If you've decided to , you've probably been told you need to "get out there and network." But the world of business networking can feel overwhelming. There are breakfast meetings, evening socials, structured groups, and casual meetups. With so many options, it's easy to feel lost before you even begin. Do you need an invitation? Is there a fee? Are you even the right fit?
One of the biggest hurdles in networking is figuring out what you should actually expect to get out of it. More than almost any other business activity, networking has so many variables that it’s crucial to be realistic from the get-go, especially when you're trying to grow a .
People show up to networking events for all sorts of reasons. Whether you’re a business owner or happily employed, there’s a surprising amount of value to be found. But to really get the most out of it, you have to understand how to weave networking into your broader strategy, especially with marketing and social media.
To be honest, I used to hate business networking. When I first started, the idea of walking into a room full of strangers filled me with a special kind of dread. But over time, and after a very shaky start, something shifted. I realized networking wasn’t just a task to check off a list—it was the very thing that could make or break a business.
At its core, affiliate marketing is a simple idea: a business rewards you for sending them a new customer. It’s a performance-based model that has become a cornerstone of the modern . But long before the internet, this concept existed in a much simpler form.
Your salary isn't the whole story when it comes to your career's potential. To really get ahead, you need to know how to look at a potential employer, figure out what you’re worth, and negotiate the best possible compensation package. And in a market that can change on a dime, it’s just as crucial to know how to protect yourself financially if you find yourself out of a job.
My first investment wasn’t in the stock market. It was in myself. In the world of finance, they call it “human capital”—the value you bring to a company through your skills, knowledge, and experience. Long before I knew the official term, I understood a simpler truth: being a valuable employee was how you made money, and money seemed to be the key to a happy life.
A few years ago at a conference, a speaker asked the audience, “What is your first memory of money?” I drew a blank. The question is important because our earliest experiences with money form deep-seated beliefs, or “money scripts,” that guide our financial lives without us even realizing it.
You've already put in so much work, but this is just the start. Now you have to become a master juggler, a full-fledged freelancer. I think of it as spinning multiple plates while wearing several different hats all at once. The plates represent all the different projects you’re working on, and the hats are the various roles you have to step into, beyond just being the expert at your craft.