Mary Kennedy Thompson's BIO:

Mary Kennedy Thompson has more than 30 years in franchising. She has led businesses and franchises of all sizes. She has extensive experience in global expansion, high-growth organizations, integrations, and leadership. Prior to starting at BNI in 2024, she served as the Chief Operating Officer at Neighborly, the world's largest home services company, where she worked since 2006. Her tenure at Neighborly included roles as the Executive Vice President and the President of Mr. Rooter, their largest brand.

Her career began as a multi-unit franchise owner at Cookies By Design (formerly Cookie Bouquet), where she excelled in market penetration and sales—essentially becoming the brand's corporate president after successfully selling her locations. While a multi-unit franchisee, she joined BNI in 1994, just a few years before Virginia.

Her passion for helping business owners completely aligns with Business Network International's mission to support its members and franchisees, marking her appointment as CEO as a transformational opportunity for BNI—and it has been.

In this episode, Virginia and Mary talked about:

1. Mary's entrepreneurial journey

2. How to create operational excellence

3. The power of trust for generating referrals

4. Keys to pinnacle leadership

5. How to build trust

Takeaways:

• Be operationally excellent!

• Be clear on your customer and put them first

• Deliver consistently

• Building trust builds your business

• Lead yourself first—then others.

• Consistency and discipline drive referrals.

Connect with Mary on her LinkedIn account to learn more about her work and insights into networking effectively:

LinkedIn URL : https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-thompson-cfe-22074410/

Connect with Virginia:

https://www.bbrpodcast.com/

Clarence "CJ" Carter's BIO:

Clarence "CJ" Carter is a Marine Corps veteran turned business strategist who helps entrepreneurs transform their expertise into scalable income. As the creator of Digital Marketing to Millions, CJ specializes in building automated business systems that save time, reduce overwhelm, and multiply revenue. Drawing from his experience leading business intelligence for major organizations and coaching entrepreneurs across industries, CJ brings a unique blend of discipline, humor, and strategy to every stage he steps on. His mission is simple: help business owners work less, earn more, and build businesses that fuel both profit and freedom.

In this episode, Virginia and Clarence talked about:

• CJ's entrepreneurial journey
• The power of travel to influence mindset
• The power of language
• Why we need mission clarity
• How to handle when people fail to follow up

Takeaways:

1. Maybe the traditional path isn't for you
2. Your words create (or deflate) your influence
3. Remain on mission even when things go off the rails
4. Leveraging technology will set you apart

Connect with Clarence on his LinkedIn account to learn more about his work and insights into networking effectively:

LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarence-carter/

Connect with Virginia:

https://www.bbrpodcast.com/

Lori Osborne's BIO:

Lori Osborne is the founder of Biz Bolster Web Solutions and a website designer, brand strategist, and authority amplifier who helps coaches and thought leaders show up online with clarity, confidence, and consistency. After a life-changing brain tumor diagnosis led her to leave the corporate world, Lori discovered her passion for combining tech, design, and storytelling to create on-brand websites that attract the right audience and position her clients as true authorities in their space.

In this episode, Virginia and Lori talked about:

• How Lori discovered web design after her brain tumor journey

• Why niching down is essential for becoming an authority

• Brand consistency and first impressions on a website

• Why entrepreneurs struggle to collaborate and form JV partnerships

• How understanding your ideal client shapes your message and authority

Takeaways:

1. Your authority begins the moment you choose your niche.

2. Your website should work as hard as you do.

3. Clarity in your message creates clarity in your referrals.

4. Your ideal clients need to feel seen, not sold to.

5. Authority is earned by helping others solve the problem they care about most.

Connect with Lori on her social media accounts to learn more about her work and insights into networking effectively:

LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loriaosborne/

Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/loriosborne13

Instagram URL: http://instagram.com/bizbolsterlori/

Connect with Virginia:

https://www.bbrpodcast.com/