Biz Spotlight -
Ventura County Star
September 4,
2002
- Owner: Shawn & Linda McCarthy, executive directors
- Type of service: A membership marketing program, generating
referrals for businesses
- Where: Various Ventura County, Santa Clarita & Antelope Valley
locations
- Date established: 1985
- Telephone: (805) 815-3658
- E-mail: Linda@BNI-SCAV.com
- Web site: www.bni-scav.com
- Employees: Two
Q. Why did you decide to start your own
business?
"As a past member and officer of the organization, I believed
so much in the program that I wanted to share the BNI
"word-of-mouth" marketing concepts with other business
people. It's also exciting to help and watch others grow and succeed
and I learn the most amazing things from them in return. In addition,
I really enjoy the challenge and freedom of working for myself."
Q. What was your educational and career
background before you started your business?
"I was a finance major in college, but couldn't get a position
as a corporate accountant because it was said that I had too much
personality; instead, it was recommended that I go into sales and
marketing. Of course, I had no interest in sales and marketing. With
that said, I spent many years as an account executive in corporate
sales for several large companies. My last position was with a local
chamber of commerce as its membership director before being asked to
work for BNI as regional director, which led to my eligibility to
purchase the BNI franchise rights to Ventura County. (By the way, this
is not a franchise available for sale to the general public.)"
Q. What do you consider unique about your
business?
"BNI is a marketing program whose corporate philosophy is
"Givers Gain." Being a "giver" rather than a
"taker" has its rewards in the business world. BNI offers
its members networking opportunities and a lot of education and
guidance in the process of developing a word-of-mouth-based business.
Groups of men and women, one person per profession, work together as a
"team" supporting and promoting each other in order to
develop and exchange quality business referrals."
Q. What advice have you found to be most
valuable in getting your business off the ground and keeping it
going?
"Advice that I have learned along the way from different
business associates and personal experience is that there are no
successful hermits. We cannot do it alone, so network with others.
Another thing I learned is that, "Maintaining a 'What's in it for
me?' attitude severely will limit my networking opportunities."
Remember networking is not about selling but about building
relationships that will open fantastic doorways for you."
Q. What were the biggest hurdles you
overcame?
"The first hurdle was having the nerve to quit my comfortable
job to allow time to meet the goals set by BNI headquarters to be
eligible to purchase our franchise. But, the biggest hurdle I had to
overcome was learning to work with and direct several "Type
A" personalities. Accepting coaching advice is not easy for
anyone, much less go-getters in this group."
Q. Who is your target client/customer
base?
"This is a membership organization in which members are
screened for their attitude, integrity and quality of products and
service. We look for motivated and committed team players. Our ideal
members are owners or sales representatives of businesses that offer
consumer and/or business goods and services in the Ventura County
area."
Q. What is your strategy to increase market
share?
"The most obvious strategy is "word-of-mouth
marketing," which involves my community involvement of all kinds,
including membership in the local chambers of commerce and the Ventura
County Professional Women's Network."
Q. What kind of competition does your
business face?
"BNI is an international organization with chapters in 13
countries, with 13 chapters in Ventura County alone. In talking to
other BNI directors around the globe, I found we all face the same
competition -- other referral-generating organizations. However, they
don't offer the educational opportunities, structured program and
screening process that BNI has."
Visit our new
Masters of Success is #1 on the Wall Street Journal's
Best Selling List with Linda McCarthy as Contributing Author