INTERVIEW | Make Money Through Meaningful Networking, feat. Ivan Misner

Ivan Misner is widely known as the father of modern networking and the founder and Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, the world’s largest business networking organization. Since founding BNI in 1985, Ivan has helped build a global community with over 11,700 chapters across 76 countries, generating millions of referrals and billions of dollars in business for its members. A New York Times bestselling author of more than 30 books—including Networking Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint—Ivan has spent decades studying the science and strategy behind meaningful professional relationships. In this episode, he joins Travis to discuss how networking has evolved, why most people misunderstand it, and how building genuine relationships is still the most powerful business growth strategy. On this episode we talk about: Why networking has a bad reputation—and how to do it the right way The VCP process: Visibility, Credibility, and Profitability Why relationships outperform transactional networking strategies How social media has flattened communication hierarchies The surprising data on relational vs. transactional networking styles Top 3 Takeaways Networking is about relationships, not transactions. The most effective networkers focus on building genuine connections first—business opportunities follow naturally from trust and familiarity. Follow the VCP process. Before referrals and revenue come visibility and credibility. People must know who you are, understand what you do, and trust your expertise before real business opportunities appear. Networking success is a long-term game. Treating networking like a marathon instead of a sprint allows relationships to compound over time into referrals, partnerships, and lasting opportunities. Notable Quotes “Networking is more about farming than it is about hunting.” “It’s not about making contacts—it’s about making connections.” “When people treat networking as a transaction, it’s the reason so many people hate it.” "It's not what you know or who you know. It's how well you know them that really counts." Connect with Ivan Misner: Website: https://ivanmisner.com BNI: https://www.bni.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivanmisner  Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.  Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.  Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices