Help a Sista Out: The Importance of Networking For Your Business
Lady Lennia Ashley Sailer on Networking:
I played at a benefit the other day for one of my friends, and although the concert as a whole was a success and, of course, I always love to perform, the best part about it was being surrounded by such wonderful people; hearing about all of their successes and growths since I had last seen them. This particular group of people came from the same University as I did, and all ended up moving to the same place to start their own paths in their respected careers, bands, or whatever they have found their purpose in.
We started playing music, jamming, having a good time – but also supporting each other not just as buddies, but in the progression of our interests and dreams as well. From the start, everyone has been so excited and willing to jump on “the next project,” whoever or whatever was involved with it. Even when we’re not working, we are constantly bouncing ideas off of each other, and sharing perspectives and approaches – which overall makes us individually better at our crafts, whether we are honing in on it or not.
What started out as simple friendships grew into this massive intertwinement of creativity, and it is incredible how much we really outsource and rely on each other to better our own prospects. This made me really ponder the importance of having a strong pier network in any genre of business as it is vital to the continued growth of not only you as an individual, but to all who are involved in the project as well – whether it be a team, client, etc. This also goes both ways – being ready and able to help the people around you in time of need, and sharing your skills, could really help the development of your piers just as much as it can you (and it’s good karma points as well).
Having this network of people not only makes me feel supported and strong in my ventures, but also cuts down the costs for major outsourcing (ie: recording, production, marketing costs), and allows me to keep a consistent, high quality, product and a process that I can trust in, which is hard to find these days.
