How Networking Now Will Benefit You Later
Though I’ve only been in the business world for a short period of time, I’ve been able to learn a couple of valuable lessons that I will carry with me throughout my career. The first…Never stop learning. I mention the first lesson because I truly believe that you can always learn something from another individual. I go into this pretty in-depth in my last blog post, “It Takes Time”.
But the most important lesson that I’ve learned…network as much as possible. Networking has been a focus for me for the past year and it has paid off a hundredfold, leading to great personal and professional relationships over the years.
I try to reach out to at least 5–10 people a day. The majority of the time it’s not even work related. I just try to find people that have similar interest with myself, and connect with them.
You are who you hang out with
We all heard it from our parents as we were growing up. I personally want to thank my parents for this because my life would be completely different if it wasn’t for them. Luckily, I’ve put myself in a position to where I have some of the best people around me at all times. Each one of us has different backgrounds and experiences, and we are constantly bouncing ideas off of each other and asking for each others opinions. I would highly suggest you try to surround yourself with others that will not only make you better, but will let you have fun in the process. This is a major key.
Best way to make new friends
Networking isn’t just for business. Some of my best friends have been met through business connections. Hackathons, networking events, and study abroad programs are just some of the great places to meet new people. By exposing yourself to more people in your area, you’re bound to create lasting friendships.
Give back
This is something that I’ve always been big on. Just as you reach out for someone else’s advice, be sure to make yourself available for others that may have questions for you. A great way to connect and build a relationship with someone is to provide them with value. If you’re reading this right now, you probably heard about my blog from social media accounts. If you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me. I really enjoy helping out other young entrepreneurs with getting started. So if there’s ever a time that you think I might be of value to you, reach out to me.
Confidence Boost
Starting out, my confidence towards talking to real-world business professionals was shitty. Mostly because I had no clue where to start. Probably not the best thing for a 20 year old trying get funding for a social media app, right? However, I always gave every opportunity I was faced with 100% and tried to make the best of it. Making sure that I approached the successful business owner, or cold call what I knew could be a future client. I found that the more I stepped outside of my comfort zone, the better at I became at it and the easier it was for me. The same thing will happen for you, you just can’t be afraid to dive in and get your feet wet. Use social media to your advantage. Reach out to people that are where you want to get to. Meaning, if you want to be a CEO, you should be reaching out to other CEOs! Talk to them. Ask them questions. Set up meetings with them. Do whatever you have to do to place yourself in the best position possible to succeed.
Thanks for reading, I’m Brandon Poplstein. Co-founder, UX/UI designer, and Web Developer. Since 2015, I’ve been helping other young entrepreneurs get started with growing their own businesses and personal brands. You can ask me to work with you, invite me to speak at your event, or reach out to have a conversation with me. I’m excited to hear from you! My username for everything is poplstein_brand.
bpoplstien@gmail.com
