Connect, Collaborate, & Conquer: Expand Your Network, Grow Your Profits
Over the weekend, I went to a trade show and met a number of very interesting people working on very interesting projects.
One conversation went down the rabbit hole of the benefits (tangible and intangible) of networking. We agreed it best to approach networking from the standpoint of curiosity and learning (what's your story? what are you working on? etc.). You can't know when those connections could pay off and that's exactly how you should treat them.
The takeaway is to get out of the oft lonely world of operating or advising and connect with others doing something similar. Eventbrite has tons of local meetups in my city and plenty of other organizations host regular events (professional firms, banks, chamber of commerce, etc.).
Get out there and hear stories; you might even find a tidbit or two for your own company, project, or client.
It's like the song Sweet Dreams — "everybody's looking for something".
Instead of asking "What do you do?" try some of these:
What’s your story?
What are you working on?
Any advice for someone trying to [X]?
What’s a challenge or roadblock you’re facing?
What’s a good book you’ve recently started using at work?
Follow us on LinkedIn to stay connected and virtually "network" with other owners and operators!
