We all know that we grow through our associations and connections more than being by ourselves. It is a well-known fact that we are the sum total of the 5 people we spend most of our time with. At the Event of Champions, we encourage connecting and collaborating with the best entrepreneurial minds in the world through our private exclusive dinners and high-level VIP networking events.
Connections not only allow you to grow your network but also allow you the chance of not making the same mistakes they did. Making the right connections can:
- Accelerate your growth by 10 years
- Assist you in doing things right the first-time round
- Give you a platform when you’re just starting out
- Bring you more business
- Put you in contact with your ideal coach, mentor or business partner
Every major change or opportunity in my life has come about as a result of making good connections. Some people feel that they have to struggle to win, doing it their way to succeed but I want to show you there is another way – the way of making good connections daily for your business or for your life.
Let’s start with Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill – the best-selling personal development book of all time. What’s so striking about this publication from chapter 1 is the power of making good connections for your business, charity or career.
Mr Barnes, a man with no money, no influence and no education searched out the richest man at the time – Mr. Thomas Edison – to learn how to become rich and form a partnership with him. The story goes on to say all he had was initiative, faith and a will to win – simple. However, he knew by connecting with the man himself he stood a greater chance of success. He travelled with little or no money or clothes but with a burning desire to partner with the richest man in the world.
Mr Barnes did not get his partnership on his first interview but he kept pursuing. When the opportunity came, it did not come looking like the opportunity he expected or the way he liked it, but as the saying goes – it came in overalls and looked like work.
Mr Barnes was the only person who was determined enough to sell equipment for Mr Edison and boy he sold. Until it was apparent that their business relationship was one of a partnership and not employer/employee. (Oh, and he became a multi-millionaire too).
My question to you?
What answer are you seeking in your business or career that the right connection could help achieve? By just some hard work, committed effort and desire to learn over time the right connection can accelerate your income or growth. At our Event of Champions, we foster just that.
In one of Tony Robin’s older books ‘Money – Master the Game’ he quotes various business owners on their success principles when it comes to investing, saving and automation of their finances. In this book Tony searched out the best of the best.
Ask someone who knows someone else who can get you your desired result. We know of ‘6 Degrees of Separation’ we are just 6 people away from the ideal person who will save you time and money in your business or career. As a result of this Mr Ray Dalio shares the power of connections and how anybody can become free if they choose. Why would Tony Robins seek out such a man when he too is financially free? Well markets come and go and to stay ahead you need info from the people who are creating & changing the markets.
That’s why for me in 2010 I sought the advice from my business associate regarding mutual funds and I took my money out and invested it instead in property, I also met with a broker who has helped some of the wealthiest people in this country to invest even more.
Let’s look at Arianna Huffington, Founder of Huffington Post or as it’s now called HuffPost. Ariana and her parents moved to the UK from Athens Greece and she quickly began to push herself to the top of Cambridge University. In the 1980’s she moved to New York and charmed her way into relationships with the who’s who of New York City – visiting their shows, attending every event possible to meet with the people who could help her get to her desired goal, which was to set up the HuffPost.
Note here that she purposely went after and made a firm decision to foster those relationships to make her dream come true. The connections she made had the right office, knew the rules of media and journalism and where to get the right staff. In 2011 HuffPost was sold to AOL for $215 million.
You will not get to your desired goal by hanging out with chickens, your goal must be to fly with the eagles.
Back to my own experiences as a business leader and speaker.
At the age of 23 I wanted one of the best paying jobs in Trinidad. I didn’t know anyone working there but I was determined to get it. I asked to see the MP to enquire whether someone knew the CEO of that company, the MP said the mayor would have his details so I arranged to see the mayor. While sitting with the mayor the same gentleman came into his office to meet with the mayor, I was prepared! I had my burning desire and résumé waiting. When you really want something the opportunity somehow appears. Some of you don’t want it badly enough!
The mayor came out of his office – by this time I was already introducing myself to this CEO and the mayor invited me into his office to officially meet this CEO. I told him who I was and what I wanted and that I wanted it now. The man was surprised but could not say no. I gave him my résumé and told him ‘I am waiting on this job!’. I went home and waited for 2 months! I gave up my current job and I was confident that given the chance I would not disappoint. I did get the job and it was the start of my career and success.
Who holds the key to your next move? Your next big contract, your next big break. Who has done or accomplished what you want to achieve? Do this now – make a list of 2-3 people who can help you accelerate your success and business in the next 90 days! Not 1 year, 90 days – 3 months. And go and find them, seek them out and don’t stop until they say no and even what they say no, no means not today.
People who are successful like people who are tenacious and bold as they themselves had to be tenacious and bold to get what they want!
In order the get things right the first time round get with the right people. One of my mentors says, “Never accept advice from anyone more messed up than you are!”. This has been my motto for the past 5 years, whether it’s family, friends, business, colleagues, I don’t care – if you are more messed up than I am, why should I listen to you?
I want to encourage you in making good connections – be careful of the people who are giving you advice! Some people don’t want to see you doing better than they are so their advice will always be self-centred. Weigh it up, search it out and if necessary run from them! I always say – ‘Never walk away from a negative person, you must always RUN!’.
Last year I approached a friend of mine to put me in touch with a multi-millionaire property investor who I want to learn from. Nothing happened for a while but I kept pushing and asking, emailing and messaging – still nothing. I had put a budget out there that I was willing to pay up to £15,000 for an expert to teach me what he knew in the new ways of investing. Last November a friend of mine connected me with the same guy I’ve been trying to reach for 6 years! This guy – multi-millionaire property investor invited me to speak at his event! I thought, finally a chance. To my surprise, not only did this investor like and learn from me as a speaker but he has now partnered with me in investing and he’s going to teach me for free! I started off wanting the right connection to pay to teach me, instead now I have a partnership and am learning for FREE! Just like Mr Barnes and Mr Edison. (Plus I now have the opportunity to connect with his connections too!)
Now, in your business or career are there specific people who can help save you 10 years of lessons, give you the right connections and give you a platform to start out from? Perhaps you are looking to expand – what groups, associates, organisation can help you?
Before I give you some tips I want to share one more thing with you about getting the right connections and the power of connecting with the right people – that is find a mentor or coach. A good mentor of coach can help accelerate your growth and prevent you from making the same mistakes they did when it comes to wasting time and money and none of us wants to do that.
Darren Hardy – publisher of Success, as well as Tony Robins both attest their knowledge and skill to having a mentor in Jim Rohn and Zig Ziglar. In his books Darren Hardy talks about how the coaching and mentoring from Jim Rohn has helped his career as a speaker and trainer. John Maxwell says in ‘Leading Leaders to Leadership’ that his own life as a success leader is a result of him having leaders in his own life – other Pastors and Church Leaders.
A leader, mentor or coach can save you thousands of pounds and years of stress if you choose to hire one for yourself or your business!
Here are some important tips on making good connections:
- In the next 24 hours write down 4-5 names of people who can help you accelerate your growth, mentor you or be your coach. Choose people who are doing what you want to do or have done what you want to do and phone, email or message them on social media – do this for the next 7 days.
- Find out where they network, eat, play golf, practise, speak, train and pay and go and meet them – face to face if possible. Do so in the next 10 days – 2 weeks.
- Be prepared to get a no, not yet, maybe or I don’t know how I can help you – just be prepared to have the same mind set like Mr Barnes with Mr Edison and announce you have come!
- Ask a colleague who knows them to connect you with them, then be prepared to go at a moments notice.
- After the initial meetup or conversation – if online, by email, etc. ask for the opportunity to speak with them – we forget the power of the spoken word. Be prepared to follow up, arrange a follow up call or meeting – whatever is convenient for both parties.
- Go with all you have got, don’t leave anything out – résumé, business plans, reports, clear intentions and go expecting a yes! My experience driving to London for 4 hours for a 15 minute appointment just for the opportunity to speak at an event – that’s what winners do, make good connections! All the people who I wanted to meet were going to be at this event, so I wanted to be there too!
- Don’t struggle in your own business or life, learn to make the right connections and accelerate your growth, save time and money and earn more from day 1.