Biznik is a business networking site, based in Seattle, started by Dan McComb, focused on encouraging F2F networking, and referring business between members. One of the very interesting aspects of this is that “good behavior” like referring people business gets you kudos and builds your reputation.

Hmm, imagine that, rewarding people for behavior you want to encourage, sounds revolutionary. Well I’m being facetious, but it’s amazing how many web sites and especially community web sites that fail to reward the right behavior.
Biznik is pretty small right now, and I hope that they can grow and still maintain the good vibe. Right now it’s a lot of Seattle folks, but the model is just waiting to get taken into other cities.
Along the same lines, well at least social networking that claims not to suck, but without my own opinion of it, i’ve recently heard about collectiveX a “group-focused professional social network” tool. TechCrunch says, “CollectiveX is what LinkedIn should have been.”



This strikes me as a sound way to do online networking.
I’m with you; “I hope that they can grow and still maintain the good vibe. Right now it’s a lot of Seattle folks, but the model is just waiting to get taken into other cities.”
The positive reinforcement aspect reminds me of the writing of Ken Blanchard, the One Minute Manager author who often talks about reinforcing the behaviour you want to see more of. And of course as you note, this is the rap on so many web sites.
Found you and your work via a comment you left at Mack’s Viral Garden.
Thanks for enlarging the conversation!
Keep creating, Mike