Interview with BizzFlip

By Lydia Sugarman, Entrepreneurial Editor

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I was all set to write up another interview for this month’s installment when I spotted an email from Adam in my inbox. He was doing what he does and making an email introduction to Will Randolph, a principal of a new online venture, BizzFlip. Within an hour, Will and I were chatting on the phone like old friends. Note: I think that’s something that happens very quickly when entrepreneurs recognize each other.

As Will talked about BizzFlip and his two partners, I knew you all needed to hear from them yourselves. These are young, but very seasoned entrepreneurial businessmen who really have a strong grasp on what it takes to be an entrepreneur, to be good business people, to be good business partners, and to effectively network. Hey! They found each other!

As I read their separate responses to my questions, I was also impressed with the similarity in their answers even though this was done by email and they didn’t hear or see each others responses until now. The similar mindset is exactly what it takes to have a successful partnership. The common generosity of spirit is a main component in successful networking.

I thought it is important to share their unfiltered and unedited responses to illustrate and illuminate how three entrepreneurs who are partners think.

The guys describe their business as follows...

BizzFlip nurtures direct trust-based relationships within a niche community. BizzFlip has altered the way businesses are sold, venture capital is dealt, ideas are shared, and much more!

At the tipping point of an economy in which only the connected will survive, we have created a platform for people to utilize as the painful hierarchy of Nine to Five becomes a thing of the past.

The Interview...

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Interview with BizzFlip

Year Round Networking at Tulsa Metro Chamber

By Peter Biadasz, Southern Plains Bureau Chief
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There exists a community in the Midwest which provides quality networking events for the first 11 months of every year. While you may be on your own for December, the month of countless holiday gatherings (I mean “networking opportunities”), from January through November you get to work the Networking Circuit provided by The Tulsa Metro Chamber. The Networking Circuit provided by the chamber includes:

(4) - Regular Breakfast Network meetings,
(1) - Power Networking Breakfast event,
(3) - Business After Hours events,
(1) - Restaurant After Hours event,
(12) - Business Owner’s Forums, and access to a host of open and closed networking groups.

The breakfast events and the after hours events are in alternating months. Therefore, if your schedule is better suited for only morning or only evening meetings, you have the opportunity to attend the most convenient event based on your schedule.

Per Elaine Walsh, Manager, Member Events, “the success of the events is not only in the quality of each event, but in effectively marketing each opportunity so that the membership can utilize the event to have maximum effect for the attendees as well as positive effect on the community”. Elaine mentioned that each event is marketed via several media including mailings, e-mails, tickets, post cards, the weekly Monday Morning Memo online newsletter and The Chamber Report magazine. An annual pass is available for purchase allowing access to all Breakfast and After Hours Events at a discount.

Here are the fun and important details:

(4) Regular Breakfast Network meetings – These meetings average about 200 people in attendance and features a program of organized networking (each participant meets at least 18 people) and a very interesting speaker. This meeting is always finished by 9AM so you can schedule a 9:30 am sales appointment.

(1) Power Networking Breakfast event – This event always has over 200 people. Each person networks at 5 tables of 10 people, 15 minutes at each table. At all breakfast network events a 90 second introduction is utilized and a computer program ensures smooth transitions from table to table.

(3) Business After Hours events – Averaging 500 – 600 people per event, Business After Hours features networking and lots of great food in a high quality trade show atmosphere. Chamber members can purchase booth space to showcase their products and services for several hours. The event concludes with a balloon drop in which you will find cash in select balloons. Networking, food and they pay you if you find the right balloons. A don’t miss event!

(1) Restaurant After Hours event – With well over 600 in attendance yearly, this event features local restaurants in a showcase type setting. All attendees go from booth to booth sampling the wide variety of foods that the restaurants want to show off. This is an all you can eat for one price event so come hungry. No one leaves with an empty stomach. This event has been held in the local aquarium for several years allowing the attendees to visit the exhibits and walk through the shark tank in an attempt to burn off those newly consumed calories.

(12) Business Owners’ Forums - Every month business owners gather in a formal setting to discus topics that are of interest to business owners. A formal part of the meeting agenda is 30 minutes of networking, owner to owner.

Access to a host of open and closed networking groups – Within the metro area are at least 40 open and closed networking groups that meet weekly, bi-weekly, and/or monthly. You will find a networking opportunity of some sort on every day that ends in “y”.

As you can guess, ensuring that each event runs smooth involves quite a lot of manpower. Besides an incredible chamber staff, Karen Humphrey, Member Services and Resource Campaign Manager, has an army of volunteers called The Hospitality Club. These 50 individuals are involved in the many tasks required to have consistently successful events. Karen stated that she “feels blessed to have such a dedicated group of professionals who generously volunteer their time and energy.” These volunteers are many times involved in set-up and break down of tables and chairs, professionally facilitate the table commercials at the networking events, greet people at the door, ensure that vendors have what they need at trade show style events, and do whatever else needs to be done to ensure the success of the event.

By participating in the networking circuit you are not only full prepared to make the most of December’s Holiday Networking Season, but also prospecting to your fullest potential, ensuring a great year of satisfying business. If you would like more information about networking as sponsored by The Tulsa Metro Chamber feel free to go to www.tulsachamber.com and contact Warren Unsicker, Small Business Program Manager; Dennis Currington, Director, Small & Minority Business Development; Karen Humphrey, Member Services and Resource Campaign Manager; or Elaine Walsh, Manager, Member Events, at The Tulsa Metro Chamber.

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Year Round Networking at Tulsa Metro Chamber

The Inspired Networker Gives to Give

Inspiring NetWorkers

By Mark Sturgell, Great Lakes Bureau Chief Email article RSS feed Share on facebook

"Give to Get"

...why not put away the old credo for a day or two, if not for good? Why not spend today GIVING? Mark Sturgell bids farewell as Great Lakes Bureau Chief with a Grand Wish for us all...

The Inspired Networker Gives to Give

"Give to Get" may be the most common, most often-used credo of networking. Frankly, I don't like it. I founded this column to inspire networkers toward a much greater ideal; that is, just "Give". You will be amazed at the results. You may just become an Inspired Networker. You may inspire others - many others if you really put yourself out there. You may just change the world for the better.

Give-to-Get is a transactional act. Giving is a transformational act.

This is a Giving Season for almost everyone in the western hemisphere. It is also a time when we tend to rethink our lives, even in some small way. So why not try putting away the old credo for a day or two, if not for good? Why not spend today GIVING? Don't give with the expectation for some kind of "secret" transaction to take place, or for your blessing to the world to miraculously "attract" many more blessings back to you. JUST GIVE.

Give something away. Help people because they could use it. Appreciate the act of giving. Become a GIVER.

What if you made your cause one of restoring spirit and noble values to your workplace, to your business community, to your networking group? This means you would have to live these values, be an example of an inspired spirit to all around you. You would need to consistently give your most authentic self. How would your life be different? How would your life NEED to become different to become such an example? How would the lives around you be different as a result of your higher ideal?

Life is an opportunity where you get to give, not give to get.

What if your networking group was a place where people get to give instead of give-to-get? In other words, your group saw the privilege and opportunity in just giving to one another? Look at the list of people in your referral network. What have you given them lately? (That's no matter what they have given you - don't slip back into the old credo now!). Now, for each person, can you think of something to give him or her? No, not a tie or a knitted scarf, but something VALUABLE…something from your HEART.

Yes, your gift this year could most certainly be a business referral or a business introduction for each person in your networking group. That would be appropriate. It might look or sound something like this:

Friend, I am giving you a referral this week. I have already spoken to this person about you. I told them you are a person they can trust, because I trust you. I told them that, even though they may talk with other businesses, they should speak with you because you are a person who will look out for their best interests - and I know you will. I gave them your name, not just because you are in my network. I spoke to them about you because of who you are as much as for what you do. I care about this person and I care about you. I am really excited about putting you two together.

Make this your Giving Season. Make 2008 your Giving Year. Better yet, make this life your Giving Life. Give something away. Help people because they could use it. Appreciate the act of giving. Become a GIVER.

This will be my last column as your Great Lakes Bureau Chief, but maybe not the last time you will hear from me. I hope you have enjoyed my column. I hope you have been INSPIRED!

Please continue to contact Mark Sturgell or through his website at www.pdncoach.com.

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The Inspired Networker Gives to Give