Networking Not New

Every time I hear the word networking I think about my mother. Way before the computer was introduced to the world and even before the Business Networking Groups were formed she knew how to network. We would always take a walk downtown, look through a few stores, then sit on a park bench to do a little people watching. It was our exercise and entertainment. Yes, it was before we had television or a phone. My mother loved people and she loved to talk. She was known for her friendliness and her big beautiful smiling brown eyes. She never met a stranger.

One incident I remember very vividly was her conversation with a new resident in town.I new she was new because my mother didn't know her.
The woman sat down on the very end of the bench and just looked up and down the street as though she needed help. My mother asked the woman if she was new in town. She also ask her if she was interested in any particular store or item. By the end of the conversation my mother had recommended a grocery store, where to buy the fresh eggs, the best department store, and the woman's church of worship. And of course, she recommended my Dad, the carpenter.

What brought this method of networking back to me? It was the networking business event where you shake the hand, exchange a business card as you work the room with a drink in one hand and a plate full of calories in the other. It was the new power networking at the time.It went viral and considered innovative. You dressed up, spent a couple of hours at the event and brought home a hand full of business cards. What did you do with them?

What has happened to the interaction and building trust and respect. These are the people we actually do business with and gain them as a customer. Recommendations from a friend who has used the service you need is likely the business you try. Your friends will also benefit from your experiences.You don't have to deal with those business cards of those businesses you will probably never need.

There are still needs of social interaction to build a business or organization. Join and organization that meets and shares ideas, people who are like minded and help you grow. Use your social media to connect and engage. It gives you a chance to connect and engage building trust and respect. It still takes my mother's old fashion networking to build trust and respect. It takes interaction on social media to build trust and respect. It takes the creative ideas of a group sharing ideas and interaction to help realize the greatest reward of networking- a business or organization built on trust and respect.

Boo The Black Cat

The very black cat named Boo that you see in the photo was a subject of a conversation I had with a lady at a bingo party. I had just met her as she sat down beside me. We exchanged our greetings, introduced ourselves, and began to discuss hobbies we liked to do since our retirement. I explained to her I loved art. It was then I described my studies of colored pencils.

She immediately told me about her best friend losing her pet cat. The friend was so lonely and lost without her Boo! She took a picture of Boo from her purse. She told me she had taken the picture of the cat sitting in the front window of her friend's retirement apartment. Do you think you could do a portrait of the cat so I can cheer her up a little?

The question stunned me. I had never done a portrait of people or animals and, of course being considered a beginner in the medium.The thought of this woman wanting to help her grieving friend made me say : "okay, I will take the picture and try" So that I did! I tried and I tried, in colored pencils to do a black cat that showed a little hint of color. It took about twenty layers of color built up to come up with the portrait.To me it was a lesson in art and sharing it with another. I matted the picture so all the friend had to do was place it in a fame of her choice. I also made prints of the picture on note cards for her.

I gave the lady at bingo the picture and the note cards. She was so excited and wanted to pay me. I said no fee. I had so much fun working on Boo that I couldn't charge for helping her to bighten her friends day. She asked for my address and I gave it to her. Two weeks later, I received a thank you note telling me how much the portrait meant to her. Her Boo is with her through the picture.

Even though I never met the woman, I feel that I know her and will always be grateful for the opportunity to "share my joy of painting" with someone. With Halloween coming soon I will place my copy of Boo on my coffee table,