Celebrating a record-breaking year
Members of Staffordshire’s biggest business networking organisation are celebrating a record-breaking year during which almost £7.5 million of revenue was generated for the local economy.
Business Network International Staffordshire has expanded year on year since it was taken on by Tony and Stephenie Altham in 2015, growing revenue for its members by £3m and adding around 80 new members.
Statistics for 2018 show high growth for two chapters in Stafford borough. The Izaak Walton Chapter, based at the Moat House, Acton Trussell, recorded invoiced income totalling £1,184,438 during the calendar year and Sir Stanley Matthews Chapter, based at the Upper House, Barlaston, managed £1,211,560. Both hold breakfast meetings each Friday.
Two further chapters meeting at the Upper House on Tuesday and Wednesday also performed well with Wedgwood BNI recording business worth £585,190 and Network Chapter £447,691.
Success was celebrated at the BNI Staffordshire Awards, a dinner and ball at the Moat House Hotel, Festival Park, attended by around 200 guests.
Attendees were told that members had passed £7,454,441 of invoiced business in 2018.
BNI members meet weekly and are taught to work collaboratively to generate new business opportunities for each other. The statistics for 2018, reveal there were 8,693 business referrals generated, with an average value of £857.
Tony Altham. BNI Staffordshire franchise director, said: “It has been a phenomenal year for our members and we have witnessed many businesses grow. Each referral is carefully monitored and is not recorded as business until an invoice has been paid. As someone who has had business interests in the county for many years, I am incredibly proud that our members are supporting the Staffordshire economy so much, creating jobs and wealth that gets spent locally.”
The two biggest BNI Chapters, Britannia and BNI at 10, both meet in Stoke-on-Trent and generate almost £1.7m each in business. Two other chapters broke the £1m barrier in 2018; Sir Stanley Matthews, at the Upper House, Barlaston, and Izaak Walton, which meets at The Moat House, Acton Trussell, near Stafford.
Added Tony: “We have further expansion planned, both in terms of new groups across Staffordshire and in looking for venues in the Stoke-on-Trent area which can cater for up to 70 members.”
