A good network takes time to build and grow. When I moved to Des Moines with my wife in 2008, I didn’t know anyone besides her and her immediate family. I took an office job and was pretty content with the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours and a Monday through Friday work routine. That all changed in August that year when a companywide meeting was called and we were all handed our termination paperwork. I found myself without a job and without many prospects. I resolved to never be in that situation again.
My first sales job started with Kabel Business Service, a local payroll provider, a year later. I was instructed that cold-calling would get me through my first year but that building a solid referral base would make the following years much easier. Not being a big fan of cold calling, I got to work contacting bankers and CPAs and really anyone who would listen to me tell my story of business development. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the groundwork was being laid for the network I now enjoy today.
Through the next years I continued to meet people. I never said no to a cup of a coffee or a chance to connect with someone new. Everyone had an interesting story to tell whether it involved work or something personal. We shared dreams, successes, and failures. I’ve watched people’s careers take off and learned from veterans who enjoy sharing their wisdom. We’ve let our kids play together, celebrated births and mourned deaths. This is why I network and why I try to meet someone new every day.
Networking is more than trying to close deals or chasing the next sale. Networking is building long-term partnerships and business relationships that benefit both parties. It involves not being afraid to pick up the phone and ask for a favor and expecting the phone to ring in return. Sometimes those relationships can turn personal, and lasting friendships form. In fact, some of my closest friends have come from the various network groups I currently belong to or belonged to in the past.
This blog will be a collection of stories from my past five years of building my professional and personal network. I’ll share how I helped create a nonprofit event that raised more than $7,000 with a couple of phone calls and coffee meetings. How I helped collaborate with two other young professional groups to pull off the first ever YP Leaders Symposium. I’ll also share the mistakes and tips/tricks I’ve learned through navigating hundreds of chamber and networking events. I simply love to connect with people, to hear their stories and learn about what makes them tick. I’d love to hear your story too. Let me know if you’d like to get coffee and connect.
