MENTORS MAGAZINE | EDITION 2 | 79
Neil: In 5 years from now if a well-known
business publication was publishing an arti-
cle on your business after talking to your
customers and suppliers, what would you
like it to say?
Ivan Misner: That BNI has made a huge
difference in people's lives. Worldwide. That
we continue to help people, build their busi-
ness and stay in business. I mean that’s the
reason I am in business is to help people
succeed, it’s part of my personal, emotional-
ly charged connection, there is always some-
thing in life that’s happened to you, that is
the reason you do the things you do and a
lot of us are not in touch with what that sto-
ry is. I know my story; I know why I do the
things I do and it has everything to do with
wanting to help other people be their best.
And so, I would love
an answer some-
thing along that
line, in a story
about the company.
Neil: Ivan what is your favourite quote and
how have you applied it?
Ivan Misner: I think one of my favourite
quote is "the secret to success without hard
work is still a secret." There is no way to be
successful without hard work. These people
who tell you, three easy lessons and you too
will be successful, they are lying to you. Its
hard work. It does not also mean it is not al-
so fun. You know it can be fun and hardA lot of what I have done has been fun and
really hard, and I would do it again in a
heartbeat. But it takes work. look, there are
people out there, who become highly suc-
cessful, overnight, it happens, you can win
the lottery too. Isn't it interesting, a lot of
people win the lottery? end up broke a few
years later. Why? Because they do not know
how to sustain that success. So, to me, sus-
tained success takes a lot of work and effort.
That’s my favourite quote.
Neil: Do you have any favourite online re-
sources you can share with us?
Ivan Misner: Yeh there is a website, I think
it’s SmallBusinessAdvocate. com. A good
friend of mine, Jim Blasingame, he is a radio
talk show host and he does online... his
show plays on air but it also plays online
globally, live and
you can go back
and listen to seg-
ments. I have been
a regular guest on Jim's show for I think 14
years. So, there are a lot of segments that I
have done with him. He is the small business
advocate; I mean he really is. He loves small
businesses. Everything is small businesses
and supporting small businesses, I highly
recommend that online resource.
Neil: What is your best advice to other en-
trepreneurs?
Ivan Misner: I wrote a book a few years back
called 'Masters of Success' and I would addThe secret to success
without hard work is still a secret.