Author, Investor, Speaker, Mentor
It’s critical to network in situations outside your comfort zone, otherwise your skills might erode. Here in Silicon Valley, it’s pretty easy to network. People are very casual and open, and if you’re an investor, it’s even easier. People constantly seek me out because they want me to invest in them, or to introduce them … Continue reading Networking outside your comfort zone
For the final post in my series on attending a conference and event, I think it’s important to focus on something that most people neglect: Follow-up. Assuming that you’ve attended the event, built relationships, and collected business cards, your final step is to “fix” the value of those new contacts by following up. In-person events … Continue reading Always follow up the first day after a conference or event
Even though I believe that one good conversation beats 100 business cards, collecting cards still has its place. First, while people won’t necessarily remember you after a single encounter, my philosophy is that you need three casual encounters to build familiarity. Even if a person doesn’t remember you after an initial meeting, it still counts … Continue reading Why collecting business cards makes sense
I’m on my way to an VIP advisory board meeting in another city. The annual meeting stretches out over two days–Wednesday evening and all day Thursday–which means that many people won’t get in until Thursday. Networking newbies probably think, “I need to be there on Thursday, when there are more people.” But I know that … Continue reading Network at small events, not big ones
The classic saying about networking is that it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Sadly, this gives people the impression that networking is all about who you know. The true master networker isn’t someone who knows a lot of people; it’s someone whom a lot of people trust. If a “master networker” can’t … Continue reading Networking *isn’t* about who you know
Reading Mark Suster‘s excellent post, “Why You Need To Take 50 Coffee Meetings” brought to mind one of my personal corollaries: Talk with everyone. I’m a relatively small-time investor. It’s a documented fact, and I don’t try to hide it. But that means that I need to deliver value beyond money if I’m going to … Continue reading Talk With Everyone
Just as I’ve recently realized that I’ve gradually evolved from a self-proclaimed child prodigy into a grey-haired voice of experience, I’ve also found that I’ve come to know a lot of important and influential people. Just in the past week, seemingly at random, I’ve had friends who are spending the day with Bill Clinton, launching … Continue reading The Secret, Foolproof, 4-Step Way To Get To Know The Important And Influential