Studio Note #72: What’s it For?
Good conversations leave something behind.
Since moving to Denver, I’ve spent a lot of time building a network.
One person at a time.
Meetings. Coffees. Drinks, lots of those. Introductions. Groups. Events. Showing up and getting to know people without necessarily knowing where any of it might lead.
Every once in a while I’ve found myself wondering:
What’s it for?
Lately, I’ve started getting some answers.
We recently began building an affiliate program for the Vendorfied Network. Almost immediately, people started coming to mind.
Not names on a prospecting list. People I know. People whose businesses I understand. People who have built communities of their own and who I think could make excellent partners.
None of those relationships were built for this.
In fact, this opportunity didn’t exist when I started building most of them.
That’s what I think I was missing when I asked the question.
We tend to think about networking in terms of immediate outcomes. Who can help me? Who can I help? Where is the opportunity?
But sometimes you’re building the relationships before you know what you’ll need them for.
The business changes. The idea arrives. A new opportunity presents itself.
And suddenly you realize you already know who you want to call.
I think that’s what it’s for.