Leveraging The Power Of Networking
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In the Fall of 2017, the Shades team attended an event at which one of our team members was receiving an award. While the actual event was a bit lacklustre, the evening proved to be quite productive for us. When we found out that our partner, Michelle, was going to be honoured for her professional and business impact in the community, we all decided to attend to celebrate her and to advertise an upcoming event that we were having the next month. At first, approaching the very dapper attendees seemed a bit daunting but as we did it more, we saw how open people were to hearing what we had to say. We approached another honoree with whom we had a great conversation and to make a long story short, she joined us at our event as a panelist and had a lot to do with our evening’s success. Shades readers, that is the power of networking!
So we want to show you that networking doesn’t have to be complicated or convoluted. It is simply about having a conversation with someone else. You may be asking yourself, where would I start? You can definitely explore opportunities at work or in your local communities. The internet is also a fantastic resource in exploring different networking opportunities.
The first question to ask yourself is what are you looking to get out of networking? Often, the perception is that networking is about your professional aspirations but that doesn’t have to be the case. You may want to get together with other like-minded individuals regarding interests you may have.
We decided to try out our own advice so we went on Eventbrite (one of a few different event sites) and entered ‘networking’ in the search window for our area. More than 40 pages of events came up on a number of different topics and over the next few months. Do you want to develop your skills with public speaking? You can check out Toastmaster events for that purpose. Want to learn more about opening a business? Check out Entrepreneur Networking Events in your area. How about learning about working in the trades (a topic that we have covered)? Well there is an event for that in our area which also includes speaking with prospective employers. There is an event on learning about traveling to Ireland and another on owning your image which allows you to connect with an Image Consultant.
Shades readers, there are so many avenues to explore! Think about what you want to pursue and get out there and start connecting with others!
Finally, if you would like to network with us, please attend our own event, Cocktails & A Movie on Saturday February 23! Check out the details on our site.
Have a great week and remember to share us on your social media channels! Thanks for your support!