Stop Treating Networking Like an Event

A while back I made a simple commitment.

Every workday, I'd spend 15 minutes reconnecting with someone I genuinely enjoyed working with.

Former clients.

Former colleagues.

People I've met throughout my career who I respect and simply wanted to hear from.

No agenda.

No sales pitch.

No "just checking in because I have something to sell."

Just genuine curiosity about what they were up to and a desire to reconnect.

After two weeks, something interesting happened.

I had uncovered two legitimate business opportunities.

But that's not actually the point of the story.

The Problem with How Most Professional Services Firms Think About Networking

Most consultants know they should network.

The problem is that they treat networking like an event instead of a business process.

They network at conferences.

They network when they're looking for work.

They network when business slows down.

Then client work gets busy, networking disappears, and six months later the pipeline starts looking thin again.

It's a feast-or-famine cycle that feels inevitable, but it isn't.

Networking Isn't a Personality Trait

One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that successful networking belongs to extroverts.

It doesn't.

Successful networking belongs to people who build it into the way they operate.

The consultants who consistently grow their business aren't necessarily the most charismatic people in the room. They're the ones who make relationship-building a habit instead of an aspiration.

Fifteen minutes.

One conversation.

Every day.

Over time, those small investments compound.

Marketing Is an Operating System

One of the ideas I talk about with clients all the time is that marketing isn't a collection of campaigns.

It's an operating system.

An operating system creates predictable outcomes because it turns important behaviors into repeatable processes.

We build systems for publishing content.

We build systems for following up with leads.

We build systems for delivering client work.

Why wouldn't we build systems for strengthening the relationships that create future opportunities?

Operationalize Curiosity

The biggest shift for me has been realizing that this isn't really about networking.

It's about operationalizing curiosity.

Instead of wondering who I should reach out to when I need business, I simply make space every day to reconnect with someone who has been part of my professional journey.

Sometimes we reminisce about a project we worked on years ago.

Sometimes I learn about a new chapter in their career.

Sometimes I can make an introduction or share an idea that's helpful.

Most conversations don't lead directly to business.

They're not supposed to.

They're investments in relationships.

Ironically, that's exactly why they work.

Sales Become a Byproduct

The more I practice this, the more convinced I become that the goal isn't to become better at selling.

The goal is to become better at staying connected.

When you consistently create value, show genuine curiosity, and invest in people without expecting an immediate return, opportunities emerge naturally.

Some become clients.

Some become referrals.

Some become collaborators.

Some simply become stronger relationships that make your work more enjoyable.

All of them are worthwhile.

A Simple Challenge

If I told you that spending 15 intentional minutes each workday reconnecting with your network could uncover two new opportunities in two weeks, would it be worth trying?

Maybe it will take longer.

Maybe it will happen sooner.

Either way, the real return isn't just the opportunities you create.

It's rebuilding the habit of investing in the people who have already shaped your career.

Because relationships aren't built during the moments when you need them.

They're built long before.