Networking - Learning the Hard Way

I ask myself all the time, How valuable is Networking? Are my efforts really helping increase the probability of uncovering new opportunities?


Why is it so hard to get involved in your local Networking events?


It seems to be a funny phenomenon in order to be involved in networking events, you have to first know a bunch of people and through those personal connections they help you navigate your way through the world of networking.

I want to share my personal experience learning the ropes of Networking in Denver and the surrounding areas.

Wanting to get involved in the local business community, meet new people, and hopefully drum up some new business for my company, I started to reach out to others. Everything started with an email I received a few months ago from a mentor of mine, Lorna Donovan. She sent me an email informing me of her next Advanced Sales Mentor Group she was offering. Knowing her well and the exceptional level of training she offers, I jumped on the opportunity to learn more from the best.

During the first few group meetings we had, she brought in a guest speaker, David Collins. He spoke on the power of Power Networking. Though I had heard this discussion before from many people, including Lorna herself, it was great to hear it again. David inspired me to use my contacts I have made in the last few years to find new business for my new job with Internet Alliance Group.

This was the catalyst I needed to get involved, use my contacts and attend more networking events. I did what most people would do and hopped on Google and searched for ‘Denver, CO Networking Events’, ‘Denver Business Networking’, and other variations. What I found was a bunch of rubbish. There was hardly anything showing up relative to what I was looking for. I found a few dating events, and I believe in this search, Integrated Alliances showed up somewhere in between a pay per click ad and a singles dating website with a bunch of photos of wasted sweaty people in a bar. Besides that I was out of luck.

That being the case, I signed myself and my one of my colleges up to attend my first real business networking event. We went to the Linked-In – Integrated Alliances Broomfield-to-Boulder (B2B) Networking Event. It was hosted at the Broomfield Event Center. It was probably the best place for a first-timer like myself to go. There were over 100 people in attendance, food, drinks, a helicopter, and everyone was so nice and easy to talk to. During the event I found out about other events going on in the Denver area and made tons of great contacts including another group I am now involved in, JESSI Search. This is a Sales Management group that meets on the last Friday of each month. It is a peer group where we discuss current issues, case studies, and have a chance to again, Network. It is owned and run by two individuals, Julie McFall and Garry Duncan.

Since then, I have attended multiple events on a weekly basis. I’ve been introduced to a plethora of new local businesses and entrepreneurs wanting to make their own business connections and help each other be successful in their own. I have found many people attend the same events, so switching it up frequently and stepping out of my comfort zone as often as possible has been the most successful way for me to make connections. Granted, there are at least 2 wealth / financial advisors at every event trying to differentiate themselves from one another, you can still use the power of networking and 7 degrees of separation to help grow your own business.

A great idea for anyone looking to start to a new business; There are still no great online tools out there for people like myself to find the local events and their locations on the internet. That said, if anyone is ambitious enough to do so, please, build a site and launch it quickly so the rest of us know what’s happening in Denver.