I started BNI in 1985. Since then, I’ve navigated my company through three recessions, and we have now entered our fourth since the mid-’80s. Along the way, I’ve learned that mindset has a lot to do with how one navigates a tough economy successfully.
This first became clear to me when I was at a large networking event during the recession of the early ’90s. As I walked around the room, I discovered that almost everyone was completely fixated on how horrible things were. It was incredibly depressing. I found myself meandering until I saw someone standing in a corner observing all the distraught business people in attendance.
I walked up to him, introduced myself and asked him what he did. He told me he was in real estate. I prepared myself for the onslaught of horror stories, but instead, he said that things were going really well for him.
