EPISODE 002 | APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY

Networking can be phenomenal for your business, although for many, the word “networking” represents rooms full of people, handshakes, cold calling and having to perfect your sales pitch; understandably it often makes people feel very uncomfortable and a little nervous to put themselves “out there”, and to proactively make and build new business connections.

I believe that it’s important to find genuine ways to love and fully embrace every aspect of your business. Without that passion, your day-to-day can quickly become an uphill struggle and the potential success of your business can be held back.
 

So, if you are in the majority and the word networking sends mild shivers down your spine … how can you feel relaxed and excited, and genuinely enjoy pursuing new connections, and what is the best and most relaxed approach?

let’s START BY rephrasING “networking”

REPHRASE - first of all, let’s rephrase the word networking. Let’s think about it as simply making positive connections with like-minded souls. For me, networking is meeting like-minded creatives, learning, sharing, embracing different perspectives and actively seeking different sources of inspiration.

REMOVE PRESSURE - I also think we need to remove the perceived pressure. I don’t think creating connections with other entrepreneurs/those in your field is absolutely essential for your success, but I do think it is beneficial and actually, perhaps more importantly, it can bring a huge amount of genuine happiness and positivity into our everyday lives, not just your business.

IN OUR NATURE - For many of us making connections is in our nature. We are social creatures and are naturally drawn to people who share similar experiences and a similar ethos. It’s very possible, particularly in your first few years, that you might be the only entrepreneur within your immediate circle of friends and family, and although the support and encouragement from those around us can come from a positive place, often - and this was very much my initial experience - there’s an understandable lack of understanding in the ups and downs that come with starting and running a business.

Developing connections with other like-minded creative entrepreneurs is hugely comforting; it almost always brings a huge sense of camaraderie, strength in support and understanding, and it can also lead to immense personal and professional growth.

being proactive & positive

I realised recently that I hadn’t been quite as proactive with making new connections. I really missed the experience and richness that comes from it. I therefore decided to embrace every invitation that came my way and to be proactive in seeking out new opportunities to meet likeminded creatives and entrepreneurs.

A few days later a friend in London shared a link on her Instagram feed with news of a women’s forum near to me in Somerset; a network of local female creative entrepreneurs. Their next event was a talk by business strategist, Calandre Orton. I bought a ticket and had a great evening learning about her approach to supporting those in the arts and creative industries.

Next, I had been meaning to catch up with a health and wellness coach for several months. Although we are in different industries, we share similar business experiences and outlooks. I invited her for coffee, which then turned into lunch. We spent hours chatting through our current and future plans, sharing a variety of different ideas. I left feeling inspired and excited.

A week or so ago, I came across a podcast episode featuring Australian interior designer, Natalie Walton, who I have admired for a long time. It was a very different episode, away from the world of design, where she talked about a recent experience with an issue with her network security. During the conversation, she mentioned a system that generates secure passwords. I couldn’t quite catch the name of it, so I sent her DM via Instagram. She kindly replied (if you would also love to know, it’s called LastPass) and we chatted a little, with both us asking if we could interview each other. I can’t wait to speak with her properly and share her design and entrepreneurial story with you later this year.

I have also recently said a huge yes to supporting a designer with her garden at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, provided business advice to a number of career changers looking to start their own businesses, happily enjoyed several creative business dinners and met with an incredible YouTuber for the first time to gain her invaluable advice.

None of these have involved any exchange in money, instead, we have all mutually gained rich experiences. We have learnt new ideas and approaches, which in turn have sparked new strategies to implement, we have collectively avoided potential stressful situations, and developed strong relationships with people who simply “get us”.

how to build valuable connections

I would love to share five practical strategies, even for the most introvert amongst us, that I believe will help you to establish valuable connections, and learn how to naturally create meaningful relationships for collective personal and professional growth.

By proactively creating and building connections, we open doors to new opportunities, collaborations, and partnerships, alongside creating a support system that can whole heartedly contribute to our personal and professional development.

Creating and building connections can play a wholly positive role in the success of your creative business and hugely importantly, a genuine love of what you do. By establishing connections, we can all create a supportive environment that helps us to focus on growth and development. Every connection made can lead to potential opportunities, friendships, and growth.

I genuinely hope this episode helps you to proactively seek out connections and build relationships with likeminded entrepreneurs.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts and your own experiences; you are always very welcome to send me direct messages on Instagram.

Warmest,
Philippa x