One huge piece of advice I would give to anybody trying to succeed or advance, NETWORK. Networking is such a key component to getting to where you want to be. As the famous saying goes, "It's not always what you know, but who you know."
On Tuesday evening, Alpha Kappa Psi of Western Michigan University put on a networking event with guest speaker, Comer Holdings LLC. Les Stansbery, Chief Financial Officer. I am so glad I attended this event. Les was very personable and informative on his advise. He started off with a bachelors degree in financing then obtained an MBA soon after graduation. He obtained a diverse work experience in his younger years, then an amazing opportunity was presented to him of being the chief financial officer of Comer Holdings LLC. He really gave me a new perspective on how opportunities can come about just because of who you know and who you have met over the years.
Key takeaways:
Get out of your comfort zone.
Attend networking events in and outside of your field of expertise.
Success in your circle.
Surround yourself with individuals who are either where you want to be or can connect you the people who are where you want to be.
Know what you want.
Keep the end goal in mind. When attending networking events, nothing is worse than getting in front of that CEO and you don't know what you want to accomplish from this relationship.
Know yourself.
If you aren't an outgoing person, it can be difficult to network at events sometimes. Maybe attend the event with someone who is more outgoing, so they will be the ones to help break the ice at the beginning of conversations.
Followup and maintain relationships.
After meeting someone and getting their business card, use it.
Be memorable.
Make sure you say at least one thing about yourself that the other person won't forget about you. They may not remember your name, but an interesting fact or tidbit about yourself can keep a lasting impression.
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