Were you one of the 90 people who attended the State of the Network Breakfast on January 30? If so, then you shared in the energy of that day. All thanks to you – our members, teams, Board of Directors and staff: without you, we wouldn’t have a network!
If you did attend, you heard me share the following story. I share it again because I believe it reflects the essence of SSWBN.
After the January lunch I received an email from a first time guest that reads:
Just wanted to send a quick follow-up thank you for this week’s lunch… I immediately felt comfortable and relaxed with the group from the very start and truly got a sense of strong relationships at both the professional and personal levels …
… Thank you again, I look forward to the breakfast…!
SSWBN is about developing relationships.
Each individual develops relationships for different reasons. Some want to increase their client base. Others are looking for collaboration partners or education. Some people work alone and seek inspiration and camaraderie.
The common thread for all of our members comes down to: develop relationships.
Do you have the relationships you need to achieve your goals in 2014?
To develop the relationships you need you must commit to show up and speak up.
Show up
- Show up at events and on social media. Be visible. Be seen. Be authentic.
- Show up with an interest in helping others. Introduce them to other people. Or maybe you’re luck and your business can help them.
- Show up with an interest in helping yourself. What support do you need to achieve your goals? Know what you want in advance.
Speak up
- Promote yourself in a clear, confident and concise way.
- Follow-up and nurture relationships (without always trying to sell something).
- Do you need a service provider to make your business life easier? Are you looking for collaboration opportunities? Ask for what you want.
- Get curious about other people. Engage in conversation. Find out about their businesses. What do they do for fun? What support do they need? How can you be of service?
SSWBN provides an opportunity for you to meet people you may not otherwise get to meet, and to develop the relationships you need to achieve your goals.
The rest is up to you. Attend events, engage in conversation, follow-up and nurture relationships. SSWBN gives you many opportunities to show up and speak up. Are you taking advantage of the opportunities?
Let SSWBN connect you to the resources you need to achieve your personal or professional goals in 2014.
Stacey Shipman
Executive Director