Networking for Small Business Owners: The Power of Collaboration

In the startup world, funding, partnerships, and opportunities rarely happen in isolation. They come through connections—the right conversation at the right time. Take the story of Tope Awotona, the founder of Calendly. In 2013, frustrated by the inefficiencies of scheduling meetings, Tope invested his life savings into developing Calendly. Operating from Atlanta Tech Village, he collaborated with the Kyiv-based firm Railsware to bring his idea to life. He poured his life savings into his idea but struggled to raise funds. At first, venture capitalists weren’t convinced—some didn’t understand the product’s full potential, while others were skeptical of its ability to compete in a crowded market. Rather than getting discouraged, Awotona focused on making connections with investors who shared his vision. In 2017, networking led him to OpenView Venture Partners, which became Calendly’s first institutional investor. OpenView provided not just funding but also strategic insights to help the company scale efficiently. Then, in 2021, after years of steady growth, networking played a crucial role again when Iconiq Capital led a $350 million Series B round, valuing Calendly at over $3 billion. Without Awotona’s ability to forge relationships with the right investors, Calendly might not have reached unicorn status. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or professional, strategic networking can open doors you never imagined. Here’s how: 𝐁𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝: Before reaching out, understand what you're looking for—advice, funding, partnerships, or mentorship. The clearer you are, the more effective your networking efforts will be. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞: Networking isn’t just about taking; it’s about giving. Share insights, introduce contacts, or offer help where you can. Relationships built on mutual benefit last longer. 𝐁𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐞: Attend the right conferences and events for your sector. Surround yourself with people who share your interests and aspirations. 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Cold outreach can work, but a warm introduction from a mutual connection is far more effective. Build relationships with connectors who can introduce you to the right people. 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐔𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝: A single conversation isn’t enough. Stay in touch and continue providing value. Long-term relationships often lead to the biggest opportunities. Awotona’s story is proof that networking isn’t just about meeting people—it’s about building relationships that can change the course of your business or career. So ask yourself: Are you positioning yourself in the right circles? Are you engaging in conversations that could change your journey? Because in this ecosystem, sometimes the right handshake is worth more than a hundred cold emails.

You see other entrepreneurs getting tagged in viral posts, name-dropped on podcasts, and invited into exclusive rooms. Meanwhile, you're stuck sending cold DMs that go unread. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵? 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲. Most people fail at networking because they do it backwards. They ask before they give. They show up only when they need something. But real networking is about building relationships before you need them. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻 𝟱 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀: 👠 𝘛𝘢𝘱 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘌𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 – Find the gatekeepers: podcast hosts, event organizers, and community builders. Instead of building a network from scratch, plug into one. 👠 𝘓𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘉𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘬 – Stop pitching. Instead, ask: What’s your biggest goal this year? What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing? Then shut up and listen. 👠 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘴, 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘖𝘸𝘯 – Want to be remembered? Help people win. If you can solve their problem, do it. If you know someone who can, make the intro. 👠 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 – Follow up when they land a big deal, hit a rough patch, or even on their birthday. The best networkers don’t just connect—they stay connected. 👠 𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘠𝘰𝘶 – The highest level of networking? Having people come to you. If you’re not posting, you’re invisible. Build a reputation before you even walk into the room. Most people treat networking as a transaction—but relationships compound. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸: 1. Pick one person you admire. 2. Engage with their content. 3. Get on a call. 4. Ask what they need help with. 5. Find a way to help. Do this consistently, and in 12 months, your network will be unrecognizable. DM me after a week and LMK how it's going! #Entrepreneurship #Networking #BusinessGrowth #Founders #Startups

Recently,, a client shared with our community... “Attachment creates this neediness. Learning to network without a hard agenda shifted everything for me.” So, let’s talk about networking, because so many of you are doing it wrong. Here’s the deal: When you’re an entrepreneur, networking isn’t just about swapping business cards or chasing leads. It’s about building real relationships that add value to both sides. But here’s the irony: The more attached you are to getting something from a conversation, the less effective you’ll be. People can feel the desperation. That “hard agenda” vibe? It repels the very opportunities you’re hoping to create. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗠𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀: • 85% of jobs and opportunities come from networking, yet only 25% of professionals actually approach it strategically (Source: LinkedIn). • For 72% of successful entrepreneurs, authentic connections are the #1 factor driving their success (Source: Entrepreneur Magazine). If you’re not networking with intention and authenticity, here’s what you’re risking: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗮𝘆 • Strained Relationships: People can smell a self-serving agenda a mile away, and it damages trust. • Missed Opportunities: When you focus only on short-term results, you miss the long-term value of genuine connections. • Networking Fatigue: Constantly chasing outcomes instead of building relationships will burn you out. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼 1) Focus on Connection, Not Outcomes: Approach conversations with curiosity. Ask about their journey, challenges, and goals—not what they can do for you. Example: “What’s been the most exciting project you’ve worked on lately?” 2) Give Before You Ask: Share value first. Introduce them to someone in your network, send them a relevant article, or offer insight. The fastest way to build trust is to help someone without expecting anything in return. 3) Set a Networking Goal: Forget about making 10 shallow connections at a conference. Instead, aim for 2–3 meaningful ones per month—the kind where you’re both excited to stay in touch. 4) Follow Up Thoughtfully: After you meet someone, send a personalized note. Share a resource or insight that’s relevant to them. Relationships are built in the follow-ups, not the first handshake. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 Networking isn’t about collecting contacts or closing deals—it’s about building relationships that compound over time. The more you give without expecting, the more opportunities will naturally come your way. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹? Download the Networking Playbook to learn how to map your connections, build authentic relationships, and create opportunities that last. Comment "PLAYBOOK" below or DM me and I'll get it sent your way.

Supporting one another as entrepreneurs, contractors, and business owners is crucial in an industry where we often face challenges alone. Whether it’s through direct encouragement, referrals, or simply sharing knowledge, support matters. In the trenches of our daily work, dealing with customers and navigating tough situations, having a network to rely on can make all the difference. Customers often depend on our expertise, not just to deliver great work, but to recommend others who can help them with their next project. If I’m a roofer and a homeowner is happy with my work, they’re likely to ask me for a trusted flooring contractor or plumber. By recommending someone I trust—someone who shares my values for quality and reliability—I’m not only saving the customer time and stress, but also creating new opportunities for my fellow business owner. Referrals are powerful because they build on trust. A referral carries credibility and often results in a higher chance of closing a deal. This creates a win-win: the customer finds a reliable contractor, the contractor gains a new lead, and the referring business owner strengthens their reputation. Let’s focus on collaboration over competition. By lifting each other up, we create a stronger, more reliable network, adding value to our businesses, our customers, and our industry as a whole. Together, we succeed.

People ask me how I make valuable connections at events. My secret? I stopped treating networking like a 'checkbox task.' People ask me how I leave events with leads—not just a stack of cards. My secret? I focus on meaningful conversations, not just 'weather' talk. People ask me how I turn a simple intro into future collaborations. My secret? I show up with intention, not just for attendance. But the truth is… There is no secret. Just genuine effort and curiosity. 😊 To build relationships that actually matter, you get out of networking what you choose to invest in it. 5 things that changed me from a hearing-aid-wearing introvert to a well-networked business owner: → 𝗚𝗼 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲. Who do you want to meet? What kind of conversations do you want to have? Don’t just “see what happens.” → 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Instead of “So, what do you do?” try “What has you excited to work lately?” → 𝗕𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. Listen more than you talk. People remember how you made them feel, not your elevator pitch. → 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁. The real connection happens after the event. Send a message, set up a coffee, or simply thank them for the conversation. → 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 > 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆. One meaningful connection beats ten forgettable chats every time. Want to get more out of networking? Show up for connection, not just attendance. The best relationships I’ve built didn’t happen in the room—they happened because I stayed intentional after I left. __ If you’re new here, I’m Andy Milligan 👋🏻 I design + build brands that return on the investment, and I’m sharing my journey building MMG Design along the way.