BREAKTHROUGH NETWORKING: Build a New Kind of Wealth

Breakthrough Networking with Lillian D. Bjorseth

They are signs of the times. Your neighbors losing their jobs. Home foreclosures. Difficulty getting business loans. Associates still driving their 2003 (and earlier!) cars.

They all deal with financial capital … or the lack thereof.

What complicates these situations for so many people is the lack of another vital kind of capital – the social kind. A type that many people don’t bother to build, especially when the economy is good and they have a job they think is solid. After all, why take personal time to attend after-hour networking events or spend weekends on LinkedIn or Facebook tweaking your profile or responding to group postings.

Starting today, it will be my monthly privilege to share information I have garnered about building social capital from a Fortune 100 career as well as the owner of two companies and experiences from speaking, training and coaching nationwide and the author of myriad products.

I learned as a young woman in what was then an even more male-dominated corner-office environment that what I knew was secondary to whom I knew. I’ve had some powerful male mentors who taught me quickly that power by association was just as powerful as that associated with title …when used professionally.

I learned through experience to listen and ponder rather than speak and share when I spent time behind closed doors with vice presidents … and me. My power by association gained me access.

Building social capital, your network of knob turners, is analogous. Relationships, first and foremost, are built on trust. Listening and pondering will help to establish that trust much more quickly than speaking and sharing all you know about others or yourself. In the former case, you might say what was shared with you as a trusted colleague or in the latter, you may appear to be egotistical or too full of yourself.

You invest money and gain interest or buy property to get equity to build financial capital. Building social capital is about investing mostly time and giving unselfishly to gain more contacts to build a network of personal and professional relationships.

Social capital takes precedence in your success over degrees and job experience until you have managed to get inside the door. In fact, until you have built a network of “knob turners,” you may struggle to even get a job interview and the appointment for a loan.

So how, do you accumulate the quality and quantity of knob turners you want and need to accomplish your goals? Stayed tuned month after month after month. That’s what this column will be all about!

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Lillian D. Bjorseth is the President of Duoforce Enterprises, Inc., speaker, and author of several books including her latest: Breakthrough Networking. She is also the co-founder of the Greater Chicago Networking Extravaganza which is now entering its eighth year.
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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER. To subscribe for your free newsletter, go to http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/. For the complete National Networker Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free, continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/. You are also invited to click our buttons:


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BREAKTHROUGH NETWORKING: Build a New Kind of Wealth

DEEPENING NETWORKING THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS: Lessons from Busy Networking Professionals

Deepening Networking Through Relationships with Christine Sotmary M.S., L.Ac., CPC

I learned back in the early 1970's that moving to a new place and starting all over again was no fun unless I was able to quickly make friends. Sometimes I would feel comfortable socializing with my co-workers and sometimes my interests would lead me to new contacts like the time I joined a women's softball team and was surprised to meet musicians and theater buffs like myself.

When I moved to Peekskill, New York I had a dilemma on my hands. I was the full time caregiver for my partner who was afflicted with Alzheimer's disease and wasn't getting out of the house very much. I also had 3 businesses to manage and needed to network in my new area and find some local clients. How was I to make new contacts and meet new friends?

That's when I met Barb Bodnar. We were at a local jam session, she was in the audience and I was playing jazz bass. I had taken Alan, my partner, with me and he was happily enjoying the music, sitting in the audience next to Barb. When I sat down, little did I know how much my life was about to change. As Barb and I began talking and I described a little about myself, she immediately had suggestions, referrals and offered more support than I ever imagined could come from one person. She recommended networking groups for my businesses and Rotary for my need to find a connection to my community. She knew everyone in town and whenever I mentioned something I might need, she had a name and a phone number ready for me.

Fast forward to 3 years later. My sweetie has left this planet and now Barb and I are fast friends. We network like crazy locally at live meetings, BNI breakfasts, Chamber events, or more recently online with social networking groups.

She is a residential real estate broker and has many wonderful, qualified people that she works closely with: stagers, inspectors, lawyers, mortgage brokers, bankers and the list goes on. She is always the first to volunteer to chair a committee for the Peekskill Rotary and is planning the club’s 90th Anniversary celebration.

I recently asked Barb for her ideas about networking and relationship building as they relate to her business and social life and this is what she said.

Barb's rules

· Relationships underpin who we are, whether they be with family, friends, work associates, mates. They require nurturing and will change over time.

· All kinds of relationships offer the opportunity to network. This is why it is important not to dismiss how a friend, or family member, for example, can further your goals.

· Don’t dismiss the opportunity to network for fear that it will be interpreted as seeking personal gain. Give first without expecting to receive and it will come back ten fold.

· Fruitful networking is not about how many people you know but the quality of your “database.” What’s important is the ability to individualize those contacts, bearing in mind who might be helpful to you and in what way.

· Be open to business relationships blossoming into personal friendships.

· When “our cards are right” we do business with people whom we’ve learned to trust. We can then feel confident they will treat our referrals respectfully and reflect well on us.

Barb is a busy gal around town, is completely plugged in to modern technology and still finds time to meet with people for social events. She told me this story to illustrate how her networking with friends has come back and supported her in her business.

Some years ago, she was having dinner with an attorney friend who was also a client. Her friend introduced her to a man who was a commercial broker, appraiser and a property manager. Barb, a residential real estate agent, and her new acquaintance became friends over the next several years.

As the friendship grew, her new friend began to refer residential business to her. Depending on the situation, Barbara would work with the new client on her own, or she and her broker friend would share the referral. One cooperative venture resulted in the sale of 8 units for one client followed by another 6 with a referral for the initial attorney. Both friends were pleased.

Today, their friendship and their business relationship endure because it is one based on trust, integrity and good will.

Like Barb, I have been able to leverage many of my relationships into clients for my businesses. Earning their trust and showing my interest in what I can do for them comes first. A licensed acupuncturist, I have been able to help many stressed out friends with acupuncture when they start to feel overwhelmed. Others feel exhausted all the time and might need to know what foods to eat. That's when I'll do my Metabolic Testing. Still other busy networkers I encounter need help with time management in their work lives so and we'll do some Life Coaching to find some balance in their lives.

I recently wrote a memoir, "Living On the Verge of Insanity: loving lessons learned from my sweetie's early-onset Alzheimer's disease," and sent it to the printer. I was able to send announcements to people I have built relationships with over the years and the orders are already coming in. I am now focusing on coaching and talking with caregivers who need to be inspired to receive as much as they give including our utmost respect. More on that in the coming months.

One of my important rules is that I am never too busy for a conversation or a chance to meet a friend. I consider relationship building the top of my to do list.

For more information you can sign up for my 3 newsletters or contact me at:

www.gotbetterhealth.com

www.gotcoaching.com

www.manhattanmetabolic.com

www.acucoach.com

You can also read more at my 2 blogs:

www.sotmary.com

www.metabolicmatters.com

You can also purchase my book at:

www.livingontheverge.com

Barb can be reached at:

Barbara Bodnar, Associate Broker CRS SRES GRI ABR

ColdwellBanker Residential Brokerage

www.barbarabodnar.net

914-649.2018

"Real Estate with Heart"

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER. To subscribe for your free newsletter, go to www.TheNationalNetworker.com. For the complete National Networker Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free, continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com. You are also invited to click our buttons:


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DEEPENING NETWORKING THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS: Lessons from Busy Networking Professionals

HOLISTICALLY SPEAKING: Chi Technology of the Year

Holistically Speaking with Meira Findel

Relax...Purify...Detox...Recharge...Evolve !

with the"Chi Technology of the Year."

Today is the future we've been waiting for!

PHILADELPHIA IS PLUGGING IN NOW TO THE QUANTUM WAVE OF ALOHA

“I met Meira Findel over 3 years ago. Don't know how I ended up on her email list, but it took me to her center 3 years ago to meet Sandra Rose Michael, Kahuna, promoting her latest healing technology. I've been in touch with Sandra ever since, via phone and inner dimensions. The technology has been on my vision board for 3 years, and I'm finally plugging it in the end of this month at Huna Mua Wellness. Thank you, Meira, for opening the door of possibilities! Who would have known!? You're changing the planet in many ways!” said Karen Reifinger from the Huna Mua Wellness Center in Philadelphia www.HunaMua.com, 610-360-2427

Karen Reifinger is a practitioner, instructor and recognized expert in the field of Hawaiian healing and spiritual development. She is the founder and Director of the Huna Mua Wellness Center of Philadelphia, PA and a sought after speaker and workshop facilitator. She has developed the only state certified Hawaiian massage curriculum in Pennsylvania.

On January 31^st I visited Karen and Sandra in Philadelphia to reconnect with them and experience again Dr. Sandra’s EE System. It’s a wonderful blessing to know such wonderful people both of which have devoted their lives to making this world a better place.

The Energy Enhancement System (TM) - The EESystem(TM) generates therapeutic energy waves which can raise the energy of every cell in your body. This may allow cell regeneration to improve immune function, provide relief from pain, detoxify the body, elevate moods, assist in balancing right and left hemispheres of the brain, increase energy levels and more. It combines Body, Mind, Spirit and Science to help you achieve peak performance, reach higher states of health, consciousness and self actualization. Used exclusively at the world's most innovative clinics, medical settings, research labs and spas, this life enhancing system is now available at Huna Mua Wellness-Philadelphia. EESystem Inventor, Dr. Sandra Rose Michael is Senior Director of Energy Medicine for the Global Foundation for Integrative Medicines; Faculty, Institute of Energy Wellness Studies; Guest Lecturer for Mount Sinai and other medical schools, PBS advisor on alternative medicine, International Who's Who, Honorable Dame in the Sovereigh Orthodox Order of the Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalemm and more. For over 30 years her award winning work has received critical acclaim worldwide, and has been presented at prestigious Summits and conferences. For more information on the EE System please go to www.EESystem.com During my visit to the Huna Mua Wellness Center I was introduced to Jean Watterson, owner of the building. I was very happy to connect with another person that like myself is very involved in Business and Spirituality. I look forward to a growing personal and business relationship with Jean.

Karen met Jean Watterson 7 years ago. Karen shared her spiritual healing with Jean, which had a profound influence on her life. Jean shared her business expertise to help grow Karen’s business sense, and balancing left and right brain perspectives. This relationship flourished to enhance each other’s lives on a very personal level as well as in their businesses. This is what true community is all about.

In the near future Jean and Karen will be co-hosting workshops that will cover the mind-body-spirit. How exciting.

Jean is committed to integrating spiritual practices into the corporate realm.

www.commitmenttocharacter.com is the website for Jean’s book Commitment to Character: Achieving Success from the Inside Out. It is aimed at business people. The purpose of the book is to bring the value of good character back into the business world and to be a tool that corporations, individuals, and business schools can use to promote and teach the value of good character in business.

You can reach Jean Watterson of Sagewood Communications at www.sagewoodcc.com 571-643-2157

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER. To subscribe for your free newsletter, go to www.TheNationalNetworker.com. For the complete National Networker Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free, continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com. You are also invited to click our buttons:


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HOLISTICALLY SPEAKING: Chi Technology of the Year