MENTORS MAGAZINE | EDITION 2 | 65
so, he went, he was like, 'wow we need this
in Montana, in Kalispell Montana.' And so,
he opened up a BNI in Kalispell, so it hap-
pened globally by thinking locally.
Neil: Ivan, for the people that are not aware
of what BNI is, can you just give us a very
quick overview of what it is?
Ivan Misner: BNI allows one person per pro-
fession to join a group. So, there is one law-
yer, one accountant, one banker, one finan-
cial planner. They get together every week
and the sole purpose of the organisation is
to pass each other referrals. Last year we
passed each other 7.7 million referrals. We
generated 9.3 billion, that’s billion, $9.3 bil-
lion dollars, US dollars’ worth of business,
for our members all around the world. So,
Neil just so you know $9.3 billion dollars is
the same as the gross domestic product for
the country of Lichtenstein. OK it’s a small
country I know, but I think it’s pretty cool
that we could generate that much business.
As much business as a small nation in the
world, I am looking for a bigger nation next
year, but I am still pretty impressed with
that.
Neil: I am impressed as well. People talk
about having an impact on the world, and
that truly is global impact, isn't it? It’s just
amazing.
Neil: So, what do you enjoy most about what
you do?
Ivan Misner: Well I have been doing this now31 years, and so I have re-invented myself a
few times in the journey, my story is really a
garage to global journey, I literally worked
out of my home, we did shipping and pack-
ets out of my garage. We now have a global
headquarters in Charlotte with offices all
around the world. And so, I have re-invented
myself and in the early days it was about
building a business, and starting something
new and then we started franchising, BNI is
a franchise. It was about learning how to
franchise.
Today, my role with the company is to be the
spokesperson for the organisation. And you
know what I was passionate about, 20 years
ago... I may not be quite as passionate about
now. But one thing I have always been pas-
sionate about, is the business and helping
people succeed. I think an entrepreneur is
either working in their flame, or working in
their wax. When they are working in their
flame, they are on fire, they are excited.
They love what they do, they are just pas-
sionate about it, and when they are working
in their wax, it just sucks them dry, it just
takes all their energy away.
I decided a few years ago, I really want to
spend all my time in my flame, doing inter-
views and teaching and training and writing
and so I am there today. You know, I tell peo-
ple I am a 20-year overnight success. It took
me 20 years to achieve a global organisation,
I mean really a global multi-national compa-
ny. But if you stick to it long enough and you