An Aberdeenshire business networking group, set up just over a year ago to help local companies grow and develop, has reached the £1million milestone.
Since it started in July 2016, members of the Aberdeenshire chapter of BNI Aberdeen North have generated more than a million pounds worth of new business which has led to individual company growth and brought economic benefits to the wider local community.
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The 20-plus members of the group represent start-up and sole trader companies up to larger SMEs and national organisations. They cover a wide range of sectors and trades and are based right across Aberdeenshire. To follow on from the highly successful first year, the group is inviting other businesses to get in touch and find out more about the opportunities it offers.
Phil Buchan, Sales Manager at Jim Reid Vehicle Sales and Chair of the Group, is one of the founding members.
“It has been great to be a part of such a supportive team of local businesses who are willing to work together to gain each other more business,” he said. “We would now like to build on that, and our aim is grow our membership to 30 plus businesses which deliver high standards of workmanship and outstanding customer service that we can recommend to others.
“BNI Aberdeenshire has been a success for all of its members and it’s amazing that we’ve passed more than £1,000,000 of invoiced business in our first 12 months. It’s a fantastic support network for any business and that success has come by us working together and supporting one another.”
Debra Bruce, Director at Activus Recruitment said BNI has had a huge impact on her business.
“The support I have received from the group has been exceptional, meeting weekly with like-minded people has provided me with the stepping stones I needed and I continue to see Activus Recruitment go from strength to strength.
“Within the past year, I’ve taken on two new employees and we now have an office move in the pipeline. BNI has not only developed me as a businesswoman, it has given me the confidence and contacts I needed to grow, strengthen and develop my business in the local area,” she said.
The Aberdeenshire group meets weekly every Friday morning from 6.30 to 8.30am at the Porterhouse Restaurant, Thainstone Exchange, Inverurie to network, discuss businesses opportunities and pass the referrals which generate new business. In addition to networking and growing business within their chapter, members work with other groups in the BNI network.
There are currently 14 chapters in Aberdeen North with more than 400 members. Scotland North members also have access to 13,000 members in the UK and Ireland and 220,000 others worldwide.
