Browne, whose work takes him all over the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, sees other members of his BNI chapter as teammates, helping each other to grow their businesses.

“I see people I never would have (otherwise) met, and I can serve my clients better. It makes me a better contractor,” he said. “If you are in business for yourself, BNI is a good way to go.”

Browne's BNI chapter has about two dozen members, including a mortgage broker, computer expert, financial planner, locksmith, carpet cleaner, home inspector and others. All are them eager to refer their own clients to other chapter members.

Browne, for example, got a recent home insulation repair job referral from the home inspector, and subsequently referred to his new client to another chapter member who cleans heating ducts.

“The other members of the group are all trustworthy,” he said. “You don't have to worry about giving their names for referral. We vet them before we bring them in. They give us referrals. We ask their referrals about them, and we have one-on-one meetings where we encourage members to meet with each other. The more you know each other, the more you know about their capabilities, their areas of expertise.”

Wasilla Realtor Kelly Fisher is the executive director for BNI in Alaska, overseeing five networking chapters in Anchorage and two in the Mat-Su Valley. The first Alaska chapter was formed in Anchorage in January 2005.

“The whole philosophy is 'giver's gain.' If you want to receive referrals, you need to give referrals,” said Fisher, who has also seen financial gain far beyond the $330 annual membership fee in the form of home and land sales. “Percentage-wise, it (membership) has increased my business 30 percent a year. I've seen it quadruple other people's businesses.”

The chapters, with an average of 20 members, meet once a week, mostly in mornings, with agendas that include member education about each other.

“BNI is about forming business relationships, so there is a need to know about each other's businesses,” he said. “Each member educates each other on the referrals they are looking for.”

Each chapter has a membership committee, which receives and checks on all applications for membership.

“We do an applicant interview,” Fisher said. “Before a person is approved, they are announced to the chapter. The chapter is given the opportunity to voice an opinion (on whether to accept the person for membership). Each chapter has its own personality and it is up to the membership to decide.”

Fisher said he first heard of BNI from his instructor in a real estate coaching course.

“I asked where I could find one of their chapters, and the next thing I know I was in California taking director's training,” he said.

BNI members in more than three dozen countries last year passed 4.9 million referrals on to fellow members, generating nearly $2 billion worth of business for members. Only one person per professional classification or specialty is allowed to join each chapter. Membership in some cases has added as many as 50 new clients in the first two years, according to BNI.

“What makes BNI work is the structure and accountability of members,” Fisher said. “Sometimes structure and accountability isn't for everyone,” but most people stay, and put in their required attendance at weekly meetings, he said.

The average member has been in business about five years.