BNI Thatcham offers new networking opportunity in Berkshire
It would seem not all BNI groups are created equal. A visit to the emerging Thatcham BNI this morning revealed that our perception of stuffy rules and formality may have been somewhat misplaced.
Certainly BNI has not reached its 25th anniversary without some winning rules that has helped founder Ivan Misner see his networking organisation reach 5,600 chapters, with 125,000 members in 42 different countries.
There is even a story about Misner visiting a new group in South Korea where his host commented how hard it must be to understand what was going on. On the contrary, Misner knew precisely what was going on as the same thing happens in ever chapter of BNI.
Personally I have found the slavish adherence to rules a turn off. On visits as a guest or a substitute to various other BNI chapters I have found the rules restrictive. This is a marked contrast to the relatively rule free Newbury Business Group which I am lucky enough to chair. Indeed it was founded to be the antithesis groups like BNI.
However, at Thatcham BNI, which meets every Thursday morning at the Regency Park Hotel, one of BNI’s assistant directors, Julian Lewis, takes a more generous interpretation of those rules. They are still there, but there is none of the mindless obedience. He also runs a BNI group in Reading, Berkshire.
Thatcham BNI has only been going a few weeks and is busy recruiting with slots quickly going for popular roles such a solicitor, accountant and IFA – but others, such as photographer and web designer are still available. Once it reaches a tipping point it will formally launch. Remember that one of those BNI rules is that you ‘lock out’ competition, so once a slot has gone...
I had always believed you were compelled to give a referral at each meeting; Julian Lewis explained that actually they seek a contribution, which can be a referral, a testimonial or bringing a visitor.
It was an enjoyable meeting and the Regency Park Hotel is a good venue and I also had the opportunity to meet some interesting people, including local electrician Tom Duffin who talked about his business TDECS (Tom Duffin Electrical Contracting and Services Ltd) and banker turned consultant – or rather a gamekeeper turned poacher, Mike Cole, whose Banking Consultancy Services business helps companies get the most from their banks.
I also met Tim Lowe, from Tim Lowe & Associates, who is a Chartered Financial Planner with St James’s Place and Chartered Accountant Simon Witcomb, who runs the Thatcham-based accountancy firm Witcombs. It was also good to see fellow Newbury Business Group member and prominent networker Juswant Rai, who was representing the Utility Warehouse Discount Club.
Talking over the common misconceptions about BNI with Julian Lewis, I invited him to write a guest blog post for Morgan PR. Do check out The Top 10 BNI Myths.