BNICandlewood

ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC FOR PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE SANDY HOOK TRAGEDY

Visitors please register using link above to join our meeting on 12/7 at 7:00 a.m. when John Durkin of Allied Wealth Partners will present on the topic of "Premium, discount, and Louie the Loser".

Visitors use link above to register to join us on 10/26 at 7 a.m. when David Harter will give a 10-minute presentation on "All things Radon".

Want to learn more about the benefits of joining Candlewood BNI e.g. BNICandlewood? Fill in your contact details at https://www.bni.com/find-a-chapter and search for 06810. Register as a visitor to attend one of our upcoming meetings.

Find a Chapter The world's largest business referral organization is just a few clicks away. Find a business networking chapter near you to get started.

Sharing this week's educational moment courtesy of John Durkin Allied Wealth Partners.

10/5/22 Educational moment courtesy of John Durkin
7 Principles of Givers Gain by Dr. Ivan Meisner from podcast #676
1. Are they in your life? Consider your network.
2. Give without expectation.
3. Give more than is expected.
4. Never give more than you can afford.
5. It is okay to gain and ask for what you need.
6. Stay humble.
7. Show gratitude.

9/14 Educational Moment courtesy of John Durkin comes from a podcast with Dr. Ivan Meisner who said: Most of us have heard that it isn't what you say, but how you say it. Someone once asked me to share my input on what could be improved upon at a local BNI Chapter meeting I had observed. Someone took offense with my comments and then raised objections. I was fuming and responded with my gut reaction and later regretted it. Remember, people don't care how much you know. A book called "Crucial Conversations" suggests that it is best to listen, acknowledge what is said, understand the problem and ask how you can help. Be diplomatic. Be persuasive, not abrasive. Diffuse the heated conversation. Consider how you can say something to achieve the best possible result. Know what you want to say before you say it.

Educational moment 08/03/22:
5 Ideas to increase encouragement:
- Make it a habit
- Encouragement can build a bridge between two people
- Specific is terrific!
- Start from the heart (how the other person made you feel)
- Timing is everything
Giving encouragement is a great opportunity to do immeasurable good. It is a beautiful gift that costs nothing to give but which enhances our lives.

06/22/22 Educational moment courtesy of John Durkin of Allied Wealth Financial focused on a recent podcast by Dr. Ivan Meisner highlighting the benefits of a great team. There are good teams, and then there are great teams. Good teams function well during routine activities, but great teams are those who function well even when things go wrong. Dr. Meissner discussed how his daughter’s wedding could have been a disaster when the wedding venue lost power on the morning of the event. He was pleasantly surprised to see how the catering team worked to find solutions when things went wrong. The manager and his team remained calm in front of all the guests. Key attributes of a great team manager:
- Remains calm during a crisis
- Believes in his/her team
- They don’t focus on the problem, they focus on the solution
- They implement the solution
- They help others take their mind off the chaos by focusing on the fun.

5/18 Educational Moment courtesy of John Durkin from Allied Wealth focused on basic materials from BNI. The whole premise of BNI is to build business by 1x1’s to learn about the goal of the business of the other member. Here are key points:
1. Schedule initial 1x1 with everyone in the group.
2. The meeting should be scheduled and social.
3. If you ask someone about having a 1x1, it is about them. Give before gain.
4. GAINS are essential. Get to know 5 key things about the other individual: Goals, Accomplishments, Interests, Network and Skills.
5. End each 1x1 with a commitment. Do something as a result of the meeting.
6. Remember – it is not a one-time deal. Train your sales teams to bring value to you. Build relationships and trust.

Visitors, please register using link above to join our next meeting on 5/18 at 7:00 a.m. when David Harter will give a short presentation on the following topic:
IS YOUR HOME’S DRINKING WATER SAFE TO DRINK?

5/11 Educational moment courtesy of John Durkin discussed the importance of 1x1’s from an MSP-level. 1x1’s are important because they keep us visible and credible. We need to get together because networking is about farming. We want to take every opportunity to get together with one another. The recommended minimum for many chapters is to have one a week; they lead to more business. Everyone new to the chapter should schedule one with each member of our chapter. It’s good to do the 1x1’s in one member’s office; and then the next time hold the meeting at the other’s office. Share your bio and your GAINS (goals, accomplishments, interests, network, and skills), which should be updated every six months. Our chapter has a low turnover and so we all know one another, but we should think about it might work effectively. Report your 1x1’s in the app or online. The person who invited the other for a 1x1 should put the slip in, but both people get credit. Testimonials and referrals add something of value; discuss only those you have completed.

03/23/22 Educational moment courtesy of John Durkin referenced a conversation by Dr. Ivan Misner about a scene from Jaws where Martin Brody tells Hooper “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” Misner discusses how this reminds him of goal setting, and how sometimes your current resources are not a viable option to achieve the goals you set. This struck a chord with him after he opened 20 chapters by accident in 20 months. He started BNI because he wanted something focused on business that was not mercenary. He wanted something that was relational and proportional to the core value of givers gain. At the time, he thought that most businesses had this figured out, but they didn’t. Necessity is the mother of invention, and so he sat down and created a business plan to build his business plan to have 10K chapters some day which seemed improbable. It’s good to have goals, and it is good to revisit the goals annually. Misner reached this big goal in December 2020. How you plan your goals and how you respond in building your business are important to achieve your success.

3/16/22 Educational moment courtesy of John Durkin Allied Wealth discussed the topic of Power Networking. Many times in a BNI chapter, members have a tendency to network with business professionals that they have synergy with. It is a mistake to focus on these relationships alone. It is better to develop diverse personal connections. Use lynchpins in your network who work with multiple groups. Lynchpins are those who have overlapping connections with members across the chapter. Develop a diverse network not just a synergistic one. Book a one-on-one with a lynchpin in your network today.

3/2/22 Educational Moment courtesy of John Durkin Allied Wealth discussed a BNI member’s approach of considering BNI Membership as ‘Buying a share in a BNI Chapter.’ In thinking of membership this way, it is like an investment portfolio that can use to ensure growth. Like shares on a stock market exchange, your membership may yield 10, 100 or 1,000 times a return each year. Your yield is your Thank You For Your Closed Business (TYFYCB) dividend which is one of the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) on the Power of One Report. The best KPIs to deliver your Return on Investment (ROI) for BNI are:
1. Turn up – basic & easiest thing to do!
2. Schedule one 1x1 a week.
3. Bring visitors to build the network
4. Pass referrals.

Visitors, please register to join one of our 7am weekly Wednesday meetings to learn about how BNI can help grow your business! Registration link: https://www.bniconnectglobal.com/web/visitors/

Visitors, please use link above to register to join our chapter's weekly BNI Meeting at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow in person or via zoom when John Durkin of Allied Wealth will give a 10-minute presentation on 'What is a Market Correction?'

2/23/22 Educational moment courtesy of John Durkin, Allied Wealth focused on Dr. Meisner’s presentation on referral times and the confidence curve. It takes time to build meaningful relationships. It is better to go deep rather than wide. Truly close friendships with people take time; similar to building your referral partners. It takes about 50 hours to move from an acquaintance to a friend; 90 hours to become a close friend, and 200 hours to become the strongest of friends. In BNI, after about 90 hours of interaction with a referral partner, you start to gain a lot more referrals. After 200 hours, your referrals grow exponentially. See the confidence curve. If you try to take your referrals too fast, you lose the vital component of confidence. No one wants to risk their relationships. They need time to get to know you to feel comfortable in referring you to others.

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2/16/22 Educational moment courtesy of John Durkin Allied Wealth focused on Dr. Ivan Meisner’s podcast #182 with Priscilla Rice on the topic of the best 60-second commercial he ever heard. A florist from Chattanooga brought a single rose wrapped in cellophane to a BNI meeting. It was a pretty good looking one from a local grocery store. The florist then pulled out another rose from his own shop. It was a larger rose, with an 18-24” stem with a diameter the size of a pencil. The rose from the grocery store cost 3 cents more than the price of the rose from the florist’s shop. The florist went on to say “I give a higher value.” Dr. Meisner said that he could see this florist training his sales force giving laser specific details to them on the difference between the roses. This highlights the importance of breaking down your business into small parts so that they can be consumed and easier to remember. At BNI, we are not Walmart. Focus on the value of what sets you aside. SPECIFIC IS TERRIFIC! Teach other members how to look for opportunities to refer you. Train your sales force!

2/9/22 Educational moment courtesy of John Durkin Allied Wealth focused on BNI Business Builder #59 – the Sales Manager Minute. For your 60 seconds, start with your preparation. Who are you looking for? Write it out. Begin with the end in mind. What is your ask? Think as a sales manager because we are here to help you. Who are you targeting? How can we find those people? How can we close the sale for you?

2/2/22 Educational Moment courtesy of John Durkin Allied Wealth focused on Harmony Widman's podcast on how to plan Captivating Weekly Presentation to maximize their benefit. See the template as well as the timing sheet to plan your weekly 60 second ask to bring you the best results.

1/26/22 Educational moment courtesy of John Durkin Allied Wealth discussed the philosophy of Giver’s Gain from Donald Church BNI Ft. Lauderdale. When Donald joined a BNI Chapter, one of his first 1 on 1’s was with a commercial litigator. After exchanging the basics of each other’s business, Donald apologized and mentioned that he did not see any likelihood that he would be able to refer anyone to a commercial litigator. His colleague replied that he didn’t think of referrals as strictly a one-to-one exchange. Each person in the group passes referrals, and there is some natural referral progression across some of the members. But not every member is looking for a ton of referrals over the course of a year. Sometimes one good referral a year can make one BNI member’s business. Focus on giver’s gain. It is not just about 1 on 1’s. Everyone wins through giver’s gain.

1/19/22 Educational Moment Courtesy of John Durkin at Allied Wealth Partners focused on Dr. Ivan Meisner’s Podcast #738 about his fourth visit to see Richard Branson. The topic discussed was legacy and what strides a person can take to leave a good legacy. Richard builds his legacy by focusing on these three areas: His family – how he has brough his children up to have family dinner table discussions and debates; His health – living physically and mentally active; and His Responsibility as a person of wealth – where he feels a responsibility to tackle key issues around the world. Dr. Meisner mentioned a quote by Jean Paul Sant “where we all die late, or we all die too soon; we are the sum of our deeds in life and no more.” Dr. Meisner reminds us how little transactions can make a difference. Whose life have we changed? BNI Members around the world not only give referrals to one another, but also support one another. They build a community.

1/12/22 Educational moment courtesy of John Durkin Securian Financial discussed “Setting Realistic Goals”. Consider, when was the last time you set a goal that you actually achieved? What are you working towards and how will you measure success? Resolutions come and go. To achieve success, set realistic goals. They should e ones you can achieve but should also be challenging to avoid becoming stagnant in your business. Keys to success in goal setting:
- Consider when was the last time you set a goal, what was it and did you achieve it?
- You should have accountability partners to keep you motivated and honest.
- Consider how did you measure it.
- Is the goal fully formed? It needs a timeline and a way to track progress.
What are your goals for the balance of 2022? How will you make it happen?

1/5/22 Educational Moment courtesy of John Durkin, Securian Financial discussed Graham Weinmiller's 5.5 ways to prepare for 2022. The beginning of the year is a crucial time to reflect on the course of the prior year’s successes and failures, innovate ideas and the course of the business. It’s a good time to set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Timely) for the year ahead. Involve your team for their input on time and materials, and efficiencies. Communicate regularly. Scan your environment for outside factors (economic, political, competition and business trends). Be a strong financial manager and use monthly variant reporting to stay in check with budget. Take time to recharge to reflect or reinvigorate. Invest in yourself by attending conferences or classes, and by joining trade associations or networking groups. Focus on what matters most to make it your best year yet.

12/15/21 Educational moment courtesy of John Durkin, Securian Financial discussed the importance of having people in BNI in different stages in their business and the second part of the interview with Dr. Meisner about being a go-to-guy for clients. John assigned Podcast 709 as a homework assignment to our chapter members– on the topic of Inviting Visitors the Connector Effect Way. Focus on one category in a given week, it has a tremendous multiplier effect.

12/8/21 Educational Moment courtesy of John Durkin Securian Financial focused on advice from Dr. Ivan Meisner's advice on when to stop speaking, and how to politely end a conversation.
1: Simply say: "It was really nice to meet you. Do you have a card so I can contact you?"
2. Frame what you liked from the conversation and recap it.
3. If they say something that makes you think of someone else they should meet, make the connection as soon as possible.
Keep it simple and keep it honest. Here are some other ways to end a conversation:
"I have to get home".
"I need to use the restroom".
Don't Seinfeld it (go off on a tangent). Just be polite, honest and direct. Don't overthink it.
The most important thing when leaving a conversation is the follow-up afterwards.

12/1/21 Educational moment courtesy of John Durkin, Securian Financial on the topic of public speaking in front of a room. Here are 7 ways to conquer your fear of public speaking:
1. Volunteer to speak. It helps to take out the feeling of dread. You can do this.
2. Practice, practice, practice. Write notes to prepare.
3. Focus on what you are saying, don’t let the audience distract you.
4. Have water handy and avoid sugary & caffeinated drinks.
5. Don’t forget to breathe.
6. Get personal: the best presenters connect the material to what others can relate to.
7. Make the beginning and the end stand out.