Build Your Power Network
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[00:00:00] Teri Holland: Today we have a compelling topic that can transform your entrepreneurial journey. Building a powerful network. Success isn't just about hard work and skills. It's also about the connections we make and the networks we build. So let's dive in and uncover the secrets to creating an influential and impactful network.
[00:00:28] Teri Holland: So today I wanna share with you some fundamental truths. Your network is your net worth. You might have heard that before. I didn't. Just make it up. No one becomes successful alone, and the people who you surround yourself with can either lift you up or hold you back. Let's explore some key principles to help you build a network that propels you to extraordinary heights.
[00:00:59] Teri Holland: [00:01:00] Define your vision. Your network should align with your vision and your goals, so you want to clearly define what it is that you want to achieve, and who is it that can help you get there. Consider what industry you're in. And what those goals are. Also your values. And if you're not sure what your values are, go back a few episodes and listen to the episode I did on values.
[00:01:28] Teri Holland: I'll link it in the show notes. You want to seek out like valued individuals who share your passion for success and for personal growth. Now, I always say like valued and not like-minded. Because I don't think it's as important for us to be around like-minded people. In fact, I think it's important that we are exposed to people who have very different views.
[00:01:53] Teri Holland: That's how we grow and learn. But we want to be around people who share in our values, [00:02:00] and in order to do that, you need to know what those values are. Number two, be genuine and add value. Building a powerful network isn't just about collecting business cards or building up your LinkedIn profile. It's about creating real relationships and providing value to others.
[00:02:23] Teri Holland: So be genuinely interested in people and their endeavors. Don't fake this by the way. People can sense out when you're not really interested in them, and then you're just using them for your own gains. So you want to be really interested in them. And if you're not, then those probably aren't people who should be in your network.
[00:02:46] Teri Holland: Offer your support, your insights, and your expertise. So remember, it's not about what you can get, it's about what you can give. I used to be a part of BNI and [00:03:00] BMI's slogan is Givers Gain, and I still live by that today. Givers gain. Now the problem with givers gain is that so many people look for the gain without the give, or they give so much, they forget that they need to gain and they burn out.
[00:03:15] Teri Holland: So it really does need to be both sides of that phrase, givers gain. So you need to be giving, and if you approach us with a giver's heart, You will gain, but also make sure you're not giving so much that you're never receiving in return. So this also works with the law of reciprocity. These relationships need to have a give and take.
[00:03:39] Teri Holland: Number three, nurture your relationships. Successful networks require nurturing. All relationships require nurturing. So stay in touch with your contacts. Attend regular networking events, conferences, and seminars where you can meet potential collaborators and even mentors. Leverage your [00:04:00] social media and technology to maintain connections now.
[00:04:04] Teri Holland: I'm not a fan of business cards anymore. In fact, I don't even have any anymore. I ran out of business cards right before the lockdowns happened in March, 2020, and at that time I thought, well, there's no point in ordering them now cuz who knows when we're gonna be back to face-to-face? And then I just never ordered them again.
[00:04:25] Teri Holland: Because, I mean, think about it. Why do we need business cards? It's 2023. We have social media, we have phones in our pocket. We have better ways of connecting than a piece of paper that's going to end up in the recycling bin, which by the way, I don't know if you know this, but I read a stat recently that was something like 80 to 85% of business cards once given are going directly into the garbage.
[00:04:51] Teri Holland: I hope they're recycling them. But you get the point, right? They're, the moment you hand that to someone, it's [00:05:00] as good as garbage. We're no longer using them. They're no longer needed in business. And I know that's not a popular opinion with many people, and if you're still clinging to the business card world, that is fine, but it's not for me.
[00:05:15] Teri Holland: We have other options today. I have a tappy on my phone, which is, uh, a really cool sticker. For lack of a, it's a sticker. It goes on the back of my phone and it has some kind of chip thing in it. I don't know what the technology is, but if somebody taps it, and it's not a QR code, but someone can tap their phone to it and it automatically brings up my profile, and then they can visit any of my social media links, my website, and they can save my information.
[00:05:43] Teri Holland: So to me that's far more effective. I would rather connect with somebody on their social media. Yeah, because that's how I'm gonna get to know them really quickly, not from a card with what their phone number, their email address. What is that gonna do for me? [00:06:00] So you need to nurture your relationships. Now I see this a lot where people go in with just a, what am I gonna get from it mentality.
[00:06:11] Teri Holland: So they're thinking about the gain and not the give. And. And then they wonder, why isn't this working? You know, I go to all these networking events and I make all these connections, but none of these people are passing me business, and none of them seem interested in me. And the question I always ask in return is, are you interested in them?
[00:06:29] Teri Holland: What have you done for them? Have you nurtured the relationship? Did you invite them for coffee? Did you follow up with an email after to say, Hey, it was really great to meet you. Did you follow them on social media? Did you engage with them on their social media after you followed, or did you just follow them and disappear?
[00:06:46] Teri Holland: So you need to nurture the relationships and then also show appreciation for support that you received back and be proactive in reciprocating it. Okay, so that brings me to number [00:07:00] four, and that is to have a diverse network. You don't want to limit yourself to people from just the same industry or background as you.
[00:07:09] Teri Holland: Diversity within your network brings fresh perspectives and it opens doors to many unexpected opportunities. So think about who has a different skillset than you, or a complimentary skillset. Uh, different experiences and also different cultural backgrounds. This diversity will enrich your own understanding, but it also broadens your horizons and opens up possibly new networks for you to explore.
[00:07:41] Teri Holland: Now that said, I know people who network within their own industry quite a bit and do very well at this. One of my friends is a counselor and she has a network of counselors and they refer so much business to each other because within that network they have different expertise. [00:08:00] For example, one of them might specialize in working with teenagers while someone else might specialize in working with adults with A D H D.
[00:08:08] Teri Holland: And so they can pass referrals back and forth. And plus there's only so many clients they can see in a week. If somebody's overflowing with business, they can't take anymore, so they will pass the business on. And so that's worked really well in her industry is having that network of other counselors to work with, collaborate with, and pass referrals to.
[00:08:30] Teri Holland: I've also seen that work well in some coaching networks where coaches with different skill sets will pass business to other coaches. That can work too. But within that, there's still a diversity of having different skill sets, different certifications, even just having a different gender. Not everybody wants to work with a female coach.
[00:08:51] Teri Holland: Not everyone wants to work with a male coach. Myself in particular, I've always worked with male coaches. I tried a couple times to work with [00:09:00] female coaches and it wasn't the right energy for me, whereas I have clients who seek me out. Because they wanna work with a female coach. I've had male clients seek me out because they feel that working with a female brings 'em a different perspective than than they have themselves.
[00:09:16] Teri Holland: So people look for many different things in practitioners, in coaches and counselors, in health coaches. So it's good to have that diversity within your network, even when you're networking within your field so that you can pass business back and forth. Number five, and this was one that I particularly love.
[00:09:39] Teri Holland: It's leverage the power of a Mastermind. So consider joining or even creating your own mastermind. Now, these are small, carefully curated groups of individuals who come together to share knowledge, to brainstorm ideas, and hold each other accountable. A mastermind group can be a powerful force for motivation, [00:10:00] inspiration, and for growth.
[00:10:02] Teri Holland: I have a mastermind group, the Golden Circle Mastermind, and this is a group of entrepreneurs we meet every Monday morning, and I've really been careful of who I allow into this Mastermind because I want to curate a group of people who are gonna be really supportive of each other and complimentary to each other.
[00:10:22] Teri Holland: And also bringing different skill sets and ideas into the group. So in this mastermind, currently I have an executive coach. I have a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. There's a copywriter slash book publisher. We have, uh, a marketer who you're actually gonna meet in an upcoming episode who she specializes in vacation rental property marketing, and, and she's gonna be on in a couple episodes and oh my gosh, you are going to absolutely love her, by the way.
[00:10:58] Teri Holland: Um, who else do [00:11:00] we have in there? We have a public speaking coach who also has a background in real estate, so he brings 25 years of real estate experience. So, I mean, talk about, I. Like contracts, negotiations, like he's been through it all. Um, and who else do we have in there? Currently we also have a quantum nutrition specialist, who's also a holistic nutritionist, uh, a counselor who has been in there, a video marketing strategist like we have had an amazing group of entrepreneurs go through there.
[00:11:31] Teri Holland: And currently there are a couple seats open, so. If this appeals to you and you love the idea of a mastermind, it's online, so you don't need to be local. In fact, some of our members are from Texas, Florida, Eastern Canada. I'm in the Vancouver area, like we're, we're all over the place. Um, so if you're interested in that, I'll put a link another, there's gonna be lots of links in these show notes.
[00:11:54] Teri Holland: I'll put a link in the show notes and you can apply there.[00:12:00]
[00:12:02] Teri Holland: Okay, number six, be a connector. Be proactive in connecting people within your network. So if you want to be connected to other people, be the person who initiates connecting people to other people in your network. Act as a bridge between individuals who you think would benefit from knowing each other.
[00:12:23] Teri Holland: This doesn't just strengthen your relationships, but it also establishes you as a valuable resource within your network. I am often a connector within my circles and I'll now have people who come to me and say, Hey Teri, do you know a plumber? I'm looking for someone to do whatever to fix my bathroom.
[00:12:44] Teri Holland: Uh, cuz they know that I know people in my network or they'll come to me and say, do you know someone who specializes in this really specific area of business? Because they know that I'll probably know somebody because I've grown a network. So be that [00:13:00] person for people. It really does build up your value within the network when you are a person who connects people to other people.
[00:13:09] Teri Holland: Number seven, embrace continuous learning. Never stop learning and growing. Attend workshops, webinars, seminars that align with your interests and your goals. This will put you in proximity of people who are on similar journeys as you, who are also growth-minded, who are interested in learning. I surround yourself by people who will challenge you and push you to do better and to be a better version of yourself.
[00:13:38] Teri Holland: Jim Rohn said, we are the sum total of the five people we spend the most time with. So make sure those five people are people who you want to be like the people you spend the most time with, that you are in close proximity to, are going to influence your thoughts, your decisions, and your behavior.
[00:13:59] Teri Holland: There's [00:14:00] no way around that. If you are surrounded by people who are unmotivated, who are checked out in life, who are disinterested in growing, you'll be the sixth. It's like they say, if you're surrounded by five people who are heavy drinkers and parters, you'll be the six. If you're surrounded by five people who are smoking all the time, you'll be number six.
[00:14:26] Teri Holland: So make sure that the five people that you are closely associated with are people who you respect, you admire people who you would take their place anytime I. If you do not like what you see in those people or if you think, Ooh, no, I would never want their life, I would never wanna live like them. They don't belong in your close five.
[00:14:53] Teri Holland: It doesn't mean you have to cut them outta your life. And we've, we've had this conversation before on this show, you don't have to cut them out completely [00:15:00] cuz there's some people in our lives who, you know, we don't wanna cut out. Maybe they're family, maybe they're a lifelong friend and you don't wanna lose that.
[00:15:10] Teri Holland: Yeah, and that's okay. You don't have to cut them out, but you might wanna consider limiting your interactions with them, moving them to sort of the, the outskirts of your friendship circles, just and focusing on some other people. So you want to be surrounding yourself with people who you're meeting at workshops and seminars, because they're gonna align with your interests and your values.
[00:15:40] Teri Holland: And by continually expanding your knowledge, by learning, you become a magnet for people who also value high achievement. So put yourself in the places where you're gonna meet other high achievers. And lastly, number eight is overcome fear and be bold. [00:16:00] Building a powerful network. You know, I was about to say, it might require you.
[00:16:06] Teri Holland: No, it will require you at times to step out of your comfort zone. Don't be afraid to reach out to industry leaders, to successful entrepreneurs, to potential mentors. Be bold in your aspirations and don't be afraid of rejection. Every great connection started with a simple conversation, and as I was reminded by one of my coaches the other day, you are one conversation away from a million dollars.
[00:16:37] Teri Holland: I think about that. You never know who you're going to talk to, especially within the scope of networking. Who's going to introduce you to your next business, your next biggest client, or who's going to, you know, put you on their podcast and introduce you to a whole new audience of people that could grow your business exponentially?
[00:16:58] Teri Holland: You never know who you're going [00:17:00] to meet. So put yourself out there and be bold, and if they say no to connecting with you, that's okay. People have busy lives. It's not something personal. I mean, unless it is personal, unless you've done something to piss them off, which you know is understandable, but most likely it's not something personal.
[00:17:21] Teri Holland: It's just that they're busy or maybe they just don't have the capacity to nurture a new relationship at this time. Or maybe they're just kind of an asshole, in which case you don't wanna know them anyway. So reach out to people, make those connections. Be bold and be brave, and you never know unless you ask.
[00:17:42] Teri Holland: As my friend Steph, no always says it's the power of the Ask Teri. You just have to ask. And the majority of people you'll be surprised by in their willingness to connect with you. So remember that your network is not just a collection of contacts. This is a, [00:18:00] a community of individuals invested in each other's interests and in success.
[00:18:06] Teri Holland: Cultivate meaningful relationships, be genuine, and, and never forget the power of collaboration. So thanks for joining me today on Success in Mind. If you found some value in this episode, if you enjoyed it, please share it with other entrepreneurs and leave us a five star review. Those are always appreciated.
[00:18:27] Teri Holland: Now, until next time, get out there, get networking and make some new connections. Thanks so much for joining me today, and I hope you have a fantastic week. Oh, and before I forget, I also wanna share, I have some great interviews lined up. I already mentioned. One of them, Jodi Bourne's coming on in the next few episodes, talk about how she got her niche, how she really like nailed her niche in vacation rental marketing.
[00:18:53] Teri Holland: And also Amanda Putin, who's been on the show before, is coming back to talk to us about how to. [00:19:00] How to set up our businesses for success during a recession. So you will want to be listening to both of those episodes, which means if you are not already subscribed to the show, make sure you hit that subscribe button on whichever app you're listening on so that you are notified first when those episodes come out.
[00:19:19] Teri Holland: Thanks so much. Have a fantastic week, and bye for now.
