People spend a hundred thousand dollars getting an MBA to know how to do business. Others get a “stable corporate job” to get their feet wet and get ahead in the business world. There are also endless networking events, business groups and clubs, and books that teach you how to “network.”
Yet business is truly stupid simple. As Karl Rove famously said, it’s about who wants to go have a beer with you. Business is not that far from politics in that respect. If people like who you are, they will help you. Simple as that. And everyone needs help in business, especially when you are starting out.
Business is all about who you know, and who your contacts know, and who their contacts know, etc. It’s not a fair, democratic game. It’s an unfair game of people who like each other doing favors for one another. I don’t mean favors as in giving you business simply because they’re you’re friend. I mean linking you up with the people you need to get to, to get what you need to get done, done.
It’s all about connections. If people like you, they’ll want to help you, intro you to people they know, and become a promoter of your business. If you like others, hopefully you’ll do the same. And thus the business world goes round and round.
By the way, you need to have a quality product or service. No matter how much people like you, if you’re not reliable, or don’t have a truly valuable business proposition, it won’t matter.
You can get an MBA, join 10 business clubs, and read every business book there is, but if you’re not personable, if you don’t help others, if people don’t like you (notice I didn’t say your product or service), you will struggle in the business world. Especially as an entrepreneur, this personal touch is so important as you grow your personal brand and your businesses. So put down the MBA books, pick up a beer, and go connect with real people that can help you along your way.
