When I decided to start this business, I made a conscious effort to “dream big”. That doesn’t mean I wanted to grow the business big, just dream my ideal work situation. So now that I have dared to dream, my motivation is not letting the dream die. That said, as a new business venture, it gets frustrating and overwhelming when it comes to finding new business and growing business relationships. There are companies with which I know Tripp Co. would mesh well. The trick is finding that “in”. LinkedIn is definitely a resource for us but I have grown to believe that LinkedIn is just a working stiff version of Facebook. Most people are on there to meet up with old co-workers and look for employment. They don’t play the networking game well and maximize it’s potential. If someone asks for an introduction, give it to them… or as a professional courtesy, explain to them why you are not doing so. It’s not called “anti-social media”.
Now that I’m off the soap-box we can continue… I am now starting to explore traditional networking avenues — Chambers of Commerce, RCGA, even a speed networking event. I don’t know if these will prove any benefit, but I figure that it’s worth the try. They’ve worked for centuries so I don’t want to abandon them just because LinkedIn is the bright shiny penny.