By: REBECCA GARDINER | Friday, 15 February 2013
• Howick and Pakuranga Times
A HEARTY breakfast and the chance to rub shoulders with a successful networking group are on offer to small business owners.
GENERATING TRADE: Jennie Millen, president of BNI East Auckland, is encouraging businesspeople to attend a free breakfast meeting for the local networking group.
BNI (Business Network International) East Auckland is holding an open day on February 21 to promote the organisation to local businesspeople.
President Jennie Millen says visitors are welcome to attend the meeting held at the Pakuranga Golf Club at 7am, enjoy a free cooked breakfast and get a taste of BNI.
“Visitors will have an opportunity to talk about their own business and network with other visitors and members,” says Ms Millen. “It’s the perfect way to grow.”
BNI groups generally have about 30 members and each is from a different trade or profession.
The East Auckland chapter, which presently has 24 members including a lawyer, mechanic, website designer and painter, meets every Thursday from 7-8.30am at the golf club on Botany Road.
“It’s really good for people who are one-man bands,” say Ms Millen, who is a self-employed personal trainer.
“Our chapter is about getting down to business and generating business, but we also have a bit of a laugh.”
She told the Times that the weekly breakfast meetings have a supportive atmosphere and are “incredibly valuable” to the members.
“When I first joined BNI East Auckland, I was just starting out.
“The members – some have been in the chapter for more than 10 years and all have established businesses – took me under their wing.
“They have all really helped me grow my business and I’ve learned so much from them.
“Since I’ve been in BNI, most of my clients have come from BNI.”
In the past six months, the group has generated about $350,000 of business for its members.
“It’s definitely worth being a part of that,” says Ms Millen.
“It’s a well-established chapter and there’s nothing better than being able to say ‘hey, can you give me some advice’.
“It’s lonely being by yourself, especially when you don’t know anything about business.”
The 27-year-old, who started doing contract work about a year ago, says BNI meetings give people time to stand up and talk about their work every week.
“We also have an education spot where for three to five minutes someone talks about some form of business advice.
“With BNI, you’ve got 24 people walking around as your salespeople.”
To register for the free breakfast meeting on February 21, phone Jennie Millen on 027-282-8804, or email jennie@velca.co.nz .
