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Nolwazi Mnikwa

Over the previous weekend I had the opportunity to attend a top of the range networking event. It was a women’s event featuring women from all walks of life who had two things in common which was to learn and to network. In one of the previous articles in this column, I wrote about relationships as a key for growth and success and this event was the reality of that article.

We live in times where a vast majority speaks of different types of hardships whether in business or in their careers or the general economy, yet during this event there were women living in this country who shared on the successes of their businesses. The host of the event even went on to highlight that there were millionaires in the room. Now you are probably thinking “millionaire in this economy?” Well yes, millionaires in this economy, ladies in different sectors doing different businesses yet making great strides in their walks. Their stories bring out the impact of trusting God in business, determination, making use of opportunity, having structures in business, having a vision and working towards it. Yet the one thing that stood out for me is the power of networks.

You see, some of the stories shared by the speakers highlighted the benefits of having a supportive network. One lady speaker who runs one of the best events companies in the city of Bulawayo shared how her first 2 clients were from her network. Her very first client was a relative, yes, you read right, a relative. Relatives ideally ought to support each other and motivate each other towards greater heights. Her second client was so pleased with the work this lady did for the first client and that became one of her first big events and got her name out there.

Now look at it this way, had this lady not thrown the event for her first client, her second client wouldn’t have known her.

Similarly if you do not advertise your business or products to your network, no one will know what you offer and no one will refer you. The story shared by this influential lady is quite inspirational. Her brand has grown from strength to strength and she provides services for big companies within the country. It’s important to highlight that her events have a touch of perfection; she pays attention to detail and does not compromise on quality and standard. So that aspect alone coupled with her growing network is an ingredient to her success. If you find your network is not growing, or your business or products are not being referred, I would advise you to check on the quality of service that you offer, but that’s a topic for another day.

Still on the aspect of relationships being a key for success, one speaker shared on how her business is a family business, she highlighted how her children have assumed different roles within the company. This lady could not just sit back and watch her children become an unemployment statistic and she did something about it. Someone is probably thinking, “that’s nepotism”, but it’s not, remember she is the visionary and if her vision is that of her business being a family business then it shall be so.

It is amazing how networks were formed from this event, ladies found mentors to in business or in their careers. Ladies found customers for their businesses. Ladies within the same spheres of business did not see each other as competition but had conversations on how they could complement their efforts in business. It was such a beautiful sight to behold I must say. It was a reality of the power of networking.

At this point you may be asking yourself what the element of networking is and how it links to relationships. Networking is basically an act or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts. These professional or social contacts are a type of relationship. So ideally when one attends a networking event, they must have their business cards in hand and elevator pitch ready. An elevator pitch is a brief (20-30 second) introduction of you and your business that is designed to get across the key points about your business and also establish a connection with someone. The networks established during networking events go a long way in growing businesses because when someone needs a service you offer, they will remember you and call you.

So for today, I just want to re-emphasise the power in having healthy relationships as they can be a tool for your growth, development and success. This prestigious event I made mention to may have passed for this year but be sure to look out for more networking events. It is a wonderful opportunity for women to network, advertise their businesses and even connect with potential employers.

I would love to hear your thoughts, comments and feedback as well as relationship topics you would like to have covered. You may send these to [email protected] or to +263775978857. Keep safe and be blessed.