Networking Insight

Chicago EFactor Event - Legal Aspects for Entrepreneurs 2/21

Below is information about an event that I am co-hosting with EFactor.

Legal Aspects for Entrepreneurs

An interactive workshop covering crucial tax and legal issues facing entrepreneurs and their companies during the business lifecycle from start-up, expansion and exit.  Our legal experts will give your professional advice on these and many more topics:

• Getting the initial structure right
• Rewarding employees with equity
• Exit routes
• Spouses as shareholders
• Research and Development tax credits
• Equity or debt financing from investors
• Having a group of companies
•  'Cleaning' up a group to maximize tax reliefs (or to avoid losing them)
• Inheritance tax issues with companies and groups
• Liquidations - when it all goes wrong

A key part of the workshop will be the opportunity to discuss with fellow entrepreneurs tax and legal issues they are facing and what solutions they found to be the most beneficial. You will be able to learn from others as to how to avoid legal mistakes and solve the problems you are facing now without spending large amount of money on legal help.

Speakers Include:

• Greg Grove, Principal, Much Shelist 
• Alexandra Dowling, Associate, Jenner & Block

Date: 2/21/12

Time: 6:30-9:30pm

Location: VentureSHOT, 744 N. Wells St., Chicago

Price: $10 Early Bird, $15 regular, $20 at door

Host: EFactor

For more details and to register, go to EFactor.com.

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Social Networking Humor

Focus Your Energy on Meeting More Targeted People

It is relatively easy to meet new people each week. Every night of the week, you have the opportunity to choose from multiple events to attend.  Also, you can reach out to your network to ask for introductions, which can be done online or offline.  

Regardless of the method, you have endless opportunities to meet new people. One problem is that you may be taking more of a shotgun approach to meet new people. When this happens, you will meet vary random people who may or may not be valuable to add to your network. In most cases, you will be meeting many of the wrong people. While it is possible that many of these people could introduce you to the right people, it is still not s an effective approach.

So, consider taking more of a targeted approach to meeting the right people. Research events and pick the most appropriate ones that will have the right audience. Also, join private networking groups that will allow you to get to know various complementary and like-minded individuals.

Take the time to review a contact’s LinkedIn network and ask for targeted introductions. LinkedIn is a great business tool so leverage it to expand your network.

Focus on meeting fewer people versus collecting as many business cards as you can. It is better to have a smaller but high quality network than a large network of vary random people.

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10 Motivating Words about Networking for the New Year

With each New Year, we need to start out recharged and sometimes need extra motivation. Below are ten words to think about as you ramp up your relationship building this year.  The below words are bi-products of good networking.

1. Revenue

2. Partners

3. Funding

4. Friends

5. Job

6. Employees

7. Growth

8. Development

9. Credibility

10. Access

What other words can you think of?

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What Inspires You to Build Relationships?

Why do you spend time building and managing relationships? Something must inspire you to do so.  Each of us has our own personal and business motivations that drive us every day to succeed. 

Below are some ideas of what may inspire you to cultivate your network. For most of us, we have multiple motivations.

• Desire to increase revenues
• Desire to build strategic partnerships
• Desire to find new employees
• Desire to find investors
• Desire to find friends
• Desire to find a spouse
• Desire for PR exposure
• Desire to gain credibility
• Desire to get promoted
• Desire to find a new job
• Desire to know subject matter experts

What else can you think of?

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How to Build a Professional Business Networking (video)

Best of Networking Insight for 2011

Below are some of my more popular posts for 2011:

January

• Five Reasons to Take Networking Seriously
• Stay Connected to be Connected

February

• 7 Keys to Successful Business Relationships
• Patience is Necessary in Relationship Building

March

• How Do You Follow Up?
• 10 Phrases that Describe Successful Networking

April

• Consistency in Your Message is an Important Personal Brand Builder
• Give Back and Build Your Network Through Charitable Volunteerism

May

• Ten Words that Describe an Ineffective Networker
• Take a Genuine Interest in Others During Conversations

June

• Get Out of Your Comfort Zone and Meet New People
• Establish Yourself as a Connector and Reap the Benefits

July

• How Do You Follow-Up with New Contacts?
• 10 Ways to Gain Credibility When Building Relationships

August

• Why Should You Care About Meeting New People
• Nine Ways to Embarrass Yourself at a Networking Event

September

• 10 Important Reasons as to Why You Should Host Your Own Events
• Attending Events is Good for Building Your Network

October

• Ten Actions of Great Networkers
• Position Yourself as an Expert to Grow Your Network

November

• How Do You Stay Relevant with Your Network?
• Why Your Network is Your Greatest Personal Asset

December

• 11 Relationship Building Tips for the Holidays
• What is Your Relationship Building Strategy?

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Social Networking Humor

Seven Words that Describe Your Reaction to Meeting an Uninspiring New Contact

Each month, we have the potential to meet both good and bad contacts. Most of the people who we meet will not be worth integrating into our network. In fact, some of these people can be uninspiring. Therefore, we generally steer clear of them.

Focus your efforts on meeting people who inspire and excite you. Take the time to build relationships with these people. However, you need to be reminded of how you feel after you meet an uninspiring person so you don’t focus much energy on the next one who you meet.

Below are seven words that may describe your reaction to meeting these uninspiring people:

1. Depressed
2. Unhappy
3. Uninspired
4. Upset
5. Insulted
6. Discouraged
7. Demoralized

What other works can you think of?

Similar post: Seven Words that Describe Your Reaction to Meeting a Great New Contact

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Book Review: The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy

The Compound Effect was written by Darren Hardy is the publisher and editorial director of SUCCESSS Magazine. He has been a leader in the personal development industry for 16 years. As an entrepreneur, he was earning a six-figure income by age 18 and owned a company producing $50 million a year by age 27.  Darren is a popular keynote speaker and has appeared on national radio and tv shows for ABC, CBS, CNBC, MSNBC, and Fox.

Below are the chapters of the book:

• The Compound Effect in Action
• Choices
• Habits
• Momentum
• Influences
• Acceleration

The author has lived a successful life based on the fundamental principles that have guided his amazing achievements in business, relationships, and beyond. He learned about “The Compound Effect” early in life from his father, which is about how making decisions, right or wrong, can multiply your success or failure. So, little everyday decisions are critical to your success.

The book takes you back to the basics of the core fundamentals that matter to achieving success. The author shares exercises and time-tested success principles that you can immediately implement.

Throughout the book, the author shares either personal stories of success or those of others, which demonstrates “The Compound Effect” in action.  None of these achievements happened overnight. With a lot of hard work, discipline, and making the right decisions, the people in these stories achieved great success.

At the end of each chapter, the author has a list of action steps so you can immediately start working on your success. The author writes in a very conversational tone so the book is an easy read.  If you want to learn how to achieve more success, then this book may be worth a read.

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