# BNI Global

> BNI (Business Network International) is the world's largest business referral organization: 355,000-plus small-business owners meeting every week, in-person and online, in local chapters where only one person per profession is allowed. Founded by Ivan Misner in 1985 after he lost his biggest client, BNI runs on one rule - Givers Gain - and turns weekly meetings into a referral machine that passed a record $26.9 billion in member business over the past year.

- **Founded:** 1985
- **Headquarters:** Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
- **Founders:** Ivan Misner (Founder & Chief Visionary Officer)
- **Team size:** ~4,500 employees and staff supporting the global organization (plus a member-led volunteer leadership structure across chapters).
- **Products:** BNI Chapter Membership, BNI Connect, BNI Online, BNI+ and AI Member Assistant, BNI Academy / BNI Business Builder
- **Notable:** World's largest business referral and networking organization., Members generated a record $26.9 billion in business over the trailing 12 months (through end of 2025) via 17.8 million-plus referrals., Since 1985, has helped roughly 2.28 million businesses generate more than $228 billion in revenue.

## Products & services

- **BNI Chapter Membership** — Weekly structured chapter meetings (in-person, online, or hybrid) with category exclusivity - only one member per profession per chapter passes referrals to the group.
- **BNI Connect** — Member networking platform and mobile app for managing referrals, connections, and chapter activity worldwide.
- **BNI Online** — Online and hybrid weekly meeting format that expanded rapidly during and after 2020.
- **BNI+ and AI Member Assistant** — Purpose-built chapter meeting platform with an AI-powered Member Assistant; won a 2026 Franchise Innovation Award.
- **BNI Academy / BNI Business Builder** — Training and education resources covering networking skills, referral strategy, and business growth.

## Achievements

- World's largest business referral and networking organization.
- Members generated a record $26.9 billion in business over the trailing 12 months (through end of 2025) via 17.8 million-plus referrals.
- Since 1985, has helped roughly 2.28 million businesses generate more than $228 billion in revenue.
- Surpassed 300,000 members in 2023; 355,000-plus by end of 2025.
- Won a 2026 Franchise Innovation Award ('Most Innovative Product Introduction') for the BNI+ platform and AI-powered Member Assistant.
- Founder Ivan Misner dubbed the 'Father of Modern Networking' by CNN and Forbes.

## Latest updates

- **2024-07** — Mary Kennedy Thompson, former COO of Neighborly and a BNI member since 1995, became CEO; Graham Weihmiller moved to Executive Chairman.
- **2025-08** — Mid-year report: $12.8 billion in member revenue via 8.7 million referrals in H1 2025; 7,200-plus new members and 108 new chapters added.
- **2025-12** — Reached 355,000-plus members across 11,800-plus chapters in 78 countries; trailing-year member business hit a record $26.9 billion.
- **2026-06** — Won a Franchise Innovation Award for the purpose-built BNI+ meeting platform and AI-powered Member Assistant.

## Links

- Website: https://bni.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bni
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/bnimidamerica
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BNIOfficialChannel
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bni.global/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BNIOfficialPage/

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/bni-global
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-14