With the month of May coming to end, we look to the month of June for new beginnings and things to celebrate. This #BusinessTipTuesday, we are recognizing National Pen Pal Day which is celebrated on June 1st. A pen pal is typically someone you have not met but with whom you correspond by writing letters and sharing personal events. The day was established by Rosie Tholl, an American pen-palist that traveled the world to meet some of her pen pals. In today’s day and age it is also common for people to communicate through email and there are many sites that offer safe, online pen pal connections.
You might think what does having a pen pal have to do with owning a business? Well in my opinion it is about with whom you talk to and the relationship you create! It is a great idea for business owners to have other people to communicate with that have similar interests, mindsets, and problems. Whether it is bouncing an idea off another business owner or asking for advice you know the other has had experience in, you are creating connections, learning, and forming a mutually beneficial relationships. There are forums online in which you can interact with other entrepreneurs; these include BizWarriors.comand StartupNation.com. The hope would be that you will find great luck in meeting someone who shares your interests and you will create a relationship that can help advance your business. If nothing else, being able to talk with others who are similar to you, will make you feel like you are not alone in the crazy world of entrepreneurship! Although pen pals typically do not meet with each other in person, this does not mean you cannot create a local group of entrepreneurial people that like to meet every month or so. Meetup.comis a great place to find entrepreneurship meetups in your area; you simply search your interests and your location and meetings and groups will populate for you to find something to join. As well, share a post on your social media to see if people would like to create a group either online or in person. You might find people, that you never thought shared your interests, are looking in the same direction as you are. Often times, people are afraid to make the first move in getting things going. So take charge and create what you are looking for because I bet there are others looking for the same thing.
Regardless of the avenue in which you choose to seek out relationships, it is important to form them! Whether you are writing letters/emails, chatting online with fellow entrepreneurs, or even connecting on social media sharing your experiences and learning from others will help you further your business and gain contacts. So this week take time to reach out to others in your industry or on your Facebook page and see what happens, maybe you will get a coffee next week or start a chain of emails! As always remember the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center is here to help. Visit www.scrantonsbdc.com for more information.
Danielle Guari
Business Consultant
The University of Scranton
Small Business Development Center
#penpalday #penpal #sbdc #nepa #scranton #business #marketing #smallbiz #success #businessrelationships #nationalpenpalday
