BNI Harvest Chapter Christmas Party
December 14, 2007, Friday
Erick Kalugdan’s residence (Pasig City)

Theme: Pajama party

Aljo Chua, Mitor Alipio, Edlynn Ng (with kids Terence & Xavy), Erick Kalugdan (wife Sharon & son Rafael), Alvin Tsoi, VJ Sianghio, Armand Hernandez, Totep Pardo (with wife Marion & business partner Buddy), Deedee Espina (with daughter Diyosa), Marcia Castaneda, Diwa del Mundo, Dr. Malu de Leon, Gay Gatbonton (with husband George & sons)

Erick opened his house as early as 6pm. Aljo was the early bird in the group. Edlynn and her children followed and jumped into Erick’s freezing yet inviting swimming pool. The members trickled in and braved the heavy traffic managed to arrive safely considering last minute errands like buying a new set of pajamas.

The food prepared by Sharon was great! We had mixed sushi, grilled stuffed milkfish, shrimps, sweet and sour pork, fried chicken strips, pancit canton, green mango salad with bagoong (shrimp paste), grilled eggplant with tomatoes and onions and baked macaroni. For dessert we had biko (sweet glutinous rice), leche flan and fruits. Yum!

We expressed our singing talents with the Magic Sing and discovered that Dr. Malu’s masterpiece is the song “Borderline” by Madonna in the 80s. Totep also got a kick out of it (he even had a duet with Deedee) and of course, we were also entertained by our very own musically-talented Marcia. Mitor, Alvin and VJ were happily ‘gulping’ away!

Dr. Malu’s “Human text twist” game was a hit. Ang galing natin sa spelling! Not to be outdone was Armand’s BNI blackout bingo grid and his drawing game. Gay has superb drawing skills with her abstract rendering

We also had exchange gifts and before we ended the night, Diyosa unselfishly rendered her soulful numbers a capella.

Thanks to Erick and family for hosting the event… Diwa for making it to the party driving all the way from Batangas.

Congratulations Harvesters! Fun, fun, fun!

As Deedee commented, “Masarap pala magparty ng nakapajama!”

Merry Christmas and Happy new year!

Harvest held its first Visitors Day last November 14, 2007 in Astoria Plaza. It was a well-attended event! David Montecillo of Greenlightworks conceptualized the theme and he also came up with the invitation for the breakfast meeting.  “Entrepreneurs should always be on their toes and prepared for opportunities that present themselves anytime,” he says.

Harvest is now the second official BNI chapter in the Philippines! With the successful launch marked by a standing room only attendance, Harvest will be a chapter to beat. Founding President Deedee Espina is a mother of five creative and great kids. No doubt she can adopt about 14-20 more members under her care.

The attendees enjoyed the open networking session, happily exchanging business cards as they promote themselves and their businesses to each other. We opened the meeting with an invocation and the national anthem led by Harvest Secretary-Treasurer Marcia Castañeda. As if the open networking was not enough, we did a business cards scramble and the maddest networker of the day with 60 cards on hand is Harvest’s newest member Dr. Malu de Leon! Her prize was a copy of the book “The World’s Best Known Marketing Secret”, authored by Dr. Ivan Misner, founder of Business Network International (BNI). We had the founding members’ induction after that with everyone reciting the BNI Code of Ethics. President Deedee introduced the leadership team. Gracing the occasion were Mr. Sim Chow Boon, National Director of BNI Singapore and Philippines, and Mr. Alfee Goh, Executive Director of BNI Singapore. They shared powerful networking tips as well as help the audience appreciate the importance of being part of the most successful professional networking organization worldwide.

We moved on to the sales manager minute for the members as well as the visitors. Everyone was patiently listening and respectful to each one, eagerly waiting to hear some creative and memorable spiels, and we definitely weren’t disappointed. The referral passing time was also a great opportunity for some of the Harvest members to share testimonials on the exemplary service rendered by the other members.

We’d like to thank Summit Publishing (publisher of Entrepreneur Philippines magazine), Filemon Barbasa III, President of Filbars and Hinge Media (publisher of SME Insight magazine) for giving away back magazines for our attendees.

Thanks to the founding members of Harvest, especially …

• Yvonne of Writeshop, Golda of Beacon Information Systems and Edna of Pru Life UK for manning the registration
• Erick Kalugdan of Infotxt for the photos, registration list, registration form for walk ins, PowerPoint slides, etc.
• Diwa del Mundo of Hypermediasoft for the LCD projector and www.bniharvestph.com
• Marcia Castañeda of Telephony Electronic Perks for the ticket, launch and membership fees collection and summary
• Aljo Chua of Print Avenue for printing the application forms, power of 40, referral slips and launch tickets
• Joseph Pardo of Beacon Information Systems for coordinating the free magazines
• Deedee Espina of Writeshop for producing the first issue of Harvest Times, the official newsletter of the chapter and tapping Mr. Bobet Alip of Best Deals, a community ads paper for sponsoring the printing; also Member’s directory
• Christopher Tan, President of BNI Philippines Genesis Chapter for the banners and his endless support, and the Genesis members for their attendance and guests.

We’ve only just begun, the best is yet to come!

To our new members, thanks for your trust, we welcome you with open arms see you at the next meeting!

To all the attendees, thank you for the overwhelming support, have a good harvest, there’s plenty for everyone!

Let us grow our businesses and build relationships. We invite you to join us in BNI!

P.S. Did you miss this event? Catch our next chapter meeting. See you there!

“You cannot hold on to anything good. You must be continually giving – and getting. You cannot hold on to your seed. You must sow it – and reap anew. You cannot hold on to riches. You must use them and get other riches in return.” -Robert Collier

Isang tulog na lang! (One night to go!) 

Tomorrow is Harvest time!
By today I expect you to have completed the requirements in Part 1, especially the calling cards. Make sure you have you have your ticket, and you’ve decided on your attire.

Location and parking
Discovery Suites is located across The Podium Mall on ADB Avenue (see map). The entrance to the guest parking is at the back, you have to go around the block to reach Topaz street. Parking rate is P35 for first two (2) hours and succeeding is P20 per hour. Magellan room is on the 41st floor of the executive suites. Yes, it’s that high. The view of the Ortigas Business District is spectacular! If you have fear of heights, let this be a warning. The elevators to the venue are located near the lobby with the wall water fountain.  The parking is several levels down. Other parking alternatives are beside The Podium, though I am not sure what time they open.

Schedule
We are open for registration at 6:30 a.m. We expect the program to finish anytime between 9-930 a.m. I would advise to keep the your schedule for the rest of the morning free for the event. You might feel the need to talk to people you connect with after the program.

Food
We have pre-ordered four breakfast selections and upon registration, you will state your preference and a colored stub will be given to you. To whet your appetite a bit, the choices are as follows:

• Potato Blini with Smoked Salmon
• Bacon and Egg Burrito
• Biscuit Sausage Sandwich
• Apple and Ham with Crisp Puff Pastry

This is on a first-come, first-served basis, and additional orders if necessary may be different from the above. If you are passionate about your food choice, the remedy is to come early! The beverage to be served will be choice of coffee or tea. If you want anything else, it will be at your expense.

30-second airtime
Part of the admission fee to the event apart from the food goes to “airtime”-that privileged part of the program where you promote your business to all the attendees, and ask for the referral you want. Compose your thoughts, write them down and be as creative as you can! You only have 30 seconds!

Pre-registered tickets
The inquiries for the event are overwhelming! If you have your ticket, then only a signature is required of you beside your details and you’re good to go. For those who are going to get the ticket on Wednesday and need to pay, then come early so that we can process your registration quickly.

Wake up fresh and alive
We suggest you get a good night’s sleep tonight so you feel fresh and energetic tomorrow. The early bird gets the worm!

Most of all, we will have FUN… lots of surprises and more business afterwards of course!

See you!

Greetings from Harvesters!

We ‘d like to share some pointers to make the most of your investment (time & money). It is quite an effort to attend a breakfast meeting, however, as they say… the early bird gets the worm.

Reminders:

1. Please bring one (1) box or 100 pieces of calling cards or marketing materials for the launch (yes that many, I am not kidding). If you don’t have business cards on that day, or if you run out, it’s as good as being INVISIBLE!

• If you need to order calling cards, our member Aljo Chua of Print Avenue (8884347) can help you.
• If you need rush materials, contact our resident writer Deedee Espina of WriteShop (0917-8523948) for your marketing collaterals like brochures, etc.
• If you need accommodations and other travel arrangements, contact Gay Gatbonton of Routes & Routes at 4548100.
• If you run out of load during the event, look for Marcia Castañeda of Telephony Electronic Perks (0927-4205061)
• If you need vitamins to increase your stamina and be energized on the 27th, call Eileen Ignacio at (0920-9526958)
• If you are a VIP and you have security concerns as regards attending public functions, call our security expert Joseph Pardo (0918-9352858)
  ETC….

2. Bring your TICKET! No ticket, no entry and no breakfast!

3. Come at 6:30 AM! Make the most of the time to exchange business cards with the other guests. If for some reason you cannot make it (God forbid) please inform the person who invited you ASAP.

4. Attire: Smart Casual/Business. Heck, dress as expected of your profession!

We are excited to see all of you there…
Venue: Magellan Room, Discovery Suites, ADB Avenue, Ortigas (in front of Podium Mall)
Time: 6:30 AM
Date: 27 June 2007, Wednesday

Happy harvesting!
There’s plenty for everyone.

Greetings!

You are cordially invited to attend the Launch of the Harvest Chapter of BNI Philippines on 27 June 2007, Wednesday, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at the Magellan Room of the Discovery Suites on San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas, Pasig City.

BNI – Business Network Int’l. is a business and professional networking organization whose primary purpose is to exchange qualified business referrals. It is the largest networking organization and currently has over 4,700 chapters with 95,000 members in 43 US states and 37 countries (Canada, Australian, United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, Sweden, Israel, Malaysia, etc, and recently, the Philippines). As of last counting in 2006, BNI has generated more than 4.9 million referrals that resulted in USD1.7 billion worth of business for its members.

We operate on the “Givers Gain” philosophy—those who give business freely to others will benefit in return and get business as well.

What makes BNI unique is that it allows only one person per profession to join a chapter. Thus, once you’ve joined, none of your competitors can participate. Our chapter is currently looking for people to whom they can refer business and who are interested in generating a steady source of referral business.

Seating will be limited so please RSVP to me so I can reserve a seat for you. There is no charge to attend the meeting; the meal fee will be P500.00 which includes a set breakfast. Remember to bring at least 50 business cards to pass around, as you will meet lots of local business professionals.

I look forward to meeting you and increasing our referral business.

Sincerely,

Edlynn Frondoso-Ng, CPA
BNI Area Director
Harvest Chapter Visitor Host
+63 917 5336869
www.bniphilippines.wordpress.com
www.lightworkerng.wordpress.com
YM: edlynn0608
Skype: edlynn0608

P.S. Please feel free to bring a business associate with you who may also be interested in finding out how to generate more business through “word-of-mouth” referrals. Anthony Robbins says that one referral is equal to 15 cold calls.

Are you looking for clients? We can help you!
“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” – Ryunosuke Satoro

See related post: There is plenty for everyone!

What is my recipe for success?

Ingredients:
3 cups of integrity
3 cups of relationship building
2 cups of purpose
1 cup of enthusiasm
1 cup of trust
1 cup of perseverance
1 cup of resilience
5 cups of fun

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Grease a baking tray with intention, lay the mixture and bake in 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Voila! The timer rings and the goodies are ready to serve.

The finished product: A published article about Business Network International (BNI) entitled “Gaining by giving”, pages 12, 14 and 16 of this month’s issue (June 2007) of Entrepreneur Philippines magazine (with my picture in it).

As a star performer, goal setting is a crucial part of the process. In August of 2006, I enrolled in the Prosperity Coaching Program of Millionaire Anonymous, Inc. headed by Mr. Tim Bennett of Argon Animation and was part of Team 1. I remembered listing down 101 goals. I reviewed my notes and I was blown away! Goal number three jumped out of the list – “To be featured in a business magazine.” At that time, I had no clue as to how it was going to happen. As they say, “be careful of what we wish for because we might just get it.” Such is the magic and importance of writing goals. The universe seems to conspire and move people, events, and circumstances that create synchronicities towards the fulfillment of my dreams and ideals. Al Argo, a Singapore-based shared me his interesting poem about why we should write them down (see earlier post entitled “Al Argo in Action”).

The author of the article, Joseph Pardo (now Harvest Chapter Educational Minute Coordinator) was already featured in the June 2006 issue and he talked about his involvement in their family business Special Steel Products Inc. This opportunity for Business Network International’s (BNI) in the Entrepreneur Philippines magazine cannot be missed at all. Marie Ann Fajardo, our interviewer from the publication visited us in one of the Harvest chapter meetings. We also set a schedule for the pictorial and was rendered by At Maculangan. Now that the ingredients are complete, the finished product is hot off the press. I attribute this manifestation to the power of connection and “givers gain”-what we sow we reap, plus, what you see represents about two decades of friendship between us.

Grab your copy now!

I am part of the Harvest chapter (Ortigas) as Visitor Host and I am happy to announce that we will hold our Launch at the Magellan function room on the 41st Floor of Discovery Suites in Ortigas, 7am-9am on June 27, 2007 (Wednesday). It will be the second chartered chapter in the Philippines, after Genesis had theirs last January.

A little trivia…

Magellan is the first circumnavigator of the ‘real’ world. His famous quote:

“The Church says that the Earth is flat, but I know that it is round. For I have seen the shadow on the moon and I have more faith in the Shadow than in the Church.”

Can you imagine hearing someone from the 16th century saying what appears to be such blasphemy? And yet, he proved that the earth is round. He achieved the most difficult nautical feat of all the centuries. The voyage proved most fruitful for science. It gave the first positive proof of the earth’s rotundity and the first true idea of the distribution of land and water. No offense to the Church, but for me, the Church symbolizes people’s limiting beliefs.

As individuals and as a team, let us be like Magellan… Let’s step beyond our comfort zones and self-imposed beliefs to undertake yet the greatest voyage of discovery!

Cheers to Harvest! Let us make our mark!

If you’d like to attend to meet business contacts and network with dynamic entrepreneurs as yourself, contact me (Edlynn) at 0917-5336869. Seats are limited!

One of the highlights of my day and Deedee’s in the BNI conference was meeting the BNI Harvest chapter in Singapore. Harvest Singapore is four years old and Stephen Mok Chiu Hoong heads the chapter. He is a financial consultant for IPP Financial Advisers Pte Ltd. I found a parallelism in that I am now with Pru Life UK, and he used to be with Prudential in Singapore. He started the chapter as well like I did. Sheryl Fong, who is the design director for Iceworks Communications, supports him as the Vice-President. Their Secretary/Treasurer is Corina Tham, an associated of Hecks Realty. They won the “It’s Possible! 100% Attendance” Award.

We love Harvest as our chapter name. Og Mandino was quoted to say, “Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.” It reminds us to be always on our toes… that every thought, every deed and every word are seeds that we plant, and we shall reap the fruits when the time comes.

Deedee and I can now look up to them as our experienced brothers and sisters. Life offers a lot of challenges, and BNI is no exception. At the end of the day, the learning experiences count and relationships do matter. They provide the springboard of hope that tomorrow will be better and eventually, one day, we wake up as the best.

Cheers to a fruitful harvest for all!