The National Networker was founded 3 1/2 years ago with the premise that Networking is an Industry and that TNNW would be the world's first "Consumer Reports of Networking" (albeit positively-spun). In the time that we have been researching what is working with networking across the U.S. (and now, the globe), we have seen major changes in both offline and online networking.
In the world of online networking there have been a few pioneers and prominent figures; independently-minded individuals who, for very altruistic reasons, wanted to change the world for the better through the power of networking. These ultra-connectors truly embraced the "givers gain" philosophy that is prevalent in all the industry, yet often (and I, too, have found myself in such situations) gave more than they received.
And as the Relationship Networking Industry matures and is adopted by corporations with big budgets and shareholders to answer to, some of the long-time givers are not gaining. One such person is my good friend, Vincent Wright, who many of our online networking subscribers know as the driving force behind My LinkedIn Power Forum (MLPF).
MLPF is a Yahoo Group of over 8000 members and about as old as TNNW. Vincent started it to develop discussions around LinkedIn, an effective networking tool, but lacking the necessary discussion model that is part of most online networks today. Vincent and their members worked (sometimes with even LinkedIn employees and executives) to provide constructive feedback, share thoughts and make a difference.
It is because of MLPF, rather than LinkedIn, that I have connected with such great people as Jay Deragon, Jason Alba, Norm Myers of RNIA, Terry Bean, Margaret Orem and a host of others, many with whom I continue to collaborate.In my own conversations over the phone and as a reader of Vincent's work, I found him to be quite the eloquent wordsmith. He also divulged to me his desire to get over his "allergy to money" on several occasions. I was also hoping to get Vincent to agree to doing an interview with me on The National Networker Show.
I, along with 8000+ other MLPF members, were shocked the other day, to receive a brutally honest and disturbing message on Friday, May 30th from Vincent entitled "Prelude to a Suicide: Vincent Wright is Dead". It was written at approximately 4:00 in the morning and outlined his decline in all the time he was running MLPF. He spoke of people who worked to ruin him, living in one of the worst sections of Hartford, CT and not having enough money to literally keep teeth in his mouth.
MLPF members sprang to action. By the end of the rather tense day, we were relieved to find that he was alive, but about to be evicted from his residence. An outpouring of posts from members from all over the world were offering ways to donate, requests for those who could find him a job, a place to stay in upstate New York to an all-expense paid stay with one of the members at their place in Bangladesh for 6 months with paid dental care.
We would like to salute Vincent and his passion for networking, his overall eternal optimism and his role as one of the pioneers of the Relationship Networking Industry. BE STRONG VINCENT!
In the end, effective networking is the salvation of us all.
As always, I look forward to networking with you...
- Adam J. Kovitz
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