Have you considered BNI and what are some best practices for it?

I was a member of BNI in Birmingham's South-side Group and the idealism behind the effort is great. The only thing about the group that I was a part of, it was mostly made up of commercial and local business that had an interest in residential work and residential customers. It was not a good fit for my business and its goals. I am a consultant whose core business customers are corporate, organizations, and governmental/municipal businesses. This customer base I work with to help small business concerns, such as minority and other disadvantaged business enterprises. I have a customer base of small businesses I work with to expand their customer base to help secure contract and procurement opportunities from my corporate and municipal clients.

BNI's vision statement is “Changing the way the world does business.” BNI's mission is “to help members increase their business through a structured, positive, and professional referral marketing program that enables them to develop long-term, meaningful relationships with quality business professionals.”

About 3 years ago, I and several other business started a group we named the Business Alliance Group. Our Mission and Vision Statement is :

OUR MISSION STATEMENT: The Business Alliance Group (BAG) mission is to help members increase business opportunities for our partners; helping them grow their businesses through a professional marketing and networking structure that is built on referrals and relationship building with the public and private sector organizations.We engage with entrepreneurs who are member Alliance Partners to broaden our network and deepen our connection with the business Community.

OUR VISION: The Business Alliance Group's vision is to create a professional referral marketing program that addresses the needs of our members and enable them to develop long-term, meaningful relationships with other quality business professionals.

OUR OBJECTIVES: The objective of forming the Business Alliance Group is to cultivate a select group of businesses having a similar mindset of embracing the idea of helping each other grow their businesses through a strong network of business ideas and proven methodologies.

This group is built on the idea of having a tightly woven connection with the business community, sharing business opportunities, fostering relationships with business organizations, government entities, corporate communities, and collaborating and cooperating with other small businesses.

OUR GOAL: Our goal will be to increase opportunities for small and small disadvantaged businesses through a cooperative process. Together we will identify barriers that hamper the progress of these businesses. We will identify these barriers and identify a workable solution.

We will research and review efforts that helps DBE’s build capacity. We will look at such practices as promoting alliances, partnerships and mentoring programs with the help of government and corporate businesses. We will look at “Best Practices” as a team set down with the private and public sector, and organizations, such as Chamber of Commerce’s’. We will solicit their assistance in achieving these goals.

We will promote the idea of to creating fair and equitable playing field for DBE suppliers, contractors and professional services through vigorous conversations with the private and public sector, and organizations.

The success of this organization lies in the commitment, cooperation, the dedication of each member business, and having a strong solidarity and fortitude of working together to achieve these goals.

Eddie Hill, Eddie Hill Consulting Group, LLC