I’m fortunate enough to be a member of Ireland’s leading BNI chapter: Cork City.
If you’re unfamiliar with BNI, it’s a international organization with chapters around the world. The sole purpose of each chapter is to generate word-of-mouth referral business for its members. My membership was worth about €10,000 to me over the course of 2009. Nothing huge, but not to be disregarded either.
Apart from the business and the networking, there are lots of educational benefits to my membership in BNI.
So that’s all good.
There are down sides, though.
This morning was our traditional Christmas meeting, at which we all present on behalf of another member instead of ourselves. It can get messy, not to mention apocryphal and downright libelous.
For instance, this is what Willie Ahern, our group’s electrician, said on my behalf:
“My name is Roger Overall and I am the greatest photographer alive. [So far, so good]
“In fact, before me, there were no photographers worth talking about. [OK, that's not quite true]
“If I take 10 photographs, 11 of them are going to be award-winners. [Now hang on a minute...]
“I don’t need to set a shutter speed on my camera. Time stands still for me. [I have almost never claimed that]
“I don’t need to use flash. The sun just shines brighter for me. [Or that. And then it just gets worse:]
“I’m looking to speak to people who can afford me.
“If you know them, tell them that I invented light.
“Tell them that if they humble themselves before me, I might take a phone call from them.
“That’s Roger Overall, I’m a genius.” [That bit is true]
Now, surely most of that is slander? I’d be the first to admit that I have an ego (we had to build an annex to the house specially for it last year), but this is going too far.
Fortunately, my solicitor is a member of our chapter as well. He has a keen legal brain and a sharp intellect. He immediately leaped into action on my behalf:
My lawyer defending my good character (c) Roger Overall 2009
On a more seasonal note, the group’s printer, Ciaran Buckley-Barry of Prontaprint, volunteered to have his legs waxed for charity as part of his presentation on behalf of the chapter’s beauty salon, Asana.
He didn’t enjoy it:
(c) Roger Overall 2009
We laughed like drains.
All kidding aside, it is a privilege to be a member of the Cork City chapter of BNI and I’m looking forward to 2010 in the company of my fellow members.
So, I’ll raise a glass to them.
Willie Ahern gave me a bottle of 2004 Chateau Cantenac Brown with which to do it.
Thanks for everything, guys.
You can see Angela has job satisfaction!
Lovely story Roger. Before I retired I was a member of BNI for about six years and a regular “sub” for other chapters. Apart from the free breakfast, the “sub” has great license to play with the reputations of the absentee member – as on days when you describe your fellow members. I was a highly sought after “sub” – turned up as witch with wand and big hairy spider casting spells upon anyone who did not use our resident ‘Wizard Travel’ agent. Ivan Misner’s new(ish) book 29% is key part of my arsenal Cheers Lesley