrap up?

[Cameron Reynolds]

You know, I just think if you have that member in your chapter or even in the neighboring chapter that you see, just has the heart of a giver and truly wants to be able to help, but just doesn't know how, you know you can care enough to help them.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Yeah, they just need a little coaching.

[Cameron Reynolds]

Members can do it. Yeah, absolutely.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Well, thank you so much for being on BNI podcast today. I really appreciate your time and you had a great message. Thank you.

[Cameron Reynolds]

Thank you, Darvin.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Over to you, Priscilla.

[Priscilla Rice]

Okay, that was some great information. I have to say that I've been down the Grand Canyon in a rafting trip also, and it is super exciting. This podcast is sponsored by MeisnerAudioPrograms.com these audio programs will provide you with the tools and the inspiration to powerfully enhance your B and I experience. So check out the great material that's available to [e-mail] and use the promo code IVAN5O for 50% off of everything. All of the proceeds go to the B and I 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.