A friend of mine joined a local networking group in Houston a couple of years ago and was told he had to attend an orientation class before he would be allowed to become a member of the group. This particular friend is a seasoned business owner and accomplished networker. I promise you that he could teach all of us a thing or two about networking. However, he was told in no uncertain terms that it was important that he be introduced into The BNI® Way.

Reluctantly, he agreed to attend and, as often happens in this big old city, he found himself running ten minutes late due to traffic problems. He showed up outside a locked door. After much banging on the door, the moderator finally made his way over to my friend and told him very pointedly that “showing up late was not the BNI® way,” and that he was going to have to return at another time. I cannot print here what his response was.

Fast forward two years, and he’s sipping wine at home while he’s watching the Network In Action tutorials from his phone—doing things The NIA® Way.

He has been a great contributor to his NIA® group for years.

In today’s world where our on-demand, technology-driven culture has made its way into every industry, the lack of technology in the world of networking groups is mind-boggling. It’s ridiculous and unnecessary to require you to take a few hours out of your busy schedule to learn how to be a good, loyal Kool-Aid drinker of whatever networking group you just joined. Most weekly, early-morning meetings run by volunteers rely on little slips of pink paper to keep track of referrals—both for the accounting of referrals from the collective group and for you personally to send and receive referrals. If you don’t happen to have one of those little slips of paper in your back pocket when you come across a referral for someone in your group, oh well! It’s frustrating watching all of these reports being given based on those bits of paper. Can that possibly be accurate? What if you did happen to capture a referral, but the paper ended up in the wash? Or crumpled up at the bottom of your purse? Or left on a countertop somewhere? It’s just not practical.

By holding meetings once a month, we are finding that more and more business owners are signing up and taking the time to attend—whereas weekly meetings tend to attract the employees and sales representatives. The truth of the matter is that if you ask business owners whether they have an extra one hundred hours they can block out of their calendar over the next twelve months, they are going to look at you like you’re crazy. However, we all know the importance of networking, so typically owners will send their salesperson in their place. But who would you rather network with? When you set up a one-to-one, you want to make sure you’re sitting across from the person who has the authority to write you a check and, better yet, has the power to refer you.

In addition, holding fewer meetings attracts and retains higher numbers than the average early-morning get-together. The standard organized networking group averages fourteen members. We require our groups to be a minimum of twenty-five members, and many of our groups are maintaining long-term membership numbers of thirty-five or more. It’s not hard to figure out why. It’s just easier to book something into your regular schedule when it’s not asking so much of you.

At NIA®, we like to think that we ask you for less and deliver more.

I’m not sure which has exits clearing faster—Sunday morning church services or an early-morning networking group! You better not be near the door at the end, or you risk getting run over before you’re even out of the parking lot. When you’re meeting before your workday starts, you are going to be in a hurry to get out of there and start checking things off your to-do list. If you’re a business owner, you may have already missed a number of important calls just during breakfast.

This is one reason why we don’t hold early-morning meetings. Though our franchise contract allows franchise leaders to hold meetings when they like, we encourage all of our franchise owners to hold them in the afternoon. Today, 100 percent of the ninety-minute NIA® meetings are in fact being held between 3:00-5:00 p.m. in cities across the country. The impact of an afternoon meeting is that members are able to stay and visit with each other when it’s over.

By holding meetings in the afternoon, usually at the end of the workday, you have the time to visit. You can set up one-on-ones with other members in your group, ask more questions about a referral someone gave you, or just get to know members better in a relaxed atmosphere. You have the time to build relationships, which is ultimately what networking is all about. This means that you have the opportunity to come and more completely do what you came to do.

The first and most obvious benefit to having a once-a-month meeting is the amount of time that you save. This networking model gives you some additional eighty-plus hours in your schedule every year. You are able to carve out more time in your life and in your business for the things that are most important without sacrificing the value of being part of an organized group of people who are all supporting each other’s business growth.

Even the few hours you save every week make a big impact on your day. A recent study suggests that losing as little as thirty minutes of sleep can increase your insulin resistance, which raises your risk of diabetes and obesity. There are studies that have tracked the correlation between having to set the clocks back in the spring (i.e. losing an hour of sleep) and higher incidents of car accidents. In his article Sleep Habits: More Important Than You Think, clinical psychologist Michael Breus, a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, says that reducing your nighttime sleep by as little as ninety minutes for just one night can reduce your daytime alertness by as much as 32 percent. This cuts your work productivity by almost a third! Multiply that effect by four weeks, and you’re potentially losing over a day’s worth of productivity every month. How much is it costing you to wake up a couple of hours earlier once a week, in addition to the loss of your beauty sleep? (And let’s face it—some of us need that more than others.)

Keith Duke sat in his chair, trying hard not to roll his eyes. It was 7:23 on a Tuesday morning. He had been up since 5:00. The drone of familiar voices around him, saying the same thing they said last week, and the week before, and the week before, made him restless in his seat. He understood the value of networking, but doing it this way—the way he’d always done it—was starting to take its toll on him.

“Before I found Network In Action, I had been in an organized networking organization for several years, and it had run its course for me. I was tired of the weekly meetings—of standing up and saying what I do every time, and if I had to hear the pest control person say he kills bugs one more time, I was going to go insane. I had to find something a step above the rest.”

One of the reasons he was first drawn to sign up as an NIA® member was because of our unique model of holding meetings once a month versus once a week. In fact, this is one of the biggest reasons people are either leaving traditional networking groups and looking for an alternative.

There are thousands of people across the country who recognize the need for networking, but they either don’t want to or simply can’t attend weekly, early-morning networking meetings. Some people join local chapters anyway in hopes that they can make it work and then either leave or are kicked out after missing more than a couple meetings per year. Either way, the end results are the same: they just flushed hundreds of dollars in membership fees down the drain, and they are back where they started.

There are several reasons you may not be able to consistently attend weekly gatherings: Perhaps your clients span the United States and you are required to travel often. Maybe you are the parent responsible for getting your children dressed and fed in the morning before they go to school. Many business owners are up at dawn putting out fires and don’t even breathe until after lunchtime. You may be one of the majority of Americans who don’t particularly like getting up before the sun. Or, perhaps you are like many others who are currently attending the weekly ritual of repetition, and you’re just done with it.

We do not sell franchises to just anyone with a checkbook. Our vetting process ensures that members will be put in groups where they can expect the best results and will be led by those who are qualified to coach them toward greater success. Our leaders come from various backgrounds within the business world and are able to draw on all of their valuable resources and experiences in order to help connect you with the people and resources you need in order to grow your business and to create a smoother ride for you as you expand.

When someone approaches us about becoming a franchise owner, there is a laundry list of things we look for. We specifically award our franchises to people who share a common goal of helping our members grow their businesses and develop their companies. However, it isn’t enough for them to have the passion and drive to just do that. They have to be qualified to do so. For this reason, it is equally as important that our franchise owners are teachers and students of business. Most often, they have already run or are currently running successful organizations. This allows us to glean from their background whether they are capable of becoming the networking experts they need to be in order to carry our NIA® brand forward.

Our franchise training is extensive and ongoing. Not only do we train on every aspect of building out a group properly, we work tirelessly to make sure that our franchise owners reflect the culture that we are trying to create in our NIA® brand. So, not only must they be people of action, they must be committed to their communities as well. NIA® members enjoy the benefit of these committed, highly-trained, and vetted professionals both in regard to the on-going coaching seminars and the networking training provided.

One of the topics we will consistently discuss in your regular monthly meeting is how to improve your networking skills. As previously mentioned, we encourage you to participate in every networking opportunity you can. Whether you’re networking within NIA® or mingling at other venues, we want to ensure you are equipped to do it as effectively as possible.

There is more to networking than just getting names and numbers. So much more. In fact, as I stated before, I used to despise networking, but that was only because I didn’t understand how to do it right, and I was completely turned off by how it was being offered. I didn’t understand that my success was determined by my ability to build sound relationships. At NIA®, we have gleaned the most proven networking strategies in the industry, and we have drilled down on the best of the best. These are the strategies we are committed to incorporating into each monthly meeting and training you how to execute in any networking meeting you attend.

One of the added benefits of your NIA® membership is our monthly coaching sessions that we offer. These are typically free, city-wide, ninety-minute networking events in which we have one of our NIA® members, an expert in a particular field, speak on a topic where that person’s experience can lend a hand to other members.

One month, it may be on sales training. Next month, it may be on keeping up with the latest trends in social media. Another month, it may be focused on helping you with your accounts receivable or cash flow. Next time, we may feature a CPA who’s talking about how to put more money in your pocket and pay less in taxes.

When you’re a business owner, you probably recognize the value of both coaching and networking. When you’re working with a coach, you are working with someone qualified to help you navigate the proverbial road less traveled—the road between where you are and where you want to be. Even if you are in the beginning stages of creating a vision of what you want to achieve and what is possible in terms of your future, you can bet that someone has traversed that road before.

When you’re networking, you are extending your reach through synergy and adding valuable contacts that are far more important than just filling a Rolodex. At the end of the day, relationships are what really matters, so networking is an essential part of growing your business.

So, both coaching and networking are vital to the lifeblood and efficiency of your enterprise. Often, the problem is that there are only so many dollars in your budget and only so many hours in a day. As a business owner, sales person, or entrepreneur, you are usually faced with having to choose one or the other. When you’re investing time and resources into coaching, your network may not be growing. When you’re working on growing and serving your network, coaching often has to wait for another day.

At NIA®, we recognize the importance of both of these, which is why we incorporate both into your membership. We have created a platform that includes ongoing business development, growth, and learning—all while helping you build relationships that last a lifetime.

Stacy Harris, First franchisee to own four groups
NIA The Woodlands Groups, Texas

I started my image consulting business, Impressions, eleven years ago after working in the sales and marketing industries for about a decade. It was a good decision. Though being an entrepreneur is fraught with uncertainty and challenges, I found that I thrived as my own boss. Of course, one of the biggest hurdles all business owners face is getting their name and product to the masses. Since I started my business on a very limited budget, my only marketing strategy was my own blood, sweat, and tears. I have always been a relationship person, and I knew that if I could just meet people face to face and develop a relationship with them, I'd be able to build my business.

Fortunately, a friend of mine invited me to a professional networking event and the rest is history. I was totally mesmerized by this group of people who were meeting together to talk about their businesses and send customers to one another through the oldest (and best) marketing method in the book—word of mouth! I loved meeting all these new people, finding out about their businesses, and then figuring out ways to connect them to customers and clients who would bring them business. Nothing made me happier than to get a call or text from my networking buddies telling me that a referral I had sent them had turned into cold, hard cash.

For the next ten years, I attended as many networking events as I could fit in, narrowed down the ones that were the most mutually beneficial, and then I committed myself to being the best networker I could be. I studied the art of networking, I talked to people who I knew were good networkers, and I read books on networking. The result? Over the years, I became a great networker with a crazy amount of contacts and connections.

There was one networking group in particular that I had dedicated myself to for nine years. I served as president of that group multiple times and was always in a leadership role of some kind over those years. I excelled at leading and inspiring the group to hit new goals and set a big vision of success. It was a great experience, and I formed valuable relationships there, but after nine years, I had outgrown the group, and it was time for me to move on.

I found out about NIA® through, guess what, a networking partner. I drove an hour to visit my first NIA® meeting in May 2016. I was so impressed with the level of professionalism I saw in the whole concept of using technology to keep everyone in touch with each other and the business that was being generated by the members.

Keith Duke, NIA Pioneer
NIA Spring Texas Group

My journey to becoming a professional networker with Network In Action has been an action-filled adventure. To tell the full story, I must go back quite a few years. I barely made it out of high school. I was the guy who would rebel against the system just to test it. I would wear sunglasses, show up to class two seconds after the bell, and ask question after question about assignments. Let’s just say that the principles all knew my name, and I went to a high school of nearly four thousand students, so you really had to work hard for all of the principles to know your name.

I tell that part of my story because testing the system is why I believe my path has taken me to entrepreneurship. I have worked for “the man” in the corporate world and, though I learned a lot, it was not my thing.

I have had several business ventures—from direct sales, to construction, to consulting—and now Network In Action. I came across Network In Action while running my construction and concrete business. It was such a great opportunity I couldn’t pass it up. I had been in an organized networking organization for several years, and it had run its course for me. I started to look for what else was out there, and as a good networker, I reached out to my network circle to see what they could refer. A mutual business professional introduced me to NIA®. I set up a time to go to a meeting and see what it was all about. When I arrived at the meeting, I was instantly blown away. The energy, the people, the welcoming atmosphere, and then the meeting itself. I had never seen a networking meeting that was so engaged with its members. I was used to meetings that were designed for the visitors. Attending a meeting that was structured around the members and building relationships during the meeting was really unique. However, even though I was there as a visitor, I still came away with loads of information. That meeting was run by Scott Talley. He gave me the complete rundown of what NIA® was all about. The things that really caught my attention were the monthly meetings, full-time leadership, and state-of-the-art technology. I had been a member of an organization that was stuck in the Stone Age and had no vision of moving into the twenty-first century. It was amazing that there could be a higher level of networking with proven results on a modern platform. When he told me about the franchise opportunity, he had me hooked. Now, I am an NIA® lifer!

My Leadership Principles

As a professional networker, I still visit other groups as a method to meet and grow my network. It is just something I believe we have to constantly do. If we as franchise owners are not improving our networking skills and growing our connections, we are not providing the best service to our members. As I attend these other events, it is so apparent how well NIA® is organized and structured to bring the best networking experience to its members.

My time in NIA® has been amazing. I have been very fortunate to be involved in two franchises. I created them six months apart, and I am so proud to say that I made a return on each of those investments in less than thirty days. I worked with a colleague to start and build two groups out to great success. It occurred to us that in order to grow the NIA® name and territory, we needed to split up. So, we did! Those two existing groups are still active, growing, and doing great things.

Moose Rosenfeld, First franchisee
NIA Galleria Group, Houston, Texas
NIA Bellaire Group, Bellaire, Texas

My father, Dickie, served as president and general manager of KILT, one of the most iconic radio stations in Houston, Texas. He spent thirty-eight years in the industry. This had a profound impact on me. I eventually got into radio sales in 1974 in San Antonio, Texas, and took the same path as my father, working my way up to sales manager and general manager roles at radio stations across the country. I learned that when you’re new to a market, you have to get to know people. I was blessed with a personality to have never met a stranger. I have always found it very easy to meet people, and that’s still true to this day.I have worked with businesses on the local level my entire career. From radio to Internet marketing, I have always had a passion for helping a business get more customers. I have always been the idea guy. Great ideas can sell lots of product. I’m still an idea guy today, but working with a different kind of product—people.

After my dad passed in 2000, radio was not the same to me. I retired from radio in 2003 and became on entrepreneur. I joined my first business networking group, Cooper Connection, in 2005. The idea of having a fellow member either use me or refer me was pretty remarkable. I got a lot of value out of the group. I still have friendships I developed at Cooper Connection and do business with several of them to this day. The group was run by an outstanding networker, Joann Cooper. At one time, she ran eight different chapters. I learned a great deal from her on how to run a great meeting. I was a member for a little over five years until Joann decided to shut it down in 2010.

I was a member of BNI® Memorial for over five years and made some great friends during that time, too. I served on the membership committee twice and filled the secretary/treasurer role before accepting an Ambassador role. I passed lots of referrals to our membership over the years.

When Scott Talley called me in November 2014 to tell me his idea of a new networking group he was starting called Network In Action, I personally thought he had gone crazy. Going up against the big guys? Was he kidding? However, I trusted him enough to investigate. After all, I know if you can’t dream it, it will never happen.

I came to his NIA® Heights launch in January 2015 and was impressed with his membership. I went to his February and March meetings, still as an observer. He was at well over thirty members and growing! After much soul searching, I decided in late March to move forward with being the first NIA® franchisee. It was a step of faith and a step for my future. I announced my decision to drop my membership with my BNI® group at the April meeting, much to the surprise of the members. I was always there. I had been part of their sales team for years. And now, no more Moose.

When we set out with Network In Action a number of years ago, we realize that if we were going to have a monthly meeting, we need to have a great technology to keep people connected.

At Network In Action you will enjoy not only our smart phone app but you also enjoy no elevator pitches as we utilize video, we take advantage of a scoreboard so we don't have to have people stand up at every single meeting and say whether they passed a referral. At the end of the day, historically, you were asked to spend 5 to 6 hours of your precious time to build your networking organization within your business. But today, we can do that with a monthly meeting, great technology, and great leadership.

Most major networking group in America is run by a volunteer or is a non-profit organization. The fact that we have paid leadership is a unique identifier of Network In Action. However, for our franchise owners, the money always follows their passion for building a successful group. It truly is not about the money. It is about creating value for our members—it is about creating value for you. Look at it this way: You can get your nephew to build you a website, or you can pay someone to build it. The professional, trained expert you pay is always going to do a better job. Period. This principle is true for everything. When you ask someone to give you something for free, you are likely to get what you paid for. In a typical networking group today, the group is run by the next man or woman up, which is most often determined by who served as last year’s volunteer vice president. This annual migration of leadership leaves many groups wandering aimlessly while the new leaders find their way. A volunteer lawyer, CPA, realtor, or whoever it is who is next up is just not going to care as much about a networking group as a vested professional. With NIA®, we are breaking the mold and doing things a different way. We are proving that better leaders build better groups!

We aren’t just simply paying our leaders. We aren’t offering a job opportunity with rebates on enrollments. Our groups are set up as franchisees with owners who have to first make an investment in order to have the rights to operate an NIA® group. These investments are not made lightly, and they ensure your leaders’ commitment to the purpose and integrity of NIA’s model.

Each franchise owner is a professionally-trained Community Builder, which means they are every bit “the professional” you would look for when hiring for any other task in your business.

Focused on YOU

Our franchise owners have a financial stake in the success of the group. That means that in addition to taking the time to help your business grow, they are personally invested into making sure it does. They are always thinking ahead on your behalf. They understand that your success is necessary for the group’s success. They want to make sure you have every opportunity possible to build relationships with the types of business owners and decision makers who can impact your business in a positive way. When NIA® franchise owners leave a monthly meeting, they are typically leaving and going right back to work on group-building strategies.

By joining the NIA® group, you essentially hire a professional matchmaker to keep an eye out for the people looking for your products or services. This completely takes the risk out of your investment and is a service that is unique to NIA®.

Thinking about starting a franchise could be a smart way to grow your business fast, even if you don't have a lot of money upfront. Franchise owners often know their local area which helps them make grow their business faster. But there are challenges to face. You need to do your research to pick the right franchise opportunity for you. And remember, being successful in franchising means working hard, communicating well, and having a strong partnership between the franchisee and the franchisor.

Let me tell you about Ben, a guy with big dreams and a drive to be his own boss. Without really knowing what else was out there, he jumped headfirst into buying a franchise. Turns out, he didn't do his homework. The franchise he ended up with was a pricey mess that didn't match his skills at all. What Ben really needed was something like Network In Action, where he could connect with people who understood him and his strengths. Instead, he got stuck with a business that drained his bank account and left him feeling stuck. Ben's story is a reminder that in the real world of business, you've got to do your research and find the right fit for you.

Below, we'll explore some of the advantages and obstacles that come with joining a franchise business opportunity and hopefully this will help you to consider what makes a particular franchise business opportunity ideal for you.

Franchise Opportunity Benefits

1. Swift Expansion: A franchising opportunity accelerates business growth without requiring substantial upfront capital. Instead, franchisees invest their resources to launch new outlets.
2. Local Expertise: Franchisees often become local experts, understanding the local market dynamics, cultural nuances, and customer preferences. This insight enables successful adaptation and expansion across diverse regions.
3. Shared Risk: Financial risk is divided between the franchisor and franchisee. Franchisees are vested in the business's success, reducing the franchisor's risk.
4. Brand Amplification: Opting for a franchising opportunity expands the brand's presence across multiple locations, leading to a broader customer base and more robust brand recognition.
5. Consistency: Franchisors can maintain consistent product or service quality and customer experiences through standardized operational protocols.
6. Economies of Scale: With the growth of the franchise network, the franchisor benefits from cost savings in purchasing, marketing, and operations.

Navigating Challenges within the Franchising Opportunity

1. Control and Consistency: Ensuring consistency across all franchise outlets can be challenging, as franchisees may interpret standards differently.
2. Franchisee Performance: Franchisees' performances can vary, affecting the overall brand reputation.
3. Legal and Regulatory Challenges: Embracing a franchising opportunity requires understanding complex legal agreements and adhering to varying laws and regulations.
4. Mediating Disputes: Expectation mismatches between franchisors and franchisees can lead to conflicts, necessitating effective conflict resolution.
5. Initial Investment: Aspiring franchisees often face upfront fees, ongoing royalties, and contributions to advertising funds, leading to significant initial financial commitments.
6. Dependency on Franchisors: Franchisee success relies on the franchisor's ongoing support, marketing strategies, and innovation. Shortfalls can hinder progress.

Selecting the Optimal Franchising Opportunity and Collaborative Partner:

1. Thorough Research: Conduct comprehensive research on the industry, market demand, competition, and available franchising opportunities.
2. Alignment: Choose a franchising opportunity that aligns with your values, skills, and goals, ensuring compatibility with the franchisor's vision.
3. Due Diligence: Carefully evaluate both the franchisor and existing franchisees. Review financials, support systems, and historical performance.
4. Legal Review: Seek legal advice to understand the franchise agreement, responsibilities, financial obligations, and terms.
5. Training and Support: Assess the quality of training and ongoing support the franchisor provides.
6. Financial Analysis: Evaluate the total investment required, ongoing costs, revenue potential, and projected profitability.
7. Communication: Foster open communication with the franchisor, discussing expectations and concerns.
8. Franchisee Network Connection: Connect with existing franchisees to gain insights into their experiences.
9. Long-Term Vision: Consider the sustainability of the franchising opportunity in line with your overarching business goals.

In conclusion, engaging in a franchising opportunity promises mutual benefits but requires thorough research, planning, and a strong partnership between franchisors and franchisees.

Network In Action (NIA) stands out as a promising franchise business opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs seeking a supportive and community-driven environment. Unlike traditional franchises, NIA offers a unique platform where franchisees can leverage their networking skills and connect with like-minded professionals in their local communities. With NIA, franchisees have the chance to build meaningful relationships while growing their businesses, making it an ideal fit for individuals who thrive on collaboration and community engagement. Moreover, NIA's innovative approach to networking provides franchisees with a flexible and scalable business model, allowing them to adapt to the ever-evolving needs of their market.

So obviously we've laid out the differences with Network In Action but one of my favorite ones as a founder of Network In Action is our guaranteed return on investment. We all know that the risks you take as a business owner are great every time you open up your marketing budget.

With Network In Action, there's zero risk.

We're going to provide a formula. Actual analytics based on the ticket item in your business and your franchise owner will come up with a guarantee that if you attend 11 out of 12 meetings and pass 12 referrals, we know a formula that we can help you ascertain exactly how much value you're going to get out of the group.

Now obviously, like everything, the more you put into it the more value you'll get but you're going to get a guarantee on every single dollar you invest with Network In Action.

In 1962, David Oreck was selling heavy upright vacuum cleaners to hotels all across the United States. During his many business travels, he noticed hotel housekeepers struggling to drag big, heavy vacuum machines all over the hotel property. The drudgery of it was clear as they pulled and pushed their way from one floor to the next. One day, he had a radical idea: What if someone were to design a lightweight, yet powerful, vacuum cleaner to relieve the physical stress of hotel staff all over the world? He approached his employers and tried to convince them to do just that.

As he tells it, he was laughed out of the room and told, “No one would ever buy a lightweight vacuum cleaner.” The Oreck Corporation began as a manufacturer of upright vacuum cleaners for the US hotel industry in 1963. It was a huge success. Bigger than he'd anticipated. Not only did hotels eagerly start buying them, but the hotel staff members themselves started buying these vastly-improved vacuum cleaners for their own use at home. So, David's original idea evolved as the Oreck Corporation began selling its unique products to residential consumers as well. As they say, now you know the rest of the story. Well, not quite.

In 2005, I was dating a woman who sold her candle company to none other than Mr. David Oreck himself. One weekend shortly after the purchase of the candle company, she and I were invited to spend a day on David’s private ranch. The property is breathtaking, with longhorns grazing along the side of his personal runway and an airplane hangar that houses over fifteen restored vintage aircrafts. During the early part of the day, we took turns flying with him in various aircraft around Louisiana and Mississippi. Once the keys to the various planes were locked away, Mr. Oreck proceeded to break out the scotch. That afternoon, he introduced me to fine whiskey and began to ask about my business. I explained to him that we were operating in thirty-seven states and two providences in Canada and that we were in the business of putting our hands into your pockets and legally extracting as much cash as possible.

I remember his response like it was yesterday. “Oh, you are in marketing? What type of business do you think I own?”

I immediately responded, “The vacuum cleaner business, of course!”

Network in Action (NIA) and Business Network International (BNI) are both reputable organizations, both provide opportunities for industry exclusive networking, emphasizing the passing of referrals and establishing meaningful relationships. Your decision on whom to partner with may hinge on factors such as location, policies, meeting structure, the requirements of the group and likelihood of success.

To assess which organization better suits your networking objectives and preferences, we suggest:

1. Research Online: Visit the official websites of both NIA and BNI to gather comprehensive information about their networks, membership benefits, and support services.
2. Compare Membership Fees: Examine the membership fees as well as associated costs for both organizations. Consider the value you receive for your investment, such as training resources, access to networking events, and potential return on referrals. Commitment of your time to achieve desired results.
3. Speak with Members: Reach out to current members of NIA and BNI for feedback on their experiences. Ask about the quality of referrals received, networking opportunities, and the overall support they receive from the organization.
4. Attend Networking Events: Besides chapter meetings, attend networking events organized by both NIA and BNI. This will allow you to interact with members from multiple chapters and gain a broader perspective on the networking community.
5. Consider Meeting Schedules: Evaluate the meeting schedules of both organizations and determine which one better fits your availability and time commitments.
6. Review the comparison below.

What makes NIA different?

At Network In Action (NIA), what sets us apart is the structured and time-efficient approach we take during our monthly meetings. We understand the value of our members' time, and that's why each NIA meeting follows a professionally crafted agenda, ensuring that every minute is utilized effectively. By adhering to this meticulously scripted format, our members can fulfill their networking needs on a monthly basis while saving over 80 hours per year compared to traditional weekly networking. This level of convenience is only possible with NIA's state of the art technology.

Additionally, we have observed the unique benefit of our once-a-month meeting option: it resonates with business owners who maintain a tight schedule. As a result, these business owners now have the time to actively participate in our meetings, seizing the opportunity to establish connections and build relationships with fellow professionals. This aspect adds substantial value to our members' experience, as they get more than just convenience – they gain meaningful connections that lead to long-lasting partnerships and collaborative growth.

We actively seek franchisees who share our values and dedication to enhancing member experiences. Through our comprehensive training, we equip our franchisees with the necessary skills to successfully start and manage their own business networking groups. This approach fosters a supportive community and ensures that our franchisees can thrive while making a significant impact on their members' professional journeys.

Franchising has become an appealing option for many aspiring entrepreneurs seeking to embark on a business venture with a proven business model and established brand. This unique business arrangement offers a win-win scenario: the franchisor provides support, training, and a recognizable brand, while the franchisee brings their passion and entrepreneurial spirit. In this article, we will explore various franchise business ideas across different industries, providing potential entrepreneurs with diverse opportunities to consider.

Franchise Business Ideas in a Variety of Industries

Fast Food:

Fast-food franchises remain dominant in the franchise industry due to their widespread popularity and steady demand. Iconic brands like McDonald's, Subway, and KFC have demonstrated the success of this business model. Investing in a reputable fast-food franchise can offer a promising opportunity for success for those looking to capitalize on the evergreen appeal of fast food.

Fitness and Wellness:

Fitness and wellness franchises have witnessed significant growth as health and wellness gain prominence in people's lives. Opportunities in this sector include gyms, yoga studios, personal training centers, and health food outlets. Providing a range of services to cater to the health-conscious demographic can prove highly rewarding for franchisees.

Pet Care:

With pet ownership on the rise, the pet care industry offers many franchise opportunities. From pet grooming and training centers to pet supply stores and veterinary services, this industry caters to the needs of pet owners while tapping into a market with considerable growth potential.

Home Improvement:

Home improvement franchises offer a fantastic platform for individuals with a passion for home improvement and renovation. Opportunities exist in landscaping, interior design, pest control, and property restoration. As homeowners seek to enhance their living spaces, home improvement franchises can carve a niche for themselves.

"When I arrived at my first Network In Action meeting, I was instantly blown away. The energy, the people, the welcoming atmosphere, and then the meeting itself. I had never seen a networking meeting that was so engaged with its members. I was used to the meetings that were designed for the visitors. Attending a meeting that was structured around the members and building relationships during the meeting was really unique. Now, I am an NIA® lifer!"

When you are first introduced to Network In Action, the first thing you’ll hear are the seven ways that we are unique in the world of networking. However, I would argue that all seven of them boil down to just one: everything we do is built around adding value for our members, as opposed to just putting on a show for the guests. Let me demonstrate:

• Our guarantee: We guarantee you a return on your investment so that you know upfront that you aren’t taking a gamble with your investment. In addition, your professional leader enters into a partnership with you to ensure that you receive that ROI.
• Professional leadership instead of a volunteer: You are entering into a real partnership. Your franchise owner or community builder is someone who is committed to ensuring your success. In addition, the group maintains its numbers and value indefinitely, so you don’t have to worry about what we refer to as the annual networking roller-coaster.
• Ongoing coaching: Monthly coaching sessions are designed to help you continue to grow and improve your business in a variety of ways. You never have to choose between coaching and networking again.
• Monthly meetings held in the afternoon instead of weekly morning meetings: This makes it easier for you to work it into your schedule. In addition, this means that more business owners are making the time to come instead of sending their salespeople, which improves the quality of our membership across the board.
• Technology: We use technology so that it’s easier for you to pass and receive referrals and stay connected without face-to-face meetings.
• Marketplace: The NIA® marketplace gives you a place to offer your unique promotions to all of our hundreds of members across the entire country. This is free marketing to an audience that has already been qualified.
• Refer with confidence: Each member completes a background check and a personality profile so that you can refer to your personal network of friends, family members, and colleagues with confidence. In addition, it allows us to screen members before they join to ensure that you are guaranteed to be part of a group of high-caliber individuals.

Everything we do is about you! That is no accident. As I sat down and spent hours combing through the on-line reviews of networking groups, I made a list of all the things that people hated about the popular networking groups out there, and then I set out to create the exact opposite. It’s really no surprise that we’ve been able to create an organization that people love.

Be Our Guest, Be Our Guest

Other networking meetings are a dog and pony show for guests. The meeting’s focus is aimed at increasing the group’s membership, and that is done by convincing visitors that they have to join. The entire structure of the weekly meeting is geared toward that purpose. As a member, that should be insulting.