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.

At Network in Action, we also like to provide extra opportunities to network. So, we cross-pollinate in various ways.

Number one, once a month, you have an opportunity to network with the nation in a virtual networking event with members from all over the country. This allows you to connect with professionals beyond your local area and expand your reach.

Additionally, your Network in Action leadership will provide opportunities at mixers, launches, or coaching sessions. These events give you the chance to network with fellow members from across the city.

These opportunities are awesome for growing your network and increasing your business. Building connections with professionals from different locations and industries can lead to new partnerships, referrals, and business growth. Embrace these chances to connect and make the most out of your Network in Action membership.

When you recognize that networking is a powerful way to grow your business, it only makes sense to then ask, “Where’s the most efficient place to network?” You want to focus your efforts and resources on the groups that are going to bring you the greatest return on your membership fee and, even more important, on the time you will be required to invest. Otherwise, your efforts are more like hunting big game with buckshot, and instead of producing results and growing your business, you are just being robbed of your valuable time and resources that would be better spent investing into your business.

When it comes to growing your business through networking, the adage "You can’t compare apples to oranges" simply does not apply. In fact, in order to get the most benefit for your business, it behooves you to make that comparison. Up to this point, there have really only been two options out there for business owners who want to grow their businesses through networking: Weekly networking meetings run by volunteers with meetings focused exclusively on impressing guests, or Chambers of Commerce run by non-profits.

Historically, those who value networking have had to settle for joining one of these groups in an attempt to grow their businesses, only to come face-to-face with the reality that these are broken models that don’t deliver as advertised. That’s the boat I was in, which is why I was so disenchanted with the whole idea of business networking in the first place. Although both options may include some networking, that is where all similarities to Network In Action end.

Chambers of Commerce

I used to work with thirty-seven different Chambers of Commerce and Better Business Bureaus across the country, and I got to know them very well. Chambers are non-profits that have one focus and one alone, which is to help grow the economy in a particular city or in a particular area of the city. In order to do that, they want to attract more big businesses to the area. They want universities and large corporations to set up shop, which brings jobs and millions of dollars in annual revenues. That’s who they want. But in order to fund that effort, they prop themselves up on the shoulders of small businesses like yours. They get a bunch of small businesses to pay $300-$400 a year with the perceived value being: If I join this organization, I’ll network and grow my business.

The abundance mindset is paramount to our success at Network in Action. When you look at the history of the networking industry, you will see the opposite of an abundance mindset; it is extremely territorial. Maybe you can join one group and one group only, or you can only be a member of a group that's industry-exclusive. But there’s no single networking group that can give anyone all the business they need. At Network In Action, we believe that if you're building your network, wherever that is—the Chamber of Commerce, another networking group through your college alumni, social media—you have more value to bring to the group.

The last thing we want here at Network In Action is a scarcity mindset. We curate the culture of abundance with intention. Our franchise owners don't have a scarcity mindset, and therefore the people they recruit don't have a scarcity mindset either. The result is a group of people who really love and care about each other and who are being held accountable to take action and who all have an abundant mindset. I challenge any business owner to tell me another networking organization where they can find so much value.

We have a unique model, a unique opportunity, and a unique culture here at NIA. I saw an ad the other day that said, “Buy our franchise and make a difference.” I scrolled up, and it was a haircutting place. “Make a difference” is just a buzzword nowadays—but at Network In Action, our franchise owners and our group members truly are making a difference within each other’s lives and within their communities. Every day I wake up, I get on social media and I see one success story after another coming from our members. There’s not a day that goes by where there's not some story of someone somewhere in the world having success by connecting with other people through their Network In Action group. We've had people get married; we've had people buy each other's businesses; we've had people gain employment; we've had people who were fired and the next day they were offered positions through NIA connections; we’ve had new companies use their last marketing dollars to join an NIA group and, all of a sudden, that same month, they get a nice deal and they're off and running.

It's incredible the life franchise owners lead as a part of Network In Action—a life that we welcome you to explore. Let’s connect soon and see what good we can do for each other. In the meantime, thanks for stopping by and getting to know us a little better; we look forward to returning the favor.

In most traditional networking groups, there is often a minimal barrier to entry. You simply pay a fee, and you become a member of the group. However, at Network in Action, we have a different approach. We prioritize the safety and trust within our network.

That's why we require every single member to undergo a background check. By conducting background checks, we can provide a guarantee from day one that you can feel comfortable referring other members within our network. We understand the importance of building a reliable and trustworthy community for our members.

In addition to the background checks, we offer a valuable tool called the Business Assessment. This assessment allows you to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses in your business. It provides valuable insights that can help you identify areas for improvement and growth.

These are just a couple of the many differentiators between Network in Action and traditional networking groups. We go above and beyond to ensure the safety and success of our members. Join us and experience networking in an environment that prioritizes trust, reliability, and personal growth.

In Network in Action, every group across the country is led by a professional trained leader. We believe in the power of having dedicated and knowledgeable individuals guiding our networking groups. Unlike many other organizations, our groups are not run by volunteers. Instead, we have certified networkers who are experienced and skilled in facilitating effective networking experiences.

One crucial aspect that sets us apart is that our group leaders are compensated for their efforts. We value their expertise and the time they invest in ensuring that our networking groups deliver maximum value to our members. By compensating our leaders, we can attract top talent and maintain a high level of professionalism and commitment within our organization.

We invite you to give Network in Action a chance and witness firsthand the difference professional leadership can make in your networking journey. Our leaders are equipped to provide guidance, support, and valuable insights to help you grow your network and achieve your business goals. Experience networking with a team of professionals who are dedicated to your success.

We introduced the mastermind format into Network In Action very early on because we knew the value it could bring to the members. The most important thing when it comes to networking is building deep relationships. In 2014, I realized that I didn’t hate networking—I just hated the way it was being done. Thus, an idea was born, and I began my first Network In Action group. After about sixteen months of running the group myself, I went home and told my wife, “These people are so close; they love each other so much. We don't even have to focus on networking or building relationships because it’s happening on its own. But I don't think we can sustain just being a wine club. We must do something bigger than this.” I knew the mastermind model was what we needed.

Think about this: When the military sends soldiers into training, those soldiers go through exercises together to build camaraderie and to build their connection with each other. In some ways, that becomes a matter of life and death for them. We have built these same principles into our monthly meetings and into our culture. We go through exercises each month with our members and in our leadership meetings where we're delving into the problems and struggles in our businesses, as well as our successes, and all of a sudden, it connects people so much deeper. This is an important key to building relationships—but it’s more than that.

With everyone coming from different backgrounds, there is so much wisdom and experience that can be shared to help the next person. That’s what we’re doing every month with NIA. When we get together, there is so much talent in the room. Maybe someone is struggling with the financial part of their business but somebody else there has experienced that before and can help them figure it out. Or maybe one person is good at marketing and somebody else is really struggling in that area, so they have a conversation and problems get solved. We help each other by sharing the mistakes we’ve made and our successes. By bringing people together and working on all these different pieces of business, you’ve got a team of people lined up to support you and to learn from you.

If you don't think you have something to offer, you’re wrong. You just have to show up and let the magic happen. All of us have gifts, all of us have strengths and weaknesses. You may not even know what value you have until you get here; but then, all of a sudden, the magic happens! There's not a better feeling in the world.

People might join Network in Action for the referrals, but they stay for the business solutions. So often, we join these networking groups to get referrals and to grow our businesses and move the needle on our bottom line. That's happening, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The business solutions are happening in all the ways that our members put a need out there and the group can fulfill that need. The diversity in the gifts we have to offer is what makes NIA work so well. At Network In Action, we truly believe that; we see it happening every day. Each one of these franchise owners have come from a different place and background. Among them, we have about twenty business coaches, another twenty people who still own additional businesses, five PhDs, two attorneys, two Navy SEALs, and a Marine fighter pilot! All of these individuals have been successful in their NIA franchises.

I know most of you have heard of Brian Tracy, and I want to talk about how applicable his ideas are. Have you ever seen Brian Tracy's Golden Triangle? Let me explain it to you in just a few minutes. You could pay thousands of dollars to attend his seminar, but I'll give you a brief overview. It's incredibly awesome and relevant to network connections in your franchise.

The most important thing in your life, which affects everything else, is your self-esteem. Throughout the day, our self-esteem is constantly influenced. How we feel about ourselves at the core determines our actions. It affects whether we feel motivated to make calls, schedule launches and learn sessions, help people, or contribute. Our entire life revolves around our self-perception. Recently, at the age of 65, I've undergone a significant transformation in my life. I've realized that the more I contribute, the better I feel about myself. It's astonishing to me that in the past 30 years, during my final push to contribute as much as I can, this realization has dawned on me.

Personally, I was raised by an old-school football coach who didn't focus on building my self-esteem. That wasn't his way, and it was not the norm for most parents at that time. Criticism, shame, and other negative approaches were prevalent. Although he was doing his best, he wasn't focused on building up my self-esteem. In contrast, my wife and I have established a rule in our household for our three youngest children. We don't criticize them. Of course, it doesn't mean they can run wild without boundaries. Instead, we look for other ways to reinforce positive behaviors. Our goal is to foster incredibly high self-esteem in our children.

If you are concerned about how you feel about yourself, it's actually easy to change. Simply affirm to yourself, "I have great value, and I'm willing to offer it." If you're not comfortable saying it out loud right now, at least type it in the chat: "I have great value, and I'm willing to offer."

The second aspect of Brian Tracy's Golden Triangle is responsibility. Responsibility is essentially our ability to respond to different situations. Let me give you an example. I used to coach a junior golf team, and there was a girl named Sasha on my team for five years. No matter what happened, Sasha always made an excuse for her performance. Rain, wet conditions, wind, or any other factor became an excuse. In my family, we have a phrase that we use when someone starts making excuses: "You don't want to be like Sasha, do you?" We emphasize the importance of being accountable. If you're interested in exploring accountability further, I highly recommend Brian Tracy's book called "No Excuses."

My name is Scott Talley, and I am the founder of Network in Action. One of the significant differences with Network in Action is our approach to monthly meetings. Traditionally, networking groups require members to attend weekly meetings. However, we have a different plan in place.

At Network in Action, we guarantee two things every month. First, you will never see the same meeting twice. We believe in providing fresh and dynamic content for our members. Second, you will leave each meeting with added value for your business and your family. We prioritize delivering tangible benefits that can positively impact both your professional and personal life.

What sets us apart is the fast-paced nature of our networking events. We don't waste time with long elevator pitches. Instead, we focus on fostering meaningful connections and providing valuable resources to our members. We are confident that you will appreciate the efficiency and effectiveness of Network in Action.

We look forward to welcoming you to one of our Network in Action meetings. Join us and experience networking in a whole new way.

It’s hard to imagine living in a Country where the freedom to own a business is prohibited. It’s equally difficult to imagine not being able to assemble to share ideas without fear of reprisal.

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, a time when we express our gratitude for the many things and people in our lives, we should also give thanks for the freedom to own a business. Often taken for granted, owning a business is a right that we must cherish.

Regardless of the size of your business, owning a business is the ultimate expression of freedom bestowed upon us as U.S. citizens. Along with home ownership, owning a business is The American Dream.

We have the right to choose a business we believe is right. We have a right to do business with the individuals and companies of our choosing. We can also achieve success in our business; to that extent, the sky is the limit. Yes, owning a business is a great right and freedom.

Owning a Network in Action business has afforded our NIA franchise owners the opportunity to take things to an even higher level with the freedom to assemble with business owners to learn, grow, connect, and share ideas as all of us live this American Dream.

And now I'm gonna go ahead and spotlight Miss Tracy Davison and I'm gonna let you take it away, okay? All right. Hey, everybody, welcome from Nashville here. Um, I am thrilled to introduce my friend and one of the best-ever LinkedIn coaches I have ever met, Ron Zukenik, who also happens to be one of my strategic partners. Ron will tell you that all the success he has had has been the result of being with great people. He is a four times best-selling author on the topics of LinkedIn relationship strategies and business networking.

Today, Ron is here to share with us and highlight how we can embrace and leverage the power of our LinkedIn. If you maybe are old enough to where you can remember seeing a TV show called the dating game, you might recognize Ron as bachelor number two. He was the winner of the show back in May 1980. So, please welcome me in... Help, please join me in welcoming my friend and our friend, Ron Zukenik.

Well, thank you, Tracy. I can hardly wait to hear what I've got to say. That was a great intro. Hey, everybody. I know you could have been anywhere today at this time, and you chose to be here. So let me show you how this whole thing's going to work, and we're going to move fairly quick. I've got a lot of updates, a lot of changes with LinkedIn. I'm going to share a lot of stuff with you, so let me share my screen with everybody. I'm going to show you as you'll see. I'm going to show you a couple of slides, and then I'm going right to LinkedIn. But welcome, welcome. And of course, when I say welcome, I'm talking to the Network In Action members. That's who I understand this. I know there are some franchise owners, but I'm really gonna specifically talk to, well, to everybody. Let me share a couple of things with you, and you may have heard it. All the success I've ever had has always been with the help of people. So, I've been around the world of networking a long time. In fact, I began the expansion for the largest business referral organization in the world back in 1988. We were known as "The Network" in the mid-'90s. They changed the name; they became what you know today as BNI.

And by the way, the reason why I'm here today is I support NIA and your concept and what you're doing. I've been involved in the world of business, you know, I learned early on in the '70s that I was better together with other people. So, I'm not a self-made millionaire; it was always through the help of people. I've had four books published; I'm a Vietnam vet, I retired from the Army Reserve, and I'm also one of 25 national speakers for the Office of the Secretary of Defense in their Yellow Ribbon program. If you need to reach me, this is kind of how you can reach me; you can take a picture of it. I just want to give you that info up front so you have it.

And here's how it's going to go: I'm going to show just a couple of slides, so I'm not going to bore you with slides. I'm going to go right to LinkedIn. You can ask me questions at any time, and if Tracy or Dan, if you notice any questions, please stop me at that moment, let me clarify things. I'm going to show you and share a lot of great information. If you want me to go to your profile, I will do that; just let me know. Other than that, I'm going to be on my profile to show you what I've done. And not only am I going to show you what I've done, but I'm going to show you how to get it done.

Like-minded business owners, building relationships that last a lifetime

Houston, Texas (June 3, 2021) – Network In Action (NIA) is a national franchise comprised of over 75+ groups across the country that creates marketplace alliances via membership in these elite groups, featuring a qualified business advisor and leader, to directly lead business owners for mutual benefit. The model is unique to the industry based on its proprietary technology, structured once-a-month meetings, and active point system referral platform.

Like-minded business owners, building relationships that last a lifetime

Houston, Texas (April 15, 2021) – Network In Action (NIA) is a national franchise comprised of over 70+ groups across the country that creates marketplace alliances via membership in these elite groups, featuring a qualified business advisor and leader to manage business owners for mutual benefit directly. The model is unique to the industry based on its proprietary technology, structured once-a-month gatherings, and active point system referral platform.

Houston, Texas (April 2, 2021) Network In Action (NIA) is a national franchise comprised of over 70 groups across the country that creates marketplace alliances via membership in these elite groups, featuring a qualified business advisor and leadership business coach, to directly manage business owners for mutual benefit. The model is unique to the industry based on its proprietary technology, structured once-a-month gatherings, and active point system referral platform.

NIA expanded the franchise in the Greater Boston area in January 2021, with Sandra Kearney of Westborough, MA launching the Best of Boston-Network In Action group in the MetroWest area. Sandra will continue to scale her NIA franchise throughout the area with the launch of groups in Worcester and Cityside.

Like-minded business owners, building relationships that last a lifetime

Houston, Texas (March 19, 2020) – Network In Action (NIA) is a national franchise comprised of over 70 groups across the country that creates marketplace alliances via membership in these elite groups, featuring a qualified business advisor and leadership business coach, to directly manage business owners for mutual benefit. The model is unique to the industry based on its proprietary technology, structured once-a-month gatherings, and active point system referral platform.

Making a meaningful difference by giving back has always been part of the DNA of Network In Action. Group leaders and NIA members have deep-rooted connections to their communities, giving back an organic process throughout the year.

Dating back to Network In Action’s first meeting, Helen Maldonado “absolutely loved” the concept. At the time, she was in four groups throughout the Houston market, often pushing her husband, Oscar, to join her. Of all the networking groups, Oscar was most impressed with Network In Action. In fact, Oscar was the driving force behind the couples decision to franchise with the concept, even asking his wife, “Why aren’t we doing this?” while reviewing the franchise agreement.

When we ask our members what makes Network in Action different, they consistently use one word to define the experience: Professional.

It’s true – our franchise owners are friendly, well-trained, seasoned connectors, and are genuinely interested in the needs of their members. Our professionally-lead networking groups are one differentiator of our model, but we would like to share with you a few more reasons why entrepreneurs choose to franchise with NIA: