This is the personal experience of Patti Glick, a Cupertino foot nurse. To increase her level of business, Glick, 48, joined many networking groups but none of them helped until she joined the Cupertino chapter of Business Networking International, which started meeting last August but formally kicked off on Feb. 27.

"I've got quite a few more clients since I joined Business International last December," Glick said. "People in this group have a strong commitment to networking and know each other's business well. We work as a sales team for each other. This kind of support is especially important to maintain and grow our business during the economic downturn."

Business Networking International is a business and professional networking organization whose primary purpose is to facilitate the exchange of business referrals. The membership fee is $240 a year. It is the world's largest networking organization, with about 52,000 members in 12 countries. In 2001, members of the network made 2.1 million referrals, which generated more than $727 million worth of business.

The Cupertino chapter has 13 members so far. Its members range in age from their 20s to their 50s, and their occupations range from massage therapy to financial planning. Most of them learned of the group through word of mouth.

"The motto of the group is 'Givers gain,' " said Rita Rothstein, a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Cupertino. "I tell my clients if they need anything, call me first. Introducing high-quality people to my clients is a plus."

The group meets every Thursday at 7 a.m. at BJ's Restaurant and Brewery, 10690 N. De Anza Blvd. Members introduce themselves and their business to other members and share referral information.

"We have to know each other's business well to make useful referrals," Glick says. "If someone refers a person who needs a foot operation, it is a bad referral, since my focus is education."

To prevent conflicts, each chapter accepts only one person per profession. "We won't take a chance to recruit people of poor quality," said Hank Shrier, a software developer. "We want to make sure only the best are available."

Shrier, 51, also emphasizes the importance of creating a "power partnership," where people who are in similar industries can collaborate effectively. For example, the chapter's chiropractor, Julia Bickerton, works closely with the massage therapist member, Natalie Miner.

Glick said another benefit of joining the network is the friendships that develop.

"We like each other as people," Glick said. "It's just the icing on the cake."

For more information about the Cupertino chapter of Business Networking International, contact Hank Shrier at 408.836.2967 or hank@stravin.com.