How Networking Saved My Life.

I wanted to put out a long form version of my story with networking and why I think everyone should incorporate this concept into their life. Towards the end of this article, I share how networking literally saved my life. Let’s start with some basics.

I define networking like this..

"Meeting with others to exchange some sort of value proposition or establish the framework for that exchange to happen one day in the future.”

In the business world I operate in, I seek to build relationships with individuals in other professions. If one of my client’s needs assistance that is outside my scope of work, there is a whole network of folks who can help them.

What if your job doesn’t really require that of you? Is networking still a valuable life skill? You can guess my answer to that.

Yes, yes it is.

Maybe getting to know the local butcher and then he decides to round down, instead of up on the weight of your steak. Or maybe it’s taking the time to talk to your mechanic as a person, funny how then random repairs don’t appear when you are in the garage going forward.

The cliché saying “It’s all about who ya know, not what ya know” is 100% true. Your ability to navigate this world can be improved 10-fold when you know the right people in the right places.

How did networking save my life?

In 2008 during a middle school basketball game I was fouled hard and went down. I ended up getting a concussion. As a precaution we had a CT scan run. Everything seemed fine on that end.

One small problem....they found a rare non-cancerous tumor deep in my sinus cavity…

My family and I were obviously stunned. Who do we go to? What doctor can help with this? What needs to happen? I won’t mention hospital names, but let’s just say the first few we went to were shockingly under-qualified and unfamiliar with how to treat it. The treatment plan and diagnosis were not very favorable.

Now what?

Here is how the power of your network can work miracles..

My dad is an Audiologist. Over the year’s he had built a personal and professional relationship with a doctor, Dr. Portugal. Once Dr. Portugal caught wind of my situation, he immediately told us to pack our bags, we were going to New York City.

Dr. Portugal happened to complete his residency some 35 years prior with a gentleman by the name of Dr. Vijay Anand. Dr. Anand is a world-renowned specialist, treating the exact rare tumor I had been diagnosed with. He literally has written books on his new way of treating it. I had a successful 8-hour surgery by Dr. Anand and a team of Neurosurgeons and was given a clean bill of health going forward.

Why I care about networking..

I often get asked why I care so much about networking. The reason is I have a deep-rooted sense of responsibility to one day be a person that is needed in a time of crisis.

I hope this encourages you to go out into this world do good on others. You have the ability to make this happen. Be someone who a stranger might desperately need.

“Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be… just be one.”

-Marcus Aurelius

AXA Advisors, LLC (NY, NY 212-314-4600), member FINRA, SIPC // AXA Network, LLC.D. AGE-146933(7/19)(exp.7/21)