BNI BNAwesome

08/20/2026

Every Tuesday morning, a room full of business owners gets an hour of real education from someone who does the work for a living.

In the last month alone, the chapter learned how HELOC and HELoan actually differ, which roofing and siding hold up and why, what an insurance policy really covers when a claim hits, and how a financial plan gets built and maintained over time.

None of it was a sales pitch. It was people explaining their craft to a room that knows them well enough to hold them to it.

That is the part most networking misses. Education, trust, and accountability, week after week. Every business needs all three.

BNI BNAwesome meets every Tuesday at 9:00 am at Good Eats Cafe. Come see one.

08/16/2026

08/16/2026

Earlier this week I had a conversation with a prospect who wasn't the right fit.

Wrong timing.
Different needs than I expected.
No immediate path forward.

And honestly? It was one of the better conversations I've had recently.

We talked about what their financial situation actually looked like.
I pointed them toward what to look for as they grew.
We talked about what would need to be true before working together would make sense.

They left with a clearer picture.
I left with a new connection who understands exactly what I do.

That's not a failed sales conversation.
That's how referral relationships start.
That's how reputation gets built.

Not every conversation is supposed to convert.
Some conversations are just meant to be useful.

I'd rather be known as someone who helped - even when there was nothing in it for me right now - than someone who only showed up when there was a deal on the table.

08/16/2026

Inflation is making this back-to-school shopping season more expensive for most families. Let's talk about how to plan ahead so seasonal expenses don't throw off your bigger financial picture. https://www.northwesternmutual.com/life-and-money/6-tips-to-help-you-save-on-back-to-school-shopping/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=lifeandmoney&utm_content=lm_your-family_field&utm_term=school-shopping&agentid=0J0105

08/16/2026

The State Fair’s in full swing.

Somewhere on those fairgrounds right now, somebody’s pie is getting judged. A stranger with a clipboard takes one bite, checks it against a standard, and hangs a ribbon, or he doesn’t.

Here’s what that judge never asks. He doesn’t ask how early you got up. He doesn’t ask how tired you were, how the oven runs hot, or how it’s “basically” the best pie in the county. He tastes it. That’s the whole conversation.

Now look at how you grade your shop.

𝑻𝒐𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕.
“The crew worked hard.”
“We were slammed.”
“Everybody gave it their all.”
𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞.

Meanwhile, the customer, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞, only tastes the pie.
The job’s either right, or it isn’t.

Here’s the hard truth. 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭.

The ribbon goes to the plate that hits the standard, not the baker with the best excuse.

So before the weekend, pick one thing in your shop and ask the fair question: 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐭?
Not “did we try hard.”
Not "Did we win the ribbon"

Drop a 🥧 and tell me: Where are you grading on effort instead of the result? Tell me below.

08/16/2026

08/11/2026

Visitors Day brought a full range of expertise into the room.

We were joined by Chimeng, Kubi, and Eric in banking, Ray in tax planning, Tai in Medicare, Stacy in corporate gifting, and Austin in business consulting.

We were also glad to have Ethan, a young professional shadowing one of our members. Good to see someone early in their career spending a morning learning from people who have built something.

One hour, one room, and a group of people who each know their work well. That is the whole idea behind this chapter.

Thank you to every visitor who made the time. The door stays open.

BNI BNAwesome meets every Tuesday at 9:00 am at Good Eats Cafe.

08/10/2026

Most weeks the agenda runs the meeting. This one was built for conversation.

Our Chapter Success Meeting opened the floor to talk about where BNAwesome is, where it is going, and what each member wants out of being in the room. Strategy, honest input, and a shared plan for growth.

Strong referrals come from strong relationships. Those get built when a group is willing to stop and talk about the bigger picture.

Good work, BNAwesome.

07/18/2026

Do you want to be a better networker?

These tips are effective techniques for building a successful business network.
The key is to be consistent and maintain the relationships that you build over time.

Which ones do you use regularly?
https://tinyurl.com/mr43v8b7

07/12/2026

The tools and programs available to us today can help us strengthen our networking relationships. BNI.com

https://tinyurl.com/2x8vjca8