Epilogue
Become the Ultimate Connector and Make Your Mark!
The gentleman who sparked my passion for networking (remember the lawyer who took me to my first committee meeting?) is considered by many to be the quintessential networker or, as I liked to call him, the ultimate connector.
He took great pleasure in helping others build their business networks. He had a habit of taking young professionals under his wing, showing them the way, and then freeing them to make life happen with the people they meet. I have wondered what my life would be like today if I hadn't met him on that pivotal Saturday morning when I was 25 years old.
When he was alive, I thanked him on various occasions for changing my life, but he was reluctant to accept my praise. He didn't feel that it was necessary to thank him because he believed that helping others was just the right thing for him to do. There are plenty of his “recruits” who attributed the start of their networks to him. In the truest sense of the word, he was a “connector.”
The only thing he asked in return is that we go on to become successful contributing members of the community. In his early 80s he still represented his law firm in the community and I'm sure his networking efforts earned business for the firm, but being or becoming a client was never a stipulation of his generosity to others.
It's amazing how much we can impact someone's life by simply starting a conversation and connecting them to positive people. Aligning ourselves with ...
