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Givers Gain The BNI Story
The founder of the world's largest and most successful business networking organization tells how it all began.
This is a 'must read' for all member of BNI. For those perched on the tip of the iceberg. Givers Gain reveals what lies beneath the surface.
Book is only available for BNI members and not available for sale.
This is a 'must read' for all member of BNI. For those perched on the tip of the iceberg. Givers Gain reveals what lies beneath the surface.
Book is only available for BNI members and not available for sale.
115 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
10 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Ivan R. Misner
62 books32 followersDr. Ivan Misner is the Founder & Chairman of BNI, the world's largest business networking organization. BNI was founded in 1985. The organization has over 5,800 chapters throughout every populated continent of the world. Last year alone, BNI generated 6.5 million referrals resulting in $2.8 billion dollars worth of business for its members.
Dr. Misner's Ph.D. is from the University of Southern California. He is a New York Times Bestselling author who has written twelve books including his latest #1 bestseller, "Networking Like a Pro".
He is a monthly columnist for Entrepreneur.com and is the Senior Partner for the Referral Institute - a referral training company with trainers around the world. In addition, he has taught business management and social capital courses at several universities throughout the United States.
Called the "Father of Modern Networking" by CNN and the "Networking Guru" by Entrepreneur magazine, Dr. Misner is considered one of the world's leading experts on business networking and has been a keynote speaker for major corporations and associations throughout the world. He has been featured in the L.A. Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times, as well as numerous TV and radio shows including CNN, CNBC, and the BBC in London.
Dr. Misner is on the Board of Trustees for the University of La Verne. He is also the Founder of the BNI-Misner Foundation and was recently named "Humanitarian of the Year" by a Southern California newspaper. He is married and lives with his wife Elisabeth and their three children in Claremont, CA. In his spare time!!! he is also an amateur magician and a black belt in karate.
Dr. Misner's Ph.D. is from the University of Southern California. He is a New York Times Bestselling author who has written twelve books including his latest #1 bestseller, "Networking Like a Pro".
He is a monthly columnist for Entrepreneur.com and is the Senior Partner for the Referral Institute - a referral training company with trainers around the world. In addition, he has taught business management and social capital courses at several universities throughout the United States.
Called the "Father of Modern Networking" by CNN and the "Networking Guru" by Entrepreneur magazine, Dr. Misner is considered one of the world's leading experts on business networking and has been a keynote speaker for major corporations and associations throughout the world. He has been featured in the L.A. Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times, as well as numerous TV and radio shows including CNN, CNBC, and the BBC in London.
Dr. Misner is on the Board of Trustees for the University of La Verne. He is also the Founder of the BNI-Misner Foundation and was recently named "Humanitarian of the Year" by a Southern California newspaper. He is married and lives with his wife Elisabeth and their three children in Claremont, CA. In his spare time!!! he is also an amateur magician and a black belt in karate.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 27 reviews
July 20, 2009
The first 1/4 - 1/3 of this book was quite good - entertaining and even inspiring in places, but I'd lost interest after chapter 8. The chapters have different titles, and purport to address different subjects, but the same messages keeps wending its way through the text, making it dull reading.
This is well in line with the concept of BNI, whose mode d'emploi is to batter its members with its propaganda, assuming that they can't or won't think for themselves and want to be told what to do, down to the minutia of how to meet and get to know other members.
That's my experience of course; others have expressed their delight with BNI, but that doesn't change the fact that I didn't bother finish reading this book, something that happens very seldom.
This is well in line with the concept of BNI, whose mode d'emploi is to batter its members with its propaganda, assuming that they can't or won't think for themselves and want to be told what to do, down to the minutia of how to meet and get to know other members.
That's my experience of course; others have expressed their delight with BNI, but that doesn't change the fact that I didn't bother finish reading this book, something that happens very seldom.
May 7, 2010
I enjoyed this book as it gave a great background of the starting of BNI. I'm not a member of BNI, but my husband is. This book has helped me see the potential for his chapter and it's awesome!
December 10, 2013
So good to hear the story of how BNI started, in Ivan's words. Makes me feel like I've been there alongside him as things took place. A very enjoyable read and quite motivating.
February 8, 2015
An easy read that gave me a background to BNI and the BNI system for referral marketing.
February 13, 2019
A book about the story of the founding and growth of BNI. I do like the philosophy of BNI of Givers Gain. It is a succinct yet powerful philosophy that reveals to be truly successful you have to give first. Being out for yourself first is not a philosophy for success. Referrals are the key for positive growth in any business and we have seen it to be true in our own business. Even if BNI isn’t your thing finding a way to generate referrals is key.
February 24, 2025
It's the engaging story of how BNI started and grew through the current age when it was published in the first decade of the 21st century as told by the founder, Ivan Misner. 11 chapters. The chapters run from 5-13 pages. It's very readable. I enjoyed hearing both the stories of its founding and growth as well as some fundamental gems about quality Word of Mouth referral passing.
Mostly of interest to members of BNI.
Mostly of interest to members of BNI.
August 1, 2018
A quick book that shows how BNI started when Dr. Minster lost his one big client and had no one else to do buisness with at that volume to sustain his buisness. Networking works, as I also know someone that was ‘forced’ to retire when his one big client passed away suddenly and all his buisness went with him.
April 20, 2021
From zero to hero of many businesses looking to go from net-sit to net-work. Networking with like minded professionals that look to help one another through referrals live the philosophy of Givers Gain. Take off your bib and put on your apron to help feed others businesses and you all eat.
It may seem like a BFO (Blinding Flash of the Obvious) but until you try it 100% you won’t see the ROI.
It may seem like a BFO (Blinding Flash of the Obvious) but until you try it 100% you won’t see the ROI.
August 19, 2018
What an awesome outline of how Dr. Ivan Misner grew the BNI organization from one chapter to over 240,000 members this is a must read to anyone in BNI and a big recommendation to people interested in scaling their Businesses.
December 24, 2018
Givers Gain tells the history of BNI, the world’s largest referral networking organization, as well as the philosophy behind the organization. Well worth reading for those looking to learn more about BNI.
July 26, 2017
Being part of BNI and knowing its history gives more knowledge about the World's best Networking Organization.
October 1, 2018
I read this book because my father was a member of a BNI chapter and I was curious what it was all about.
December 18, 2018
This book give a solid overall view of BNI. If you have decided to join a chapter then this is a must read.
November 8, 2020
2016 Review
Fairly neutral-positive presentation of BNI, from its inception, needs and history. The general consensus with this book is that group interaction whether it be through networking or problem-solving best function with group consensus. It's an interesting history but like all business works, tends to present information from only one positive angle.
I think a larger context of how networking as a method of creating lateral relations in industry in a time of post-industry (when capitalism has largely eradicated lateral (non-capital) relationships) arose would serve as a larger grounding for why BNI works, how it is successful and the means by which this kind of network relation is essential to business today... would have been useful. This may be beyond the scope of the book for the author and most of its target audience however.
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2020 Review
In many ways this book serves as a justification for the ideals of BNI, that the structure of BNI works for business success. Having gone through BNI I can say that it did not work for me, although an ideologue would say that I did not try hard enough, that I needed to go to more events and do something different -- which arguably can always be said. I did go to many events, and tried to network, although I did see many people who tried much less and was there for not nearly as long seemed to be more successful than I. The fact is, there is no universal procedure for success.
Fairly neutral-positive presentation of BNI, from its inception, needs and history. The general consensus with this book is that group interaction whether it be through networking or problem-solving best function with group consensus. It's an interesting history but like all business works, tends to present information from only one positive angle.
I think a larger context of how networking as a method of creating lateral relations in industry in a time of post-industry (when capitalism has largely eradicated lateral (non-capital) relationships) arose would serve as a larger grounding for why BNI works, how it is successful and the means by which this kind of network relation is essential to business today... would have been useful. This may be beyond the scope of the book for the author and most of its target audience however.
---
2020 Review
In many ways this book serves as a justification for the ideals of BNI, that the structure of BNI works for business success. Having gone through BNI I can say that it did not work for me, although an ideologue would say that I did not try hard enough, that I needed to go to more events and do something different -- which arguably can always be said. I did go to many events, and tried to network, although I did see many people who tried much less and was there for not nearly as long seemed to be more successful than I. The fact is, there is no universal procedure for success.
May 10, 2015
A very very good read - able to finish it in just over a day's time, with numerous highlights ( as I don't believe in speed reading, or other such techniques. )
What I admire about Mr. Misner is he didn't let his credentials ( PhD in the early '80s ) get in the way of thinking as an entrepreneur/business-company owner. Oft-times, credentialist type/focused people look down on those who don't have any (or as many) degrees/diplomas/certifications - which is very hard to understand, yet it does happen.
Story of the rise of BNI from a single chapter of 4 people in January 1985 to the colossus of the spring of 2015, just over 30 years later, is quite remarkable!
Systems work. They always do. Think in a system and let it do the heavy lifting, and any company will have an upward sloping growth curve rather than a parabolic ascent & descent.
What I admire about Mr. Misner is he didn't let his credentials ( PhD in the early '80s ) get in the way of thinking as an entrepreneur/business-company owner. Oft-times, credentialist type/focused people look down on those who don't have any (or as many) degrees/diplomas/certifications - which is very hard to understand, yet it does happen.
Story of the rise of BNI from a single chapter of 4 people in January 1985 to the colossus of the spring of 2015, just over 30 years later, is quite remarkable!
Systems work. They always do. Think in a system and let it do the heavy lifting, and any company will have an upward sloping growth curve rather than a parabolic ascent & descent.
November 30, 2012
A great resource for BNI members -- it outlines how the networking franchise got started, why it's different and how almost every common practice currently in place was developed. A quick read that provided me with more knowledge on the organization and network. As a current BNI chapter president, I would recommend other members read it for a more comprehensive understanding of BNI.
August 10, 2016
This was basically a high-level overview of the BNI organization -- from beginning to present day. Misner writes about his experience from initial involvement to its tremendous international growth.
It was a quick read and is a good introduction to the structure of BNI.
It was a quick read and is a good introduction to the structure of BNI.
March 27, 2015
A powerful book which shares the detailed story of BNI. It is an interesting story for sure, in fact a story of serendipity and how BNI was born out of an accident. Certainly facts tell and stories sell.
December 6, 2009
This book is not for sale, it's for BNI memebers only. In networking the only thing we can control is how much we give.
August 11, 2011
Hope you didn't hurt your hand too badly patting yourself on the back there, Ivan. Although the story about the first live interview was hilarious and made me laugh out loud.
February 3, 2013
Rather a disappointed met. More about the success of Ivan Misner franchising his Business Networking International (BNI) concept than about networking.
October 5, 2016
A very good overview of BNI and how it works.
June 30, 2021
Lectura obligatoria para los que somos miembros de esta asociación. Aunque resulta esclarecedora de las mecánicas en general, es un libro repetitivo, básico y que pudo tener un mejor abordaje.
April 27, 2016
It is definitely a book for BNI members. Good to read but more of a refresher from my MSP
Read
November 20, 2017As a BNI member and in general, it is always great to hear how something this big was started.
Unfortunately and inevitably is it written a lot as "I" this and "I" that but again it is inevitable. That is a personal opinion and preference
Unfortunately and inevitably is it written a lot as "I" this and "I" that but again it is inevitable. That is a personal opinion and preference
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2019
It's a great book, if you want to learn about how BNI was started. I recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 27 reviews