Networking Mishaps

In the pursuit of achieving my dream it has been very important to network. When I first started my own business I was a little bit shy and so it was tougher for me to go about networking. I had a bit of the whole social anxiety thing . One on one I have always been pretty good but if you put me in a crowd it is a bit more difficult.

As the years have gone by however I have come to enjoy it, partly because my curiosity about others has overcome my shyness. I also understand that to grow my business I need referrals. In order for people to refer to me they have to actually know a bit about me and understand what it is I do. The coaching industry is still fairly new and people are often trying to figure out just what it is about.

Networking gives me an opportunity to educate others about what I do and networking is a great venue. I am often with people from all walks of life and all different businesses many of them solopreneurs. They are representing them self and their business. With that in mind you would think they would be on their best behavior.

I was at a networking breakfast and sat a table with two women, friends but representing two different businesses that they owned. They ended up behaving in a way that really made me question how much they wanted to succeed. Not only were they outwardly rude to the guest speaker but they were also rude to the waitress serving us.

Just a few short minutes before they were trying to convince us with their words why we should send business their way and with their actions they assured at least in my mind that I would never be able to do that. Honestly I don't even think it occurred to them the real impression they were leaving. But as a business person and a human I would not in good conscience be able to refer to them as I could not count on how they would treat the people I sent their way.

I understand that everyone has a bad day but when it comes to business the impression we leave can go along way to helping our business or hurting it.