They say in business it’s not what you know but who you know.
That’s pretty much the motto of BNI All Stars, the newest local chapter of the Businesses Networking International, which boasts approximately 10,000 chapters worldwide and upwards of 300,000 members.
Members of the city’s newest chapter — and the ninth in Barrie — met in person for the first time today (Feb. 8), welcoming close to 40 local business owners to the group’s official launch.
“It’s very exciting because BNI hasn’t had a new chapter in Barrie in a few years. We have such an amazing group of people that we just want to showcase all of our work,” said BNI All Stars president Jessical Joyner, who created the All Stars in November to help promote her business, Jessica Lee Social.
Joyner explained the local networking group helps to provide local small business owners a unique opportunity to connect on a more personal level with other business owners in their community.
“We are really obsessed with connection. It’s not a cold experience at all," she told BarrieToday. "We are very loving and welcoming, and it’s all about meeting new people. We do something called one-on-ones where we have to pick someone from our chapter or one of the other chapters and we sit down for an hour, have a coffee, go for a walk … talk businesses, learn a little bit about each other… because that personal connection is really what brings us together and helps us to feel confident in referring them to our friends.
"It’s all based off of referrals. We are constantly trying to find work, not just for ourselves but for other members as well," Joyner added.
Although each chapter only allows one member from each category of business, Joyner says members are able to visit other chapters.
“You’re not closed off to one chapter and it’s this huge organization you can access," she said. "If you’re in the digital world like I am … I can contact anyone in Canada and see if they’d like to use my social media service — or if there’s a construction company owner and he wants to get in touch with all the painters in the area, he can connect with them. It’s nice because you’re not confined to just the members of your group. You have this whole network as well.”
Liz Cripps, owner of East Gwillimbury-based Wacads Group, a business automation company, serves as the vice-president of BNI All Stars, says despite having had opportunities and interactions with other groups over the course of her career, the difference she has found with BNI has been the level of accountability.
“The fact that not only are we coming together on a weekly basis, but we are coming to the table with something to offer," she told BarrieToday. "Community building in BNI is a huge factor. When we are interacting and meeting with people, we are really making a concerted effort to learn about their businesses and learn how we can help them."
BNI All Stars meets via Zoom every Wednesday at 6:30 a.m. They meet the first Wednesday of each month at the Barrie & District Association of Realtors office located at 676 Veterans Dr., in the city’s south end.
