Some assumptions about the power of networking

Now, before I begin, I want to clear something up: I know that everyone knows the power of networking. Or I really hope everyone does. Networking is how you build and continue to grow your clientele and relationships that might assist you in finding clients. It’s simple. If you make new friends who have lots of friends, those friends will look out for you, especially in business. If they scratch your back, you’ll scratch theirs. If they get you clients, you’re going to try to find them clients. It’s just business.

But what people might not think about getting out of networking is the free help. I have been studying business since I was in high school, graduated from college with an accounting degree and obviously took many business classes along the way, and have since been studying business in an even more pragmatic way. ALTO Solutions Group is my third company of my own, not counting startups that I’ve worked with and the traditional nine-to-fives working for other companies. I’ve played integral parts of many businesses, but that does not exempt me from learning new things.

The real value of the power of networking

I went to a networking event recently. It was the first time going to this particular event. The event was not your typical B2B networking, make friends/clients, and be on your merry way, but was more of a networking workshop. They discussed for a few minutes some tactics and philosophies for networking which were pretty helpful, albeit by the book. The real value came from – wait for it – conversation! The great thing about networking events is that you’re in a room full of professionals and entrepreneurs. I received advice about things I had never thought of. This advice was not geared towards my business model or anything, but just towards how I was speaking about my business. Professional opinions and feedback are extremely important and helpful, and getting it from people who have experience in whatever you’re doing is always highly valuable.

Ultimately, if you are in comfortable environments like the one I was in where people are there to have productive and helpful conversations, always make sure you discuss not just what you’re doing well, but what you need help on. In general, if people can help you they will.