New York - Buffalo, Niagara

BNI provides a positive, supportive, and structured environment for the development and exchange of quality business referrals. It does so by helping you build personal relationships with dozens of other qualified business professionals.

Last year, members of BNI passed millions of referrals that generated billions of dollars of business for each other.  Belonging to BNI is like having dozens of salespeople representing your business, and in return you are representing their businesses. What goes around comes around. If I help you, you'll help me and we will both benefit as a result.

Networking requires commitment. The most successful chapters of BNI are comprised of participants who are sincerely committed to helping one another through networking. They are a team. As a participant in BNI, you are responsible for complying with the policies and guidelines of the organization.

What You Should Know

• Weekly meetings last for 90 minutes. Members need to arrive on time and stay for the entire meeting.
• Only one person from each professional specialty is accepted into a chapter of BNI.
• All participants must represent their primary occupation.
• Attendance is critical. If you cannot attend a meeting, you may send a substitute.

Membership Investment

There is an initial application fee, annual membership dues, and chapters may have a venue fee. Please see the chapter Secretary/Treasurer for exact information. When you apply to participate in BNI your application will be reviewed by the chapter's Membership Committee and you will be notified of the status before the next meeting.

Benefits

• Increased exposure to many other business professionals
• Substantially increase business through referrals
• Learn to effectively talk about your business
• Sharpen your presentation skills
• Participation in up to 52 networking meetings per year
• New Member Packet: Business card book, name badge holder, orientation CD, BNI pin
• SuccessNet newsletters with educational material on networking, public speaking, and business
• Member Success Program workshop
• Advanced Education Series workshops
• Leadership Team Training
• Participation in business tradeshows
• Participation in local conferences
• And much, much more!

The Largest Business Networking Organization - BNI 

BNI is the largest business networking organization in the world. With over 86,000 members in over 5,000 chapters in over 100 countries worldwide, BNI is the business world's best word-of-mouth marketing organization. 

The purpose of BNI is to create a network of businesses so members can gain increased exposure to many other poeple and businesses. This commitment to networking shows results:     

• Substantially increased referrals.    
• Tools to network more effectively, including an orientation CD giving the "Formula for Success" in BNI, a badge, a card holder to carry members' business cards, referral slips, marketing materials for your chapter and much, much more.    
• Participation in up to 52 networking meetings per year.    
• Bi-monthly newsletters with educational material on networking, public speaking, and business.    
• Participation in business tradeshows (where you'll have an opportunity to market your chapter and your business).    
• Free periodic workshops on networking. 

D. Ivan R. Misner, Ph. D. - Founder of BNI  

Dr. Ivan Misner is the Founder & Chairman of BNI, the world's largest business networking organization.  

Dr. Misner's Ph.D. is from the University of Southern California. He has written eleven books, including 9 best sellers. His most recent are #1 bestseller The 29% Solution and his New York Times bestseller, Truth or Delusion?  

He is a monthly columnist for Entrepreneur.com and is the Senior Partner for the Referral Institute - a referral training company with trainers around the world. In addition, he has taught business management and social capital courses at several universities throughout the United States. 

Called the "Father of Modern Networking" by CNN and the "Networking Guru"  by Entrepreneur magazine, Dr. Misner is considered one of the world's leading experts on business networking and has been a keynote speaker for major corporations and associations throughout the world. He has been featured in the L.A. Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times, as well as numerous TV and radio shows including CNN, CNBC, and the BBC  in London. 

Dr. Misner is the Founder of the BNI-Misner Foundation and was recently named "Humanitarian of the Year" by a Southern California newspaper. He is married and lives with his wife Elisabeth and their three children in Claremont, CA. In his spare time!!! he is also an amateur magician and a black belt in karate.