Darren Jamieson: On today’s episode of Engaging Marketeer, I’m speaking with a bit of a BNI legend. For those in BNI circles, you may know him already. His name is Al Tepper. Al is well-known in networking communities and is responsible for running the national training for new BNI members, known as the Member Success Program.
We’ll be talking about BNI, business, marketing, what drives him, and why he’s been such a strong advocate for BNI for so long. A quick note: this episode contains a personal story that could be quite triggering, particularly for parents.
Darren Jamieson: Hello, Al!
Al Tepper: Hello, good afternoon! How are you?
Darren Jamieson: I’m very well, how are you doing?
Al Tepper: I’m good, I’m good. I see my Phantom notetaker has made an appearance—let me get rid of him!
It’s great to finally meet you, Darren. Your name precedes you. I appreciate marketeers who understand personal branding. It’s strange to meet marketers who don’t embrace social media.
Darren Jamieson: Agreed! I’ve met PR professionals who don’t do networking, which is bizarre to me.
Darren Jamieson: You mentioned before about marketing power teams in BNI. What does that look like?
Al Tepper: In my previous chapter, we had eight marketing-related seats—social media, email marketing, video, web, creative, print, merchandise, and events. I’m rejoining BNI and plan to build a power team of 10 in a 50-member chapter.
Darren Jamieson: In networking groups, we often encounter members who don’t seem to be what they claim to be or just don’t click. How do you handle that?
Al Tepper: Great question. If someone isn’t coachable, there’s not much you can do. If they are, you can pull them aside and help them improve. But sometimes, you just don’t refer them—it’s about maintaining the credibility of your referrals.
Al Tepper: Networking, especially BNI, is like a gym. If you have a gym membership but never go, it won’t work. BNI is the same—you need to be visible, build credibility, and lower the risk for others to refer you.
Darren Jamieson: Absolutely. If you don’t show up and engage, you can’t expect results.
Al Tepper: My biggest lesson from BNI? I had to get out of my own way. It was Phil Berg, a BNI legend, who said it to me. The biggest obstacle in my business was me.
Darren Jamieson: Some members only engage with BNI during the meeting and forget about it the rest of the week. Can you get them engaged? Should you even try?
Al Tepper: Some people need to be told when to stop giving, because takers never learn when to stop taking. If they don’t care, why should you? BNI is like a lifeboat—if someone’s not rowing, why keep them in the boat?
Darren Jamieson: Earlier, you said BNI saved your life—and your son’s. Can you share that story?
Al Tepper: My son, now 18, was always different—an existential poet at age 8. School was tough for him. When he was 13, I came home to find him in an empty bathtub, fully clothed, telling me he didn’t want to be here anymore.
Through BNI, I got a referral that led to an occupational therapist who changed everything. Without that referral, I don’t think my son would be here. And if he wasn’t, I don’t know if I would be. That’s the power of networking—it’s about more than just business.
Darren Jamieson: Harvard Business School says the biggest factor in business success is luck. Do you agree?
Al Tepper: Yes and no. Luck is about opportunity, but you can stack the deck in your favor. You can’t sit back and wait for luck—you have to put yourself in the right rooms, meet the right people, and create those lucky breaks.
Darren Jamieson: This has been a fantastic discussion. For anyone wanting to connect with you, where’s the best place?
Al Tepper: Just Google “Al Tepper” and find me on LinkedIn. I’m happy to help with marketing, networking, or business growth!
Darren Jamieson: Excellent! I’ll include a link to Al’s LinkedIn in the episode description. Thanks again, Al—it’s been a pleasure!
Al Tepper: Likewise, Darren. Thank you!
