One of the first pieces of advice that I can remember when I was starting out on my Lucy Rose journey, was ‘surround yourself with Yes people’. Easier said than done, and I am only now coming to realise how important this statement is.
For years I’ve been pushing this product and business uphill as many people couldn’t immediately see the benefits or its future. ‘Come back to me when it works’, ‘How is it going to work and be different to everything else out there’, ‘How are you going to make a profit’. All unknowns at one time, gaps to be filled. The only way to really fill those gaps, is by speaking to people who can see the vision. Who know where you’re aiming and who will help you get there.
Networking for Entrepreneurs:
We’re all familiar with the six degrees of separation concept, but it’s not until you need a favour or some support that you realise how powerful this is. Every person you ever meet will know someone who can help you if they themselves cannot. This essentially means, everyone you meet is an asset and their untapped network could be the stepping stone you need. LinkedIn presents the visual representation of this when you connect with someone and see you have mutual connections. This spreads globally and I believe it is the hidden superpower for entrepreneurs.
The more connections one builds up in their infancy, the more potential help and support one can lean on later down the line and the more opportunities open up for growth. Remember; you never know who someone knows.
Networking and beyond:
Networking itself, however helpful may not necessarily yield results. There is one secret ingredient that massively helps the cause: a shared vision. If you can convince someone to pass on your request or plea for help, that’s one thing. But for that plea for help to be answered lies in the value that can be derived from the request, for both parties. If other people believe in what you are doing now, or what you are planning on doing in the future, the power of networks increases 10-fold.
In an interconnected world, a shared vision can provide the fast track necessary to take a business to the next level. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”.
How do you make people believe?
This is a more complex issue and one I may write about later as I’ve definitely struggled with this. It comes down to a level of confidence in your business and yourself to be the one to drive the business forwards. But let’s just say it helps to be yourself and know exactly where you’re going. The Yes people will come along for the ride, it’s best to leave the No people behind.
