Moose Rosenfeld, first franchisee

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.

I launched NIA® Galleria in July 2015 and NIA® Bellaire the following January. Today, I have over sixty members representing many different industries. This has been very rewarding to me. I love working for my members. As the head of the membership committee, I get to decide who becomes part of my groups. Because of our business model, the vast majority of my members are either business owners or decision makers, which I think in itself is very cool.

My Leadership Principles

In a sense, building out an NIA® Group is like building a great radio station. You win in Radio by having great talent—you win in networking groups by having great members. I know without a shadow of a doubt that my members are my “Why.” There’s a saying, “Knowledge is power.” I think knowing a thousand people with knowledge is a lot more powerful! This is what I truly believe I was put on this planet to do:

• Run an outstanding business referral group
• Build by having dynamic members
• Build by having a great business model
• Build by having awesome technology
• Build by doing this full time
• Build by caring more about my members than myself

I am so blessed to be able to do this. I thank Scott for his vision, his passion to serve, his family values, and simply sharing NIA® with me. This has been the most rewarding time of my life. My tombstone will read: Moose Rosenfeld - Super Networker.