BNI - Business By The Bay

09/25/2025

BNI “Business by the Bay” – Meeting Recap

Date: September 24, 2025

Chapter Recognition

We recognized the Top 10 members with the most one-to-ones:
• Ron
• Penny
• Valerie
• Kim
• Daryl
• David C
• Chris
• Christina
• Top 2: Rayne Davenport & Jakob Hart

Great work building strong connections across the chapter!

Education Moment

Ron Freedman, closing out his tenure as Education Coordinator, reflected on the legacy of lifelong learning he hopes to leave behind. He encouraged us to continue developing ourselves and each other as professionals.
• Ron also left the group with a new AI tool for answering BNI and process-related questions—a resource members can use going forward.

Featured Speakers

Peter Anderson – Roof Maxx (Roof Weatherproofing & Reconditioning)
• Originally from Connecticut, Peter loves working with people and serving the Sarasota community.
• Explained the recent law change: insurance companies can no longer automatically require roof replacement at 15+ years.
• Roofs can now be reconditioned, warranted, and certified—and insurance companies will accept this.
• Roof Maxx treatment costs up to 75% less than replacing a roof.

Scott Van Der Kooy – Acrisure Insurance (Home & Auto Insurance)
• Proud dad of two, Connor and Riley.
• Discussed credits available for home and auto policies.
• Explained why Florida’s insurance rates are among the highest in the nation (13% of all U.S. losses).
• Past storm-related roof claims and fraudulent claims have significantly driven up homeowners’ insurance costs.

Announcements
• Membership Committee: One application currently in process.
• Open Seats: Interior Designer, Massage Therapist, Payroll Services, Life Insurance Agent, Caterer, Pool Service, and Duct Cleaning.
• Events:
• 🎄 Plans are underway for a Christmas Party—details coming soon.
• 🏦 Bank United Open House: October 21, 5–7 PM (Tamiami Trail location).
• 🩺 Dr. Canaan’s Grand Opening for The Wellness Way: October 17, 5–7 PM (more details coming soon).
• Housekeeping: Keep your BNI profile up-to-date. If you need help, reach out to Ron Freedman, Chris Tennant, or Dr. Canaan—they’ve built strong examples and can even show you how to use AI for creative rewrites.

09/24/2025

BNI “Business by the Bay” – Meeting Recap

Date: September 17, 2025

Chapter Recognition

We highlighted the Top 10 members for Year-to-Date Business Passed:
• Valerie Hall
• Joe Muscatel
• Chris Tennant
• Daryl Schmucker
• Jakob Hart
• David Drab
• Pat Tan
• James Calvert
• Top 2: Peter Anderson & Craig Clark

💡 Action item: Let’s schedule one-to-ones with these leaders to learn their best practices for identifying qualified referrals and properly entering them into BNI Connect.

Education Moment

Ron Freedman shared the concept of the Trust Curve:
• Building trust with both new and seasoned members takes time and consistent effort.
• Remember—what we do outside of BNI reflects on us inside the chapter. Watch those social media posts!
• Ron also shared a QR code with resources for BNI’s Code of Ethics and related questions.

Featured Speakers

James Calvert – Advanced Plumbing Solutions & Design
• Born in Ohio, raised in Sarasota.
• Enjoys golf, fishing, hunting, and boating.
• Proud family man—his wife (high school sweetheart) is his rock, and together they have three daughters.
• Comes from a plumbing family and believes in lifelong learning and being a pillar in the community.

Julian – Impact Windows Specialist
• Originally from Boston, moved to Florida 5 years ago with his family.
• Background in solar sales and roofing.
• Demonstrated the heat advantage of impact windows—showing how double-pane windows blocked a 200° heat source, preventing 99.81% of heat transfer.
• Also emphasized checking weatherstripping to ensure energy efficiency and protection.

Open Seats

We’re actively looking to fill these Top Open Seats:
• Interior Designer
• Massage Therapist
• Payroll Services
• Life Insurance Agent
• Caterer
• Pool Service

Announcements
• Leadership transition begins in October.
• A standing ovation went out to Jake Friedman, our exiting President, for his outstanding leadership this year. 🙌

09/16/2025

BNI “Business by the Bay” – Monthly Recap

July 2025

Chapter Recognition
• July 16: Recognized Chris Tennant for completing over 800 hours of CEUs! Chris shared how he stays consistent by time-blocking Tuesday mornings to review referrals, set one-to-ones, and often listens to podcasts while handling paperwork.
• July 16: Members were also reminded about the importance of building relationships and highlights from the monthly regional call.

We also spotlighted our Top 5 Open Seats throughout July—referrals here could be game-changers:
• Massage Therapist
• Payroll Services
• Interior Designer
• Life Insurance Agent (noted on July 16)
• Caterer (added by July 23/30)
• Pool Service

Education Moments
• July 16: Ron Freedman spoke on lifelong learning, encouraging Green members to act as mentors to others. Sometimes just a quick five-minute call can make all the difference in helping a member reach the next level.
• July 23: Ron emphasized maintaining a positive attitude. He suggested Green members connect with Red members by asking, “What’s something cool you did last month?”—a conversation that counts both as mentoring and as a one-to-one.

Featured Speakers

July 16:
• Damen Childs – Terminus Services (IT Consulting): With 20 years of computer engineering experience, Damon works with CIOs to ensure businesses run smoothly. His services include IT infrastructure, help desk support, remote login, and management. On a personal note, Damon is a big family man, with a wife who (fun fact) loves skunks.

July 23:
• Pierre Chicoineau – Aerospective (Photography): A true veteran of his craft, Pierre got his first camera in 1960 and has since photographed in 65 countries. He is also a certified drone pilot, specializing in real estate listing photos, aerial photography, and safe roof inspections via drone.
• Craig Clark – Best of the Best Home Inspection: Educated members on the importance of four-point inspections and wind mitigation inspections, explaining what they include and why they matter for homeowners and insurers alike.

July 30:
• Brett Willis – Gulf Coast Homes & Remodeling LLC: With 4 years of experience building custom waterfront homes, Brett provides full-service, personalized client care using a digital portal to keep clients updated. He showcased before-and-after project photos.
• Joe Muscatel – Time Saver Fitness: Highlighted how their gyms differ from the typical setting, offering personalized one-on-one training in clean, comfortable spaces. They also provide digital booking and virtual programs for clients on the go.

09/16/2025

BNI “Business by the Bay” – Monthly Recap

August 2025

Chapter Recognition
• August 6: Recognized Green Members, who shared how consistency—especially one-to-ones—helps keep them in the green.
• August 20: Celebrated Pat Tan as our Notable Networker YTD.
• August 27: Recognized Top Members YTD:
• CEUs: Chris Tennant
• One-to-Ones: Daryl Schmucker
• Referrals: Pat Tan

We also spotlighted our Top 5 Open Seats—referrals here could be game-changers:
• Massage Therapist
• Payroll Services
• Interior Designer
• Caterer
• Pool Service

Education Moments
• August 6: Ron Freedman discussed the effective habits of great workers: sleep, eat, work, repeat. He emphasized mindset—commitment, privilege, and consistency—as the traits of a strong entrepreneur and BNI member.
• August 20: Ron highlighted the importance of time-blocking for CEUs and one-to-ones to build consistency and momentum.
• August 27: Ron introduced the Confidence Curve—showing how building confidence with members leads to stronger, more specific referrals. He encouraged focusing on CEUs for skill growth and reminded us to respect the bell during 30-second presentations.

Featured Speakers

August 6:
• David Manning – Spirit Movers: Shared his Navy background in Alaska, and how technology (including AI-powered self-surveys via smartphone) has transformed efficiency in moving and storage.
• David Clark – Pipas Law Group (Personal Injury): Presented Personal Injury 101—what to do after a crash, how to protect yourself, and why reviewing your insurance coverage is crucial.

August 20:
• Ron McKeever – Gallagher Insurance (Health Insurance): With 14 years in BNI and 15 years as a Florida Blue agent, Ron shared how his military and HR background shaped his career, and the significant changes he’s seen in health insurance over the years.
• Sherman Anderson – Arbor Landscapes: Shared his journey from Minnesota to Sarasota with little more than the shirt on his back. Now he runs the landscape design team serving residential and commercial clients with full-service offerings.

August 27:
• Ron Freedman – All American Pest Control: Demonstrated how AI tools like AI Chat bots and ChatGPT Interface have turbocharged his business. By streamlining operations, he’s freed up time to focus on clients instead of administrative headaches.

09/16/2025

BNI “Business by the Bay” – Meeting Recap

Date: September 3, 2025

Chapter Recognition

We recognized Peter Anderson for being #1 in bringing new visitors to our chapter. Visitors are the lifeblood of BNI—they help us grow our chapter and increase business opportunities for every member. Great job, Peter!

We also spotlighted our Top 5 Open Seats—referrals here could be game-changers:
• Massage Therapist
• Payroll Services
• Interior Designer
• Caterer
• Pool Service

Education Moment

Ron Freedman, our Education Coordinator, reminded us that one-to-ones are key to really getting to know fellow members and being able to give strong, qualified referrals.
• He encouraged us to focus on what we can control—whether that’s adding CEUs, scheduling one-to-ones, or submitting referrals consistently.
• Pro tip: Many members use Tuesday mornings as a time block to catch up on CEUs and input referrals.

👉 Takeaway: Be intentional, do the work, and watch your stats move into the green.

Featured Speakers

Valerie Hall – Lang Hall Law (Estate Planning)
• Shared her Child Shield Plan and discussed how proper planning can help families avoid probate.
• Explained that in Florida, spouses can make medical decisions without a medical directive—but emphasized why having clear directives in place is still vital for protecting your family.

Chris Tennant – Fairway Funding (Residential Mortgage Lending)
• Spoke about the values that set him apart, many of which he credits to lessons from golf: honesty, integrity, and focus.
• Stressed the importance of specialization—being an expert in 3–4 loan types rather than trying to be everything to everyone.
• Encouraged members (and clients) to interview loan officers by looking up their NMLS number to review education, experience, and track record.

09/16/2025

BNI “Business by the Bay” – Meeting Recap

Date: September 10, 2025

Chapter Recognition

We celebrated the Top 4 members who achieved a 25%+ increase this month:
• Pat Tan
• Robert Richardson
• Joe Muscatel
• Daryl Schmucker

Great work raising the bar for all of us!

We also spotlighted our Top 5 Open Seats—referrals here could be game-changers:
• Massage Therapist
• Payroll Services
• Interior Designer
• Life Insurance Agent
• Pool Service

Let’s work together to fill these!

Education Moment

Ron Freedman, our Education Coordinator, reminded us of the importance of keeping our BNI profiles sharp. An up-to-date profile can lead to impromptu one-to-ones and even unexpected business opportunities.
• Example: Rayne Davenport landed business internationally through her profile.
• Canaan Andrews set a great example with an impressive new member profile.

👉 Takeaway: Update your profile this week—opportunities are waiting.

Featured Speakers

Pat Tan – Residential Realtor, Coldwell Banker
• Realtor since 2004 with Coldwell Banker, a firm with 118 years of global tradition.
• Built her business on honesty and integrity.
• Shared insights on the current market slowdown—listings are now averaging 63+ days on market, which is unusual.
• Emphasized the imbalance of too many listings and too few buyers.

David Drab – Pelican Roofing
• Entered the family business in 2021 with a focus on modernization and growth.
• Pelican Roofing now boasts 200+ five-star reviews and averages 4 new roofs per week.
• Provided valuable tips on hurricane roof prep—before, during, and after storms.
• Shared about his family life with two young kids (future roofers in training!).

Announcements

🎉 Congratulations to Scott Van Der Kooy, who is celebrating 17 years in BNI as our dedicated insurance agent.

09/11/2025

07/22/2025

Business by the Bay 360 views!!!
Thank you
Pierre
Your BNI Photographer
Pierre CHICOINEAU
[email protected]

LOGO 250 pix JPG.jpg

07/02/2025

This morning might have started off a bit hectic, but it turned into a fantastic meeting.

We had several visitors and great substitutes join us as we kicked off a brand-new month — even on a short holiday week. A huge shout-out to all our members who showed up, especially since many other groups chose to skip their meetings this week. That commitment really sets us apart.

Ron Freedman led our education moment, highlighting how being intentional — setting up one-to-ones, making connections, and following through — is essential for a successful chapter. He reminded us that it would have been easy to cancel today’s meeting because of the holiday, but our members showed true dedication by showing up. Ron wrapped up with a simple message: put in the time, keep things simple, and make sure you log your referrals, one-to-ones, CEUs, and thank-you-for-closed-business acknowledgments.

Our 60-second spotlight winner this week was David Drab from Pelican Roofing — we’re looking forward to hearing more about the roofing industry in Southwest Florida from him next week!

For our featured speakers, Dr. Juan Caceres from Vitality Chiropractic Family Practice gave us an inside look at how he and his wife, Jessica, run their family-focused practice. With their two sons, Leo and Laith, family is truly at the heart of their mission. Dr. Juan explained that every new patient starts with a 10–15 minute intake discussion, followed by a full spinal evaluation, thermal scan, and x-rays. They don’t leave treatment to guesswork — instead, they review all findings thoroughly to build a custom care plan for each patient.

Next, Kim Bontrager, representing Kauffman Thompson, PLLC, our realestate attorney shared her journey from growing up in the cornfields of Illinois to moving to Sarasota with her husband Milt and his two children — plus adding one of their own. Kim has worn many professional hats over the years but has found her home with Kauffman Thompson, where she never looked back.

We also celebrated the renewal of Chris Tennant, our chapter’s trusted mortgage lender, and teased the addition of a new member coming soon — stay tuned for that announcement and be ready to give them a warm welcome!

Our top open seats right now include pressure cleaning, handyman, interior designer, catering, pool service, and business broker — please keep an eye out for business professionals who could be a great fit for these roles.

A couple of announcements to remember:
• On August 23, the second graduating class of Learn My History Foundation will take place, lets make a efforts to attend
• Dr. Juan also noted that with school and sports ramping back up, they’re offering $25 sports/school physicals for kids.
• Finally, don’t forget about tonight’s happy hour at Bricks in downtown Sarasota from 5 to 7 — spouses and kids are welcome, so bring the family and come enjoy some networking and fun!

07/01/2025

🌟 BNI Business By The Bay — Open Seat Alert! 🌟

Our BNI chapter, Business By The Bay, meets every Wednesday morning at 7:30 AM at the Van Wezel. We currently have an open seat for a pressure cleaning company!

We are a strong group of local professionals who consistently pass quality referrals, and there’s a great opportunity for someone in the pressure cleaning industry to grow their business with us.

✅ Weekly breakfast and coffee included
✅ Proven referral network
✅ Supportive, professional community

👉 Christopher Tennant is inviting you to our BNI chapter meeting!
Click this link to register as a visitor: https://bni.app/bc1299

Let’s connect and help another great business thrive! 🚀

Visitor Registration,BNI

06/26/2025

While yesterday’s meeting may not have had the waterfront view, it delivered in value and energy—especially with a peek at our future leadership.

We kicked things off with Vice President Rayne Davenport, who recognized the top three members with the most CEUs year-to-date: Row Hawkins, Kim Bontrager, and David Manning. Huge shoutout to them for their continued commitment.

Next up, Education Coordinator Ron Freedman reminded us that getting into the Green isn’t about giant leaps—it’s about doing the small things consistently. He then turned the spotlight on Robert Richardson, who recently made an impressive jump from Gray to Green. Robert credited time blocking and consistency in entering referrals and data into BNI Connect. Once he began attending his Power Team meetings regularly, his numbers soared. The message: small actions done consistently create massive momentum.

Our first featured speaker was Penny Davies from Succentrix Business Advisors—our group’s go-to accountant. Penny shared a bit about her journey: originally from the UK, she lived in Bermuda before landing in Florida with her husband and two kids. As a Chartered Certified Accountant, she specializes in accounting, bookkeeping, tax prep, and corporate setup.

Our second speaker was Robert Richardson (yes, again!) representing Wholesale Payments. With over 10 years in the merchant services industry, Robert explained how next-day funding and compatibility with nearly any system sets his company apart. He’s consistently ranked in the top 20 reps nationwide and is a regular in the President’s Club—all driven by his commitment to his family.

Top 5 Open Seats in our chapter right now:
• Handyman
• Interior Designer
• Caterer
• Pool Service
• Life/Disability Insurance Agent

Let’s keep our eyes open for like-minded professionals in these fields—referrals are waiting!

Announcements:
• 🎉 Happy Hour: July 2 at Bricks starting around 5 PM.
• 🧊 Yeti Cooler Giveaway: Brian O’Hara from Correct Property Management is running a Facebook contest. Like and share their page to enter:
👉 Click here to enter https://www.facebook.com/share/16f6wpzJ97/?mibextid=wwXIfr

06/16/2025

BNI Business by the Bay – Weekly Recap | June 11

This week’s meeting kicked off with well-deserved recognition of our members climbing the Power of One rankings. We’ve seen major progress across the board—but leading the pack is Robert Richardson with an impressive 20 points. Congratulations, Robert!

Our Education Coordinator, Ron Freeman, shared details on the upcoming leadership team changeover. He encouraged any members interested in a leadership role to step forward, reminding us that even a small increase in engagement can make a big impact and move you into the Green.

We had two dynamic speakers this week:
• Dr Kitt from AcuMed Wellness & Acupuncture introduced us to the benefits of BEMER therapy and cupping, and explained how injection therapies can be a natural alternative to Botox.
• Christina Florand from Florand Mediation explained why mediation is all about finding solutions. She highlighted the difference between a mediator and an arbitrator—emphasizing that mediation is focused on cooperation and resolution, not judgment.

Let’s keep building momentum—reach out, schedule those one-to-ones, and invite visitors to grow our chapter!