As a Self-Employed person, to create working opportunities networking is crucial for me. That’s why I always try to make part to business meetings and also structured Networking organizations.
After working as a networker in a MLM company, where I experience that bad feeling of seeing all the people as money bags as everyone was potentially a customer or another distributor, I move ahead (I hope) and now I simply feel a great joy when meeting new people.
Source: Author. Me on a dromedary during an incentive trip organized by the MLM company.
Networking is not simply a quest for opportunities of work and money. Knowing people allows me to know different traditions, different habits, different life paths getting inspired by people with their own challenges and experiences.
Being active on Linkedin brings me in some good work as I am trying to build up my network each single day and when possible I also involve other people to work with me so to share incomes.
Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin-networking-why-your-connection-requests-ignored-austin
Another networking activity I regularly do is attending BNI (Business Network International), where I joined as a cryptocurrency professional, offering services to companies to bridge them from Web2 to Web3 through crypto-payments, NFTs, blockchain, token integration and so on.
BUT I am also attending different Yoga groups from my school and from the Teacher course I attended in February, I got to know Jorge, a Spanish guy attending the Ayurveda course that inspired me a lot about trying to start attending it too. And here I am, trying to be able to take part into one of it.
BUT, also some places can be strategic for aggregation and networking. I love, for example, going to my friend Alessio, who is the owner of a Wine-shop in the centre of Modena, where he is specialized in Lambrusco, that is a typical local sparkling wine.
Source: Author. Me bringing a home made Paella (made by me, Mary and a couple of friends of ours) to Alessio's wine-shop where we made 45 people eating and drinking together. Record for his wine-shop!
Honestly, I do not like that wine at all BUT often there are interesting people to know and to create connections.
A few days ago I was talking to a friend who told me that he felt he was always missing his targets.
But I asked him:
have you established and fixed what those targets are?
He answered me know and I easily said him:
how can you fail a goal if you have not identified the goal? Fix your goal and create a plan to reach it. Only afterwards you can fail it. But also succeed!
That’s similar to people asking theirselves and sometimes even to me:
I am always surrounded by the same people. What people should I know more to get new things in my life?
Well, the secret is:
START FROM SOMEWHERE. EVEN ANYWHERE SOMETIMES IS A GOOD STARTING POINT
To reach a goal you will need to drive some road. Make sure that you learn how to drive at first.
That’s why, starting playing a sport is a good way to know people and do other things (and eventually re-ganining some confidence in yourself), Yoga classes are usually very nice and they are often populated by good-minded people. In Modena we have cafes organizing international aperitifs and many cultural events that are a great occasion to get to know other people and receive stimula from outside.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/voltcafemodena/
Networking is not simply an activity that aims to bring more cash in the pockets like many “MLM leaders” teach. Networking is the art of getting in touch with people and then, being also able to stay in touch with them.
As getting to know people is the easiest part. Becoming a deserving person to hang out with is the next level.