Adrie's Blog

The unexpected

This week was one of maximising the possibilities of networking and having unexpected meetings leading to spontaneous and often beautiful new opportunities.

When building an organisation, you will need to optimise and use your network in every possible way. On the one hand, you need your network to grow your list of clients or members. On the other hand to build your team, or to raise funding. In all scenarios - the one thing you need to be able to do, is to mobilise your network quickly. To ask your contacts if they know the people you need to know, it is crucial that you build a strong trust relationship with your network and thus build credibility that allows you to utilise those connections quickly when you need them.

In the six months since we have been operating from San Francisco, we have noticed that with a moderate effort, you can quickly establish a large network. You do have to realise however, that people do, and should, have a feeling that this is a two way street. It's never only about asking, its always also about giving, and often the giving comes first. Make sure you do stick to your promises and agreements and be there for the long term. To deepen relationships, you will need to invest - go out for dinner, explain who you are, what your vision is and what your goals are. Go and play golf or whatever is interesting to both parties - in the end it is always about the original "click" or chemistry and then how you build on that.

This week I met the Sensei
Speaking of click, it often leads to chance meetings, where you are introduced to people you didn't know before or who are in a very different business. But you immediately recognise that chemistry - it's not something you can even put your finger on, but always consists of a cocktail of ingredients - like age, the same interest, business ethics and so on. And you will know that the chemistry is there because even with someone you barely met five minutes ago, you feel that you understand each other without saying much. You can enter a conversation with openness and understanding, rather then tiptoeing around the subject. I had just such a great meeting this week in LA and the result is that within 48 hours things have gotten rolling, which is just a wonder to see. Such a meeting gives both parties incredible energy and satisfaction.

Someone once told me that if you want to meet interesting people or spot great opportunities, you will need to look under many a rock. It's rare that you will find something of beauty - but if you don't make the effort of turning all these rocks - you will never find that one gem.