BNI Values and Value

As a reminder, BNI Vivaldi was the second chapter in Latvia; it started on 10 March 2016. Since the chapter was founded, of the current 50 members, only 9 have been with it since the opening. Allow me to name the most resilient ones: Zane Bičevska (DIVI Grupa), Lauris Kļaviņš (IIZI Brokers), Baiba Berovska (Ideju Kapitāls), Jānis Kančs (Rent IT), Liene Hodgina (HL&Partneri), Juris Veiklis (FlowerPitstop), Daiga Konradi (Ink-Idea), Gatis Orlickis (Baltic Pictures), and the author of this article - Inga Daliba (DarbaGuru).

My CV within the BNI Latvia organisation:
April 2019 – present – Education Coordinator in BNI Vivaldi Latvia chapter
February 2018 - present - BNI Latvia Leaders Forum member
April 2018 – April 2019 - Communication Coordinator in BNI Vivaldi Latvia chapter
October 2017 - March 2018 - Mentoring Coordinator in BNI Vivaldi Latvia chapter
February 2016 - October 2017 - Vice-President of Quality in BNI Vivaldi Latvia chapter

How does this CV come together? Every BNI member is entitled to - and considers it a duty to - periodically take on a role within the group that helps achieve the chapter's shared goals. There is a certain hierarchical system: each chapter has a director, and above them are directors who hold an organisational position. Then there is a leadership team of three people, and each of the leaders has their own team of role-holders. The latter are all pro-bono and voluntary positions, which members choose themselves or are elected to on the recommendation of the chapter director and the outgoing leadership team.

Recommendations and references carry great weight here. A new member can only be admitted to the chapter if the other members have voted IN FAVOUR of including this entrepreneur and their company. If even one chapter member has unfavourable information about a particular entrepreneur's dishonest conduct, the industry seat remains empty and awaits the next applicant. Experience unfortunately shows that, despite the fact that Riga and Latvia are a sufficiently compact market where people can know each other fairly well, sometimes a member enters the chapter whose approach to their own business is not quite the most honest. Admittedly, such a member does not stay for more than a year, but they do damage their credibility with a wide circle of entrepreneurs. It is very sad and unpleasant, especially if you experience it first-hand.

The aforementioned members, on the other hand, who have now worked together for three or more years, have earned genuine trust credit from the rest. One must therefore agree with the assertion of BNI Latvia chapter directors Marts Ešenvalds and Edgars Zālītis: BNI is not a sprint - it is a marathon.

But BNI's growth in Latvia has not stopped for a moment since 17 March 2015, when the first informational meeting took place in Riga ahead of the founding of the first BNI Wagner chapter. There are currently four active chapters: Wagner, Vivaldi, Zapp, Artmane. All meet in Riga. Very soon the special BNI Morbergs chapter will begin operating, with the aim of bringing together managers and owners from high-turnover companies - market leaders. Marts Ešenvalds has taken care of the formation of this chapter. BNI Segewold will also be launching - the first chapter outside Riga. As the name suggests, it will be in Sigulda. The creator and patron of this chapter is Edgars Zālītis. But that is not all: at least two more chapters have patrons who have come forward, and the recruitment of members for BNI Kettler and BNI Bērenss will begin soon.

Something new is that each chapter now also has its own ambassador. Ieva Johnsson has apparently been BNI Vivaldi's ambassador for a year now. Also specifically in the Vivaldi chapter - which is still Latvia's largest chapter by membership - a probationary month for new members has been introduced, during which the newcomer must complete several tasks: attend training, attend all BNI early mornings without exception, bring at least one guest, and hold one-to-one meetings with members before being able to start giving referrals.

The value of a BNI seat has increased, so the BNI Lithuania and Latvia founders have decided to raise the chapter membership fee. Whereas the member joining fee has been EUR 850 + VAT for the past four years, from 1 July of this year it will be EUR 950 + VAT. Add to that the breakfast fee, paid at each early morning at EUR 12 (previously EUR 10; approximately 52 early mornings per year). As well as a nominal training fee - still EUR 5. Of course, there are also small fund contributions for greeting members, printing materials, making business card displays, and so on. Well, you can reckon on at least a thousand and a half per year.

Is it worth it? YES. On the condition that you are not expecting millions and that everything will happen by itself. The sales and marketing work here is substantial. The time resource and the art of building and maintaining relationships is considerable. Self-discipline and positivity must be solid. How many members and their companies have gained additional turnover for their business specifically through BNI, and who they are, you can read at www.bnistasti.lv - real people, real figures, real stories.

And now let us finally talk not only about value, but also about values. They are formulated in seven key points:
1. Givers Gain® - what you give comes back to the giver.
2. Building relationships
3. Lifelong learning
4. Traditions + innovations
5. Positive attitude
6. Keeping promises
7. Acknowledgement

I was recently asked at one of the BNI mornings to again share why I have been in BNI for so long. My answer is this: these values, the internal culture, and the nurturing and maintenance of them in everyday life - that is what encourages one to join an organisation or company. If the values are alive and align with my own values, I am happy to operate within this concept and feel good. And what is ultimately most important in a person's life is, essentially, that things are GOOD - there are friends, there is money, there is a joy for life, there is the opportunity to grow and step outside one's comfort zone, there is the potential to develop oneself and to develop others.

BNI members work and relax together. There are often days when you realise that the entire day has been devoted to the BNI concept and the people who are part of it. Is that bad? NO - provided you accept BNI as a platform for growing your business. Since over the past year I have been the internal and external communications coordinator, more than 2,500 photos and videos from various BNI events have accumulated in the photo archive, and I will gladly share some of them on my blog as well, so that you, dear reader, can get a sense of the BNI chapter's atmosphere and perhaps one day come visit us and even collaborate. If you have such a wish, feel free to send me a message by email or find me on social networks: Facebook or LinkedIn.