The Official BNI Podcast

Episode 936: Why New Members Struggle
Host: Dr. Ivan Misner
Guest: Dr. Lisa Renz, President of BNI USA
Date: November 12, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the common reasons why new BNI members sometimes struggle to see results from their membership. Host Dr. Ivan Misner and guest Dr. Lisa Renz discuss cultural, structural, and practical obstacles new members face, and how existing members and leadership can shift their approach to better support newcomers. The conversation centers on the importance of correctly applying BNI’s “Givers Gain” philosophy, mentoring, early engagement and training, and cultivating a chapter culture that actively invests in new members’ success.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Misapplication of "Givers Gain" (02:20–06:25)

• Lisa’s Experience: Dr. Lisa Renz shares how, when first joining BNI, she was advised to “just give more referrals than anybody else, and you'll be successful in BNI.” It worked for her, but she stresses this isn’t one-size-fits-all advice.
  • “My business grew 200% in two years in BNI. So it absolutely worked for me. But I—not everybody’s in that position and has those types of results, I think.” — Dr. Lisa Renz (03:12)
• The Two-Way Street: Lisa recounts how her chapter invested in her from the start—mentoring her, giving her referrals, and ensuring she understood “Givers Gain” is reciprocal.
  • “It’s the chapter giving to me, but also me giving back to the chapter right away. So we both were very intentional in our interactions.” — Dr. Lisa Renz (04:06)
• Trust and Specificity: Establishing trust quickly—with both new members giving and receiving referrals—is essential. New members also need to learn to be specific in their “asks” at meetings.

2. Importance of Early Training & Quick Engagement (05:02–06:25)

• Training's Value: Many new members don’t realize how valuable BNI’s online resources are.
  • “If you’re a new member…get those new members through the new member training within the first week or two. It makes a big difference in their ability to start immediately generating the referrals.” — Dr. Lisa Renz (05:09)
• Retention Levers: Fast-track completion of New Member Success Program (MSP) leads to greatly improved retention and faster results.
  • “We’ve seen over and over again that one of the levers you can pull to increase retention is get new members through…orientation training, get it through quick, and the chances of them renewing go up substantially.” — Dr. Ivan Misner (05:25)

3. Chapter Culture & The Responsibility of Existing Members (06:26–09:32)

• A Collective Responsibility: The onus for new member success lies with the entire chapter, not just one or two individuals.
  • “The reality is, the whole chapter…needs to invest their time and energy into getting to know the new members…” — Dr. Lisa Renz (06:46)
• Mentoring & Coaching: Regular mentoring, coaching, and instilling a habit of accountability drive new member engagement and results.
• Culture Shift: Often, helping new members isn’t intuitive and requires a shift in the veteran members’ mindset.
  • “When a new member struggles, it’s not the new member’s fault. They just don’t know what they don’t know.” — Dr. Lisa Renz (08:03)
• Networking is Not Natural for Most: Dr. Renz and Dr. Misner note that networking is a skill most learn after joining organizations like BNI.

4. Accountability & Follow-Up (08:50–10:34)

• Accountability Partners: Setting up new members with mentors or accountability partners helps them prioritize activities that lead to results.
  • “When we lack accountability with our newest members, we don’t set them up for success.” — Dr. Lisa Renz (08:57)
• Regular Check-Ins: Chapters should regularly review member successes and struggles by talking directly to new members and monitoring performance metrics.

5. Curated Resources & Ongoing Learning (10:05–11:21)

• Curated Content: Chapters should maintain a curated list of relevant podcasts, videos, and courses to address new member challenges as they arise.
  • “The operative word here is curate…You want to take a look at podcasts and YouTube videos and business builder content that’s applicable at that moment and share that with new members.” — Dr. Ivan Misner (10:18)
• Resource Accessibility: It’s vital for chapters to ensure new members know where to find resources and to be proactive in connecting them to those tools.

6. Concrete Actions and Call to Action (11:21–12:27)

• For New Members: Start New Member Success Program training immediately on joining.
• For Leadership: Be intentional in recruiting and rapidly integrating new members into the chapter’s relational and referral fabric.
  • “You build trust and the referrals just come for the long time.” — Dr. Lisa Renz (11:38)
• Quick Win: Each week, the chapter should ask new members directly: “Are you getting all the business out of BNI that you want?” and act promptly on their responses.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s two ways. It’s the chapter giving to me, but also me giving back to the chapter right away.” — Dr. Lisa Renz (04:06)
• “Specific is terrific, and it truly is…a lot of new members…don’t know how to clearly ask for what they need.” — Dr. Lisa Renz (04:41)
• “When a new member struggles, it’s not the new member’s fault. They just don’t know what they don’t know.” — Dr. Lisa Renz (08:03)
• “Be intentional. Make sure you’re actively recruiting our newest members and making sure you add value to that relationship from the beginning.” — Dr. Lisa Renz (11:31)
• “Just ask them, are you getting all the business out of BNI that you want? And if their answer is no, then find out what you can do to help them make that happen and then make it happen.” — Dr. Lisa Renz (12:08)
• “I saw it done once with a chapter where…the president…said how this is how we can all help this person. And the chapter all got behind her and absolutely, she told me, saved my business because he did that.” — Dr. Ivan Misner (12:24)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:20] — Dr. Renz on “Givers Gain” misconceptions
• [03:18] — Renz’s personal results, and how others may differ
• [04:06] — The two-way street: chapter and new member intentionality
• [05:02] — Emphasizing early engagement in new member training
• [06:26] — Importance of collective chapter culture
• [08:03] — Responsibility for new member success
• [10:18] — Curating resources for new members
• [11:21] — Summary and call to action
• [12:08] — The “quick win” weekly check-in suggestion
• [12:24] — A real-life story of chapter support saving a member’s business

Actionable Takeaways

• For Chapters:

  • Invest intentionally in new members from day one—with referrals, mentoring, and visibility.
  • Make new member training (MSP) a top priority within the first two weeks.
  • Encourage and facilitate accountability partnerships or mentoring relationships.
  • Curate and share tailored resources—podcasts, videos, and courses—relevant to each member’s needs.
  • Regularly check in with new members to assess their satisfaction and results, adjusting support as needed.

• For New Members:

  • Engage promptly with training and chapter resources; be proactive in seeking guidance.
  • Be specific in your weekly commercials about what referrals you want.
  • Build relationships with both new and veteran members to integrate quickly.

This episode is packed with actionable insights for both new and experienced BNI members, emphasizing that supporting new members is a collective responsibility that enhances the success of all.