PRIORY (LEWES) CHAPTER
History of BNI
BNI is now the world's largest referral organization, with Chapters in many countries around the globe. It was started in 1985 by Dr. Ivan Misner, one of the world's leading experts in networking and word-of-mouth marketing.
Dr. Misner was a management consultant when he started BNI. He worked with companies that needed assistance in the area of strategic planning and organizational development. As a business consultant, he received most of his business through referrals. However, he was not satisfied with the types of business groups that existed and he put together a networking group that he felt was structured, focused on doing business, and had an emphasis on positive reinforcement and support. That organization became BNI. Today, BNI has thousands of Chapters world-wide, with tens of thousands of members passing millions of referrals.
The present Lewes Priory chapter emerged after the disastrous Lewes floods of 2000, with the sole intention of encouraging business in the area.