I asked one of BNI Hampshire’s longest standing members, Steve Till, what benefits he got from networking, when we met for a one-to-one recently, and his answer surprised me.

“Well, we wouldn’t attend every week if we didn’t get business from the group,” he said. “But sometimes it’s the unforeseen benefits that are the most valuable.

“Let me give you a couple of examples. One of our members was looking forward to getting married in the summer, but the wedding venue that he had booked went bankrupt.

“He asked the chapter for help, and he immediately had lots of ideas of alternatives. Not just random ones either, but places that were in the right area, that could cater for his number of guests and also had the right mix of facilities.

“Another member was let down at the last minute by the kennels she was boarding her dog with. She didn’t know that one of the other members looked after dogs, but, after reaching out, her problem was solved.

“Sometimes the surprise lies in the fact that the other member goes the extra mile for their colleague. I’m a writer, and one of the newer members didn’t realise until last Thursday that I write poems for occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. Someone gave me a testimonial about this, and the member approached me after the meeting: ‘It’s my niece’s 21st birthday on Sunday. I don’t suppose there’s time for you to write something for her.’

“Of course there was!” If this supportive ethos appeals to you, please do get in touch with me – [email protected]. To give every member maximum value, we only allow one person from each trade or profession to join any given group, so let me introduce you to a chapter that has business to pass to you right now.

By Alyson Roach