New BNI regional director appointed for Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast

When Nelson based Tony Yarrall attended his first BNI meeting as a guest, he met chapter member Craig Lawson who also happened to be a competitor.

Little did he realise than that he would end up in partnership with Craig – not only in their company (The Cashflow Business) – but also as a regional director of BNI.

“Naturally there was a conflict when we first met, so I went to another chapter… but we started referring to each other and the rest is history,” says Tony.

The region’s newest director, Tony says he would like to see BNI growth in Motueka and the West Coast, to join existing chapters in Nelson and Marlborough. A chapter in Blenheim is due to be chartered shortly.

Existing chapters include BNI In Rich’d & Network (Richmond), BNI Nelson Lunchtime, BNI Nelson Originals and BNI Network @ 9.

BNI currently comprises 120 chapters and more than 2,600 members around the country.

He adds that he was drawn to BNI because society is increasingly dominated by word of mouth.

“We are bombarded morning, noon and night with marketing messages, so we’re just tuning them out. When people need a service now, they ask advice from others; and BNI is meeting the needs of that trend.

Tony – who lost his leg in an accident a few years ago – has been an entrepreneur for more than 25 years, having worked in food distribution, real estate and more recently credit management and discount invoice financing.

“My accident changed the course of my career and it’s all been for the good,” he says.

If you know people who might benefit from joining BNI in the Nelson, West Coast and Motueka regions, please call Tony on 027 2740 535 or email tony@thecashflowcompany.co.nz