Alana McKinney

Biography

Alana McKinney is the Entrepreneur’s Networking Advocate by
taking the mystery out of Social Capital.
She discovered the power of networking years ago when a gun
shop opened across from her children’s high school. Realizing she
couldn’t change the situation on her own, Alana reached out to others—including
First Lady Hilary Clinton, the late Senator Henry Hyde, and Sarah and Jim Brady. Her
crusade was picked up nationally, and the gun shop agreed to move. Alana then used
networking to expand her women’s clothing business. This brought her into contact
with Business Network International (BNI). Its philosophy of “Giver’s Gain” spoke to
her. Alana became an Executive Director and Partner for the Chicagoland region, responsible
for the operations, marketing/PR and nurturing of a franchise of more than
80+ BNI chapters.
Today, Alana advocates the benefits of networking and word-of-mouth referral marketing
to BNI members, entrepreneurs, businesspeople and not-for-profits. She is
a frequent presenter and coach on networking strategies and techniques. She has
worked with business professionals in Action Coach International, The Brian Buffini
Organization, Herbal Life, Mary Kay Cosmetics, SendOutCards, Shaklee Corporation,
and Signs by Tomorrow, among many others.
Alana became a 2011 Quilly Award Winner given by the National Academy of Best-
Selling Authors for her collaboration in the book, Building the Ultimate Network.
In early 2012 Alana became a Founding Partner on the Dr. John C. Maxwell Team as
well as a certified trainer and speaker in the following programs: Becoming a Person
of Influence; Everyone Communicates, Few Connect; How to be a REAL Success;
Leadership Gold; Put Your Dreams to the Test.
Alana has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, NBC Nightly
News, CNN, ABC, NBC and CBS, as well as in USA Today, The Chicago Tribune, The
Chicago Sun-Times, and radio interviews.
Her favorite saying is: Intelligent people know facts; successful people know people.
To learn more about Alana, to arrange a speaking engagement or coaching relationship,
contact her at: [email protected]
or visit her blog at: www.AlanaMcKinney.com.