Yesterday, February 11th, marked national Make a Friend Day. Sometimes, meeting new people can be intimidating, but as an entrepreneur, this process is very important! Through networking and getting to know new people, you are able to gain potential business partners and customers that can help you to grow and expand your business. Networking also gives you the ability to expand your knowledge and learn from the successes of others who went through similar business experiences as your own.
As an entrepreneur, finding the time to do everything can be difficult, but there are many different ways you can fit networking into your schedule! Whether it be following similar business owners on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, etc., or attending networking events in your area, you can definitely find a way of networking that works best for you. Networking can happen in your day-to-day life, so a helpful tip is to always keep business cards on hand. Whether you meet someone on line getting coffee or out in the grocery store, you never know when a connection can be made.
Aside from the opportunity of finding new business partners or customers, finding the time to network is so important for so many additional reasons. For example, through networking you can get advice from people in your area of business, which can be a huge help to you moving forward. By meeting people who have been through similar experiences as your own in the business world, you can learn things that you never would have otherwise. Networking also gives you the advantage of becoming more confident by talking to more and more people, along with becoming more recognizable to those in your community
As you could probably tell, networking is such a crucial part of being an entrepreneur. Take advantage of national Make a Friend Day and start getting to know others who will help you to succeed in your small business!
Victoria R. McCormack
SBDC Intern
The University of Scranton
Small Business Development Center
#sbdc #scranton #nepa #financing #cybersecurity #customer #friendship
image adapted from freepick.com
