For the introvert founder who’s convinced networking means sales calls and small talk: the unglamorous work of building relationships actually drives the acquisitions, partnerships, and key hires your business needs.
Does the idea of ‘networking’ make you feel, “Uggh!” Me too, you could be forgiven for thinking that networking is a series of awful sales pitches from people you haven’t met. That’s not networking.
In this Lightning Talk, John will change your mind about the value of networking. He’ll explain why networking can be a hidden cheat code for you and share proven ideas to help you expand your influence, create lucrative partnerships, discover new opportunities, and gain new market insights.
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Transcript
A powerful force stretches across the galaxy, visible only through its effects: partnerships, acquisitions, key hires, influence. You already know the visible side: marketing, advertising, sales. These get all the attention. But consider Princess Leia in Star Wars. Did she create advertising? Did she send a hologram marketing list? No. She contacted that weird hermit with the right skills and an intense interest in the subject. Her call to action unleashed a chain reaction that resulted in the death of the emperor in six hours.
This is the world’s most famous networking outreach.
Three Networking Myths
Think about how Princess Leia makes you feel about power and influence. Asking someone to help with an ambitious project doesn’t make you look weak. It’s exactly the opposite. But let’s clear up three misconceptions about networking.
First: networking is not sales. As soon as you talk about prices or establish yourself as a seller and someone as a customer, that’s sales, not networking.
Second: networking is not about high scores on LinkedIn. A network is something you do something with. It’s interactive.
Third: you don’t need to leave home to do networking. If you can only attend an event once a year, that’s fine. Zoom still works.
Without networking, the empire would have cemented itself as the galaxy’s dominant force.
Two Modes: Using and Expanding
You’re probably not Luke Skywalker waiting for Princess Leia to come to you with a call to adventure. She’s not going to. There is no secret club for successful entrepreneurs. You’re Princess Leia. You need to make the call to adventure yourself.
There are two modes here. Using your network means leveraging the people you know. Expanding your network means exploring. You have a vision or purpose in mind. You’re trying to go somewhere. You’re out there researching and seeking the right people. Engaging them in potential mutual opportunities. It should be fun for everyone.
CEOs ask me questions about strategy and I have opinions, but really, the answers come from networking. You need to go to your market, or somebody already selling to your market, and get an understanding of this from them. See if it makes sense to them, not me or some other expert.
The Hidden Leverage: Network Edges
Here’s how I applied networking recently. I did an instant event. I started by reaching out to startup founders in the med tech space. That’s the exploration phase. Then I invited the most interesting ones to speak at my event. That’s the call to adventure.
Out of eight speakers, seven were people I didn’t know before this year.
This brings up an important point: the edges of your network are the most valuable part of your network. Yet most people spend all their time on the core. It feels good. It’s comfortable. But you need to interact and build new relationships in order to get value out of networking.
Getting Tactical
Here’s an example networking outreach. The format is simple. The most important things: explain why you’re contacting them. Show respect, maybe flatter them. Prove you’ve done some research and you’re not a bot. Explain yourself. How do you relate to this? Why you? Why them? Keep it short. Nobody wants to read a novel.
My recommendation: start by spending an hour a day working on building your network. Expand with intent. Interact with the people in your network. Keep in touch with the people most relevant to what you’re trying to achieve.
For the Introvert
You might find all this exhausting and intimidating if you’re an introvert like me. This takes practice. Business of Software is the perfect opportunity to practice doing this.
My number one piece of advice: practice speaking confidently about yourself and your work. Don’t hedge. I’ve made this mistake in the past. I’d hedge or underplay my achievements, and it shows a lack of confidence to people. It undermines whatever you’re trying to achieve.
There’s also a cycle of exploring and connecting and meeting new people. If you stick with the same people the whole conference, you’re not actually meeting new people. Remember: you’re welcome to say goodbye, schedule a follow-up meeting. That’s fine. Take an opportunity to help people, make introductions. Invite people into your group if you see them wandering.
Filling Out the Map
Your job is to fill out the map. You want to find resources that can help you accelerate your vision. You want to understand who the players are in your market, what their goals are, how it relates to what you’re trying to do. You can use this map to tailor a call to adventure that moves your business forward.
The Tree Model
I’ll leave you with this final strategic model: the tree. Imagine the branches as the aspects of your business. The roots are your network. Like in a plant, the roots support growth and stability. As you grow the tree, grow your network in the same direction you’re trying to grow your business.
If you invite the right people to participate in an ambitious project, many people will say yes.
Just ask Obi Wan.
John Knox
CEO Founder, Moving Average
John brings over two decades of technology leadership and organizational stewardship across seven industries and multiple economic cycles. As an investor and advisor, he combines deep engineering expertise with strategic business acumen to guide organizations through complex technological transformations and sustainable growth.
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