Founded in 1985 by Dr. Ivan Misner, the father of “Modern Networking” in the U.S., BNI (Business Network International) has reached to 73 countries and regions, helped more than 220,000 corporations and professionals to gain growth and development through the well-designed business referral system. BNI Hong Kong was established in 2006 and has successfully referred over 573,000 business to more than 1,800 members. Ms Maggie Leung, one of the senior directors of BNI Hong Kong, is always willing to give advice to different business companies.

Creating Common Core Value
Maggie started her own business in 2010 and joined BNI in 2012. With the rich experience of over 20 years in advisory services and real estate solutions, Maggie believes that BNI could create synergy effect with her own company, named Venga Assets Management. Few years ago, her company had a hard time due to financial problems. Luckily, BNI members offered her helping hands and formed a team to take her out of the dilemma. With the help, Maggie restructured the company and built up various partnerships with other BNI members, profitably closed a number of oversea real estate deals.

“With mutual understanding and shared values, everyone is able to reach higher goals with less effort in this organization” Maggie said when recalling the experience. All the members in BNI share the same core value – “Givers gain”, making them willing to help each other without considering any possible return. This also drives Maggie to spend most of her private time with BNI to help other members and new comers that are in need. Meanwhile, Maggie reveals, even if you do not consider own interests much, business opportunities may appear to you unexpectedly and it is not rare in the BNI community.

Talking about the latest development of BNI, Maggie admitted that communication with new members, especially with younger generations, is challenging. Most of the youngsters do not understand and believe in the core values of BNI and are not so eager to participate in volunteer works and give out their resources and ideas. “Having reward” is the most important thing in new generation’s mind, rather than establishing partnerships and helping others. Maggie is still looking for an effective way to encourage them to think positively as well as taking up more volunteer roles.

“Trust” is the Key to Business Sustainability
With 20 years of experience, Maggie now does not need to spend much effort to strike for deals for her businesses. The secret for her success is “building trust” with all the people come into her life. She strongly believes that gaining profit is not the key to sustain a company, “your business partners will not trust you if you only care about money but are not trustworthy”. Besides that, Maggie and BNI also insist on the belief – “changing the way the world does business”. It inspires Maggie to change her way to treat partners and employees. As a result, most of business projects are referred by her friends and partners and most successful deals are done based on trust.

Maggie says that BNI provides her a platform to observe the world and society, learning the knowledge she does not know before and changing her mindset to get along with all kinds of people, making her more willing to appreciate different people and give opportunities to others.

Explore and Think more for Your Business
Regarding to business sustainability, Maggie realized that it is difficult for young entrepreneurs to maintain their companies in the long run. “Most of them lack patience and are urging to seek profitable deals.” She would suggest three solutions for them. First, take the business seriously and explore more chances. Second, if you cannot find a way out, then ask for help by sharing your problems with experienced businessmen. Lastly, think deeper and identify the major cause of your problem. These are not easy to achieve, Maggie further explains, “unless you are fond on your business and have an open mind.”

She hopes all the winner of Asia Business Achiever Awards could promote the importance of trust and mutual cooperation for business sustainability and become role models for all the business in Asia.