My perspective lately is that networking is simply cracking the seven degrees of separation code. And I’m not talking about the song by the rock band The Script.
I missed an event last month, so this time round my antennas were alert. You only have to keep your ear on the ground and the invites will astound you – right, left and centre. You can easily make networking a career but I doubt it comes with monetary gain. This then calls for a meeting with self, where you figure out what is the impetus of your networking? Is it so that I go out every other day and meet new people; talk, laugh and make merry? Is it to dish a bunch of my cards to total strangers? Is it a strategy to meet specific potential clients?
The other day, I’m trying to rationalize the abrupt end of equinox and the beginning of the short rains. I get an invite for an event about a young billionaire (that right there tickles my fancy ), the details are sketchy and clandestine to some extent and since the timing is decent I decide to go. I’m tempted to dress down but my wardrobe betrays me; I do a coloured blue skirt, magenta blouse and some accessories to boot.
Thunderstorms roar as I enter the lift to seventh floor. With the rains that threaten to fall in a few hours I’m glad I opted for some trendy comfortable flat boots. My VW is still at the shop and there is need to be able to make a run for it when the down pour starts.
This time round, I’m the early bird, but the meeting is a drag. I tinker with my phone till my battery runs out. No inventor from Silicon Valley has come up with a Smartphone battery that goes for 72 hours? After an hour the meeting starts, bummer! It’s got Network marketing written all over it in black, white and blue.
I’m not a fan! Sorry!
The only flipside is that it has an element of destination travel. For a minute there I start day dreaming of Sydney, Australia and Tokyo, Japan.
Here’s my take on network marketing. This justifies why it’s not for me not to say it can’t be for you.
One, although I love sales and marketing, I find it confusing splitting my time between brand A which is my business and brand B from network marketing. Whereby in most cases brand B is totally unrelated to my area of expertise which is brand A.
Two, I’m not employed per se I’m an entrepreneur in one specific industry. Any side gigs I do I skew them such that they are tied to the main gig. Some might call it tunnel vision, I call it focus.
Last but not least, most network marketing gigs heavily sell the idea of working from home. Been there, done that and got a comfortable corner home office.
At the end of the one hour session, I don’t completely dismiss the entire idea. I love travel and I can exclusively be part of that minus the network marketing. Only fools rush in – I’ll take my time to research and check them out. When I jet to Tokyo I’ll give you a shout.
