This post is about one of my 45-second pitches at my BNI Chapter, BNI City Business. You can read the introduction to this collection here.

16 June, 2023. I prepare my slides and pitch for BNI well in advance. About a month ago, I finalised a new coaching program for people wanting to start their own business, New Business Coaching. There is no one in this classification in our chapter, and open categories tend to be a free-for-all. There are undoubtedly a number of chapter members who help clients during the startup process.

I had planned to launch the service to my chapter via an announcement as this week’s 45-second pitch. I prepared the slide a few weeks ago.

The downside of having customised, prepared slides like this is that I can’t easily change it on the fly. Before the meeting, I asked one of the chapter Leadership Team if they thought there would be any issue with me doing the pitch. I made clear I was not claiming the classification, but in the absence of it being ‘owned’ was it OK to talk about being a Business Startup Coach. I was told I couldn’t as it encroached on the services of other in the room.

So instead of talking about how I can help people wanting to start their own business – from ideation to operations – I needed to do a last-minute pivot. I couldn’t change the tagline on the slide, but I don’t think many saw that anyway.

I asked – rhetorically – “How early is too early for new businesses to be thinging about exit?” “As they get established,” was my answer, and an exhortation to Build a Business That Can Thrive Without You. I finished with my standard tagline Business Buy/Sell Coach.

The graphic got a few laughs, and the electrician in the group (Matt from NoShock Electrical) liked it, so a good reaction. Another speaker after me (Dean from Trade Checka) commented that the person in the image wasn’t an electrican – they were a linesman. “It was a cell tower, so he is probably a radio engineer” I swiftly replied. You really shouldn’t overthink these things!

The classification system at BNI is designed to ensure there is as little competition in the room as possible, and it works well. It is one of the hallmarks of an effective BNI chapter.