Quick Facts
Cancer
Biography
Ivan Misner is the founder and chairman of the business networking organization BNI, called the "Father of Modern Networking" by CNN and the "Networking Guru" by Entrepreneur magazine.
Career
BNI
After starting his own consultancy business, Misner founded BNI in Arcadia, California in 1985 after losing a big client "looking for referrals for my consultancy practice and for fellow business people who I liked and trusted" and "for the primary purpose of building powerful referral networks". Misner later created the concept statement around which BNI now operates, "Givers Gain". Having expanded across North America and globally through a franchise-based business model, BNI now claims to be the largest business networking group in the world.
Author
Misner's books include the New York Times bestseller Truth or Delusion? Busting Networking’s Biggest Myths. He is co-author of the Wall Street Journal best seller The 29% Solution: 52 Weekly Networking Success Strategies.
Misner is a columnist for Entrepreneur.com and Business Insider, and has appeared in the L.A. Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and other publications, as well as television and radio shows on CNN, CNBC, the BBC and The Today Show on NBC.
Other works
An advocate of the teaching of networking skills in university business studies curricula, Misner has taught business management and social capital courses at several United States universities. He is on the board of trustees for the University of La Verne. Misner trademarked his name in April 2011.
Personal life
Misner grew up in Covina, California, and graduated from Gladstone High School.
Publications
- Ivan Misner; Hazel M. Walker; Frank J. De Raffele. Business Networking and Sex: Not What You Think.
- Ivan Misner; David Alexander; Brian Hilliard. Networking Like A Pro.
- Bob Nicoll; LuAnn Buechler; Bronwyn Ashbaker; Ivan Misner. Exceptional Care for Your Valued Client.
- Ivan R. Misner; Don Morgan. Masters of Sales.
- Ivan R. Misner; Don Morgan. Masters of Success.
- Ivan R. Misner. Worlds Best Known Marketing Secret.
- Ivan R. Misner; Robert Davis. Business by Referral.
- Ivan R. Misner. Masters of Networking.
- Ivan R. Misner; Candace Bailly; Dan Georgevich (May 1, 2003). It’s in the Cards. Paradigm Publishing. ISBN 0974081906.
- Ivan R. Misner (October 17, 2006). Truth or Delusion?: Busting Networking's Biggest Myths. Thomas Nelson. ISBN 0785223207.
- Ivan Misner; Michelle R. Donovan (September 1, 2008). The 29% Solution: 52 Weekly Networking Success Strategies. Greenleaf Book Group Press. ISBN 1929774540.
- Ivan Misner; Niiraj R. Shah. The BNI Handy Guide to Networking.
- Darrell W. Gurney; Ivan Misner. Never Apply for a Job Again!.
- Timothy M. Houston. The World's Worst Networker: Lessons Learned By The Best From The Absolute Worst.; chapters 19 ("Premature Solicitation") and 24 ("Networking Faux Pas") by Misner.