May 4, 2010
When I was leaving the LinkedIn mixer last week I met Ricca Stone of LionHeart Assurance Corporation who invited me to a networking meeting that was to take place today at Ann Sather’s on Belmont. This restaurant happens to be the location of a very successful former networking group I was involved with many years ago. I am still in contact with several of those former members, which goes to show you that intense networking even for a short period has the possibility of paying off long into the future if you are around to see it happen.
Today’s event was a lunch and I had the opportunity to have a few meaningful interactions which I can count toward my challenge to meet 100 new people in 50 days. One of the first people I met was Gail Golden of Gail Golden Consulting who is a Psychologist specializing in senior leadership coaching. You can learn more about her at her website. I think Gail is a good fit for at least one of my business associates and look forward to sharing that lead with her.
I spoke with Tania who was there representing Blum Animal Hospital which is a well respected facility that has been providing pet care on the northside of Chicago since 1952. Mr. Bela Szabados is a business banker at the Chase branch at 3032 N. Clark and ready to provide business financial advice. If you’re in the area stop in and tell him Reno sent you. Bernie Halloran is a sales rep for licensed masonry contractor, Fortune Restoration. They offer interior and exterior painting and masonry for residential, commercial and industrial buildings.
The speaker at today’s meeting was Josh Studzinski of Focused Online Marketing, Inc. Josh emphasized the need to engage in social media and coordinate your efforts across all of the available platforms including facebook, linkedin, twitter and blogs like this. Josh’s company takes it a step further and will actually help you maintain your presence and deliver content to your target market. I think Josh is going to be a particularly good contact and I look forward to learning more about his services.
In the parking lot I encountered my old friend Tom Tunney, owner of Ann Sather’s Restaurant. We have not seen each other in quite a while and it reminded me how important it is to keep up with “old contacts” even as you build and expand your present network.
There were a number of other people at the meeting with whom I had a brief encounter but I am only counting those with whom I had some meaningful discussion and interaction.
So the count today stands at Day 7 and 19 new people met. Forty–three days and eighty-one new adventures ahead. Stay with me.