Sewickley-based business group looking to grow its village

Every Thursday morning, members of BNI Village Connections gather at The Walter J. Brannon Community Activity Center in Sewickley to learn new things and connect with one another.

“Networking is huge,” said Sewickley resident Chris Currier of CCM&A (Chris Currier Marketing and Advertising). “Especially for small businesses.”

There are 12 members from businesses such as marketing, social media, insurance, real estate, law and more. The group is looking to broaden its circle by welcoming other business people, said John Forrest, owner of the social media company LaView Social. The Dormont resident has a tie to this area — his father, Dr. Thomas Forrest, is a long-time dentist in Sewickley.

“We are small but mighty,” said Forrest, who leads the Explore Sewickley community page on Facebook and Instagram.

Each meeting begins with a 15-minute casual networking session followed by remarks by chapter president and Sewickley Hills resident Hunter Hopkins, owner of Triple H. Solutions information technology company. Hopkins co-founded the chapter in 2019 with Brocton Skeen, a business attorney at The Skeen Firm; Coby Croft, a financial planner with Strategic Financial Designs; and Dustin Fannin, a mortgage loan officer with Union Savings Bank.

The group has found that committing to a weekly get-together keeps them on track. Having the group meet in Sewickley is a way to highlight area businesses and bring in more business, they said. A Sewickley resident, Currier is responsible for a weekly education presentation. He said the members learn from each other and many collaborate on projects.

Realtor Lisa Kunkel of Keller Williams is the secretary and treasurer, and said Currier designed professional marketing materials for her.

Each week one person from the group gives a presentation. At the meeting on May 29, Tim Fitzgerald of Keller Williams Commercial Real Estate talked about one of his clients, the Willow Restaurant property on Camp Horne Road in Ohio Township that’s for sale.

Fitzgerald said he might never have come in contact with people like the ones in the group had he not joined.

“I can now talk with some knowledge about many businesses from what I have learned here,” Fitzgerald said.

BNI, the world’s largest networking organization according to its website, was founded by Ivan Misner in 1985. It has more than 11,300 chapters in 76 countries.

Last year, BNI generated 16.8 million referrals, resulting in more than $25.4 billion worth of business for its members.

There is an app to keep track of referrals and other statistical information to see how each business is progressing. Locally, the businesses are growing through interactions with each other and outside businesses who they get referred to, they said.

Guests are welcome to visit a meeting twice before joining. Members can attend another chapter’s meeting.

The membership cost is $675 for one year, with multi-year discounts available.

Learning about other businesses is one of the benefits of the group, Forrest said.

“This group is very helpful,” said Currier. “If I refer someone, I know them, so I know they will do a good job. Even though we are small, we help each other.”

Hopkins said this is a group where he and others find commonalities.

“This is such an energetic group,” said Hopkins. “When I recommend one of their businesses, I know I am recommending someone I trust. All of them put their best foot forward.”

Most of the members are from the Sewickley area, have a business here or one that is close by.

“Sewickley is a gem,” Hopkins said. “Calling this the BNI Village Connections group is perfect because Sewickley is known for the Sewickley Village.”