What You Need to Network
October 27, 2010 
6 Comments
Last week, Pamela Slim at Escape from Cubicle Nation wrote about her experiences attending three conferences in San Francisco, Las Vegas and Phoenix. There she discovered that many entrepreneurs “did not have a clear idea of how others could help them.”
Plenty of small business trailblazers have struggled with delegation at some point in their careers, finding it difficult to ask for help or hire additional staff. But this raises the bar in terms of missed opportunities, as Slim points out. It’s one thing to fail to ask for help. It’s another to find yourself unable to articulate your needs when someone volunteers to help you make those important connections.
Following Slim’s prodding, I am taking this opportunity to answer the five questions listed on her blog.
Who is your ideal client?
My ideal clients are web design and marketing agencies who need a long-term freelancer to create copy for several different projects. Not only do I despise writing the same things endlessly, I thrive on the creative exercise that comes from taking on a fresh perspective every time my fingers start doing that rhythmic tapping thing again.
Where should I send people who are interested in learning more about you?
Right here to my blog! Like most entrepreneurs, I work hard to maintain a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. I have my own website too. But my blog is the hub of my personal and professional existence. Plus, you can find links to all of those other profiles from right here.
Who would you really love to meet?
I want to meet people who make a living doing good, and I want to meet the people who help those people. Unfortunately, this precludes me from dropping names. I want to learn from people who have found success to be a quiet, satisfying thing rather than a schmoozy, popularity fest.
Which media would you love to cover your business?
When I was in college at IUPUI, I was part of a group of scholars focused on community organizing. I became connected with some of Central Indiana’s finest laborers through internships, courses, and seminars. I read books like From the Folks Who Brought You the Weekend and Poor People’s Movements. All of that is pertinent to the question, I swear. I want to eventually become more involved with the Freelancers Union in some sort of member spotlight campaign.
How do you make money?
I make most of my money in bed, actually.
That clever promotional idea I had for my writing tips eNewsletter? I was in bed, trying to sleep. That website I wrote? Mapped out in my brain while waiting for it to commence shutdown. I know most normal people get their ideas in the shower or on the toilet. I get mine late at night with the caffeine still pulsing through my veins.
So, fellow freelancers and entrepreneurs. Can you answer these five questions? Post your answers or your link in the comments.
