How can you use your network to get advice for starting your business?

Getting assistance from people who have already been through what you are considering to start is one of the easiest shortcuts to take. In order to make the best use of everyone’s time, it will be in your best interest to prepare questions, potential strategies, and talking points. Having a well engaged network is one of the greatest advantages that you can have in a position like this, so be sure to keep the relationship active and ask if you can provide any sort of support in return!

The first step before diving into the new world, you need to find the answer: What is the difference between a job, a craft, or a business? This exercise will establish a viewpoint of the problem from the right perspective, and make a basis for you to further shape your personal goal. The major thought is a clear understanding that business is just a tool for achieving a personal goal.

Using your network to get advice for starting your business involves reaching out to contacts with entrepreneurial experience or industry knowledge. Connect with former colleagues, mentors, and professionals you've met at events who have started their own businesses. Arrange informational interviews to discuss their journey and learn from their experiences. Join professional groups or online forums related to entrepreneurship to connect with and learn from a broader community. Ask specific questions about challenges, market trends, funding, and business strategy. Remember, networking is reciprocal, so be ready to share your insights and help others in your network when possible.

In my own experience, being true to yourself is important. Starting a business needs more than resources, it requires willpower. It is important that before you go to your network, be sure of what you want and where you want to go with it. As I was starting off my Consulting firm, I did a lot of research and decided that the best way to go was to Partner with Businesses in improving their Structures and Processes for profitability and Productivity. Consequently, I identified people who were succeeding in this area and started following them remotely and those I could meet I talked to. This was very helpful and now I have established a growing business and I believe that the future is bright.

Having his own business himself, Cheng shares his insights on the advantages of being your own boss rather than being an employee. 1. You control your own destiny You are in charge of all the decisions being made in your company. The daily operations of the business are under your hands, “This leads to creating a culture, a brand and an organization,” said Cheng. You get to be your own boss and get credit for what you do. 2. You can find your own work/life balance Being in-charge of the company’s day-to-day operations, you get a hold of your own time. You get to choose where and when to work. You can opt to work from home at the most convenient time for you. “Your time is yours,” Cheng said. 3. You choose the people who you work with.

Industry and years of experience plays a huge role in the quality of the feedback that you are seeking. People from the same or similar industries will have the greatest value to offer. People that have more years of experience might have more contacts or personal stories to reference. There are a great many amount of groups and audiences to fit your niche, so regardless of the endeavor, there are people who have been in your shoes ready to offer some perspective!

How you approach your network depends on your specific goals. While seeking advice on tactical aspects of starting a business is valuable, tapping into your network early on can offer unique advantages. Those within your network possess a firsthand understanding of your capabilities, having worked with you in various capacities, such as previous companies, client relationships, or collaborations. They've experienced your unique strengths and talents, akin to your "special sauce." To leverage this insight, formulate a set of 3-5 consistent questions for each contact. These questions should aim to extract valuable feedback on your strengths and distinctive qualities.

How you approach your network depends on what you're trying to get out of it. Yes, it may be for specific advice around a tactical part of starting a business. But, you can also leverage your network at the early stage. They know you in a way many others don't. Whether you've worked with them at a former company, clients, or collaborators, they've experienced your special sauce firsthand. Develop questions that help you gain insight into what they see as your strengths or unique value. Perhaps you could even have a "script" of the same 3 - 5 questions you ask each contact to create consistency in feedback where you can pick up on common themes that may help you develop your brand, products, and services from the start.

Leveraging your network for business advice is a powerful strategy, and the key lies in the quality of your questions. Based on my experience, it's essential to avoid questions with answers readily available on Google. Instead, focus on crafting meaningful, specific queries that tap into the hands-on experience and deep knowledge of your contacts.

You never know where and when a relationship you've built will open a new opportunity. I once chatted with a coach for 2 years who wanted to build me into a coaching platform he was developing. We would talk and catch up for a few minutes once every 6 months or so. One day – seemingly out of the blue – he called and was ready to get started immediately. It paid off! I was able to partner with him to generate content to engage his client base, and I ended up finding a brand new customer base when his clientele hired me to work with them. Keep reaching out and focusing on maintaining your connections because you never know how they might play out in the future!

Buscar ayuda y consejo es un signo de fortaleza estratégica. Brindarla cuando nos la piden, u ofrecerla cuando detectamos que alguien podría necesitarla nos hace nobles. Todo ésto forma una personalidad estructurada, íntegra, que al hacerla funcionar en red con otros, nos orientará hacia la búsqueda de resultados virtuosos, que aunque no siempre llegarán en el corto plazo, mientras mantengamos a nuestros contactos, sumemos a otros, y construyamos con un objetivo común, el proceso será benéfico y de creimiento para todos.

Nunca olvides detalles importantes de tus contactos. Sus nombres, edades, gustos (¿por qué no?). Dales espacio y tiempo en tu vida, como ellos lo harían por tí.

It is always important to develop relationships long before you have need of help from your network. That enables to avoid coming across as someone who is only interested in "taking" without giving. A show of genuine interest in what your networks do, always seeking to add value, engaging with and supporting their work is a great way to build rapport and a relationship overtime. Which makes it easier and more natural when it is time to seek for their help. Humans are naturally wired to a large extent, to be more inclined to give back if they have been receiving something. It is the power of reciprocity.