While it is not as interesting a plot as the movie, Meet Joe Black, it does have its twists and turns.
My chance meeting with Joan Nye nearly five years ago has become, in networking terms, a significant relationship. Joan not only became my client, she also advises me on my finances, is a chamber member and she and her husband are personal friends.
Not a bad connection considering we met at a networking event we only each went to once.
A mutual acquaintance invited Joan and me, along with a number of others (5 or 6 as I recall) in an attempt to start a networking group. Out colleague was an insurance broker and his thinking was that if he could gather people in a room weekly for a number of times he might get some leads out of it. As it would have it, I was was the initial speaker to this group at a cafe near the SMU campus, one Tuesday morning. We all gave our elevator speeches and I did my basic networking skills pitch. Afterward, Joan took me aside and asked if we could meet separately as she was in need of marketing help. I agreed.
A few days later we met at the same restaurant to discuss Joan’s marketing needs for her financial practice. We worked out the details. As we closed our conversation, she turned to me and said, “Will you be going back to that group? I probably will pass.” And with that we stepped away from the group we had had our chance meeting at.
The moral of the story is this: don’t pass up a meeting as it may result in a relationship that could turn into something significant. Always be on the lookout for new connections.
Relentless
