A local entrepreneur has revealed the secret of his latest business venture’s success; a hard working business support network with links nationwide and globally.

Modern Indian eatery Jai Ho of Ocean Road, South Shields opened in September 2009 and with its unusual decor and upmarket dishes made an immediate impact with diners seeking something a little bit different. In little more than a year, Jai Ho has received numerous consistently positive reviews in local press and online forums, welcomed famous faces like X factor winner Joe McElderry and MP David Miliband through its doors, won the South Tyneside Curry competition and been shortlisted for the award of ‘Best Newcomer: North East’ at the nationwide British Curry Awards: an incredible list of achievements for such a new venue.

The remarkable restaurant is the brain child of regional catering business magnate, Khamal Hussain. Mr Hussain is no stranger to the dining scene in the North East and before opening Jai Ho was already the proud owner of a South Shields eatery; AK's Triple Diner takeaway, Whiteleas. His family have worked in the catering trade on Tyneside for three generations, and his father was one of the first people to introduce the new initiative of a delivery service in the 1980s.

His knowledge and expertise alone might have been assumed to be the catalyst for the amazing results his latest project has achieved- but Khamal has now revealed that he has another resource which gave his restaurant a winning start.

“I first heard of BNI when I needed some leaflets printed for my new restaurant and the take-aways.  Whilst I was there Carl Mowatt, Area Director of BNI Northumbria and the owner of the company; Agrafica, where I was getting my printing done asked me if I would like more business.  Well, as everyone who runs their own company will tell you, you are always looking for more business, so I said ‘why not’.  He then introduced me to BNI and asked me if I was interested in attending a breakfast meeting with him the next day.  When he told me the time was 7am I thought he was mad, as there is usually only one 7 o’clock in my day, but then he explained that a lot of business is passed in the morning before work commences, as it doesn’t interfere with the working day.  As it included breakfast too, I thought I would give it a go.  The next morning, over breakfast I was introduced to some of his colleagues. I was immediately taken with the simple but effective approach, seeing everyone actively share the details of their businesses, exchanging referrals as well as business cards that could be passed on again. I soon became a member and I have never looked back.

“Without a doubt my businesses have benefited ten-fold since joining BNI and I would recommend it to anyone who runs their own company”.

Khamal’s membership meant his new venture got a flying start.

“Everyone in BNI knew about Jai Ho before the doors even opened, so they were able to talk about it and tell their connections to look out for it when it was still in the final stages of development. There was a growing client base in the region weeks before we started trading. I hosted the Bede chapter at the restaurant for an informal lunch not long after Jai Ho was opened so they could see exactly what it was all about. The referrals continued and through links with other chapters across the country the word has spread- I have even welcomed BNI members from as far afield as London who had heard good things about the restaurant and decided to visit: they was very impressed with the venue.”

BNI has been operating for 25 years and has grown to be the largest business networking organisation in the global community. In the UK and Ireland alone, there are 646 BNI Chapters that gave 659,066 referrals in 2009, leading to business worth £230 million. The philosophy is that ‘Givers Gain’, in that every member is expected to work hard to refer associates to their colleague’s businesses, in order to receive similar numbers of referrals to their own. It’s an approach that Khamal knows to be effective from personal experience.

“I can’t recommend BNI enough to anyone in business. It’s exceptional value for money; a system that really works and gets your name out there. Being in BNI is like having your own sales team at work on your behalf, quoting your company and recommending your services whenever they meet someone who is looking for what you offer. It’s also a handy resource for busy business people, because everyone carries and distributes each other’s business cards so whatever you need, your colleagues can quickly recommend someone to do or supply almost anything. I have seen the results for myself, and have so much faith in BNI and what it does for members that I have become an ambassador for them, travelling around the region to share experiences and information with other local chapters. It’s a role I am proud to hold.”