In the Land of Milk and Honey, Bring Networking to the Table

Steely Dan’s 1972-3 breakout hit “Do It Again” from Can't Buy A Thrill reminds us that “in the land of milk and honey, you must put them on the table.” 

Those lyrics and the song itself, well, subject to interpretation. It was the 1970's and milk and honey (and sometimes locusts) always seem to make their way into interesting proverbs or at least, songs written in periods of haze or glaze. 

Nourishing your network is a way to put milk and honey on the table. 

But what is it about the nourishing nature of milk and the miraculous and industrious processes by which bees and flowers yield sweet honey? Can't you taste the faint essence of citrus in a homemade jar of craft Florida orange blossom honey? A lot of work goes into that jar of honey or that bottle of milk, doesn't it?

Fate? Serendipity? Intent?

I doubt very much the band members of Steely Dan were penning lyrics while thinking of startups, and capital raises, and turnarounds and exits and private equity and angel funds and all of the other stuff businesses and their owners and managers deal with – and, sometimes being a founder or an entrepreneur in the early days, gives you such glorious operational tasks such as unjamming the printer, cleaning the bathroom or liquidating your savings account to make payroll. 

My father’s words come to mind, words uttered to me more than four decades ago working in our family supermarket in the summer when he said, “when you have a business there is ALWAYS work to be done.” That work is done by people, with people, and most importantly, through people.

My grandfather's words come to mind, "we can eat together, or we can starve alone." He knew the practical reality of making sure everyone benefited from a business situation, negotiation, transaction. It's important to share the wins. It's equally important to share your networks and help people fill their tables as well.

The African proverb (of networking) says, “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” 

I recall telling a client the week between the holidays and New Year's, "it is a New Year and it’s time to write TWO one-page business plans, one for your business, and one for YOU." And one of the top strategic priorities for both should always be networking. 

Who is the single most important person you need to connect with?

And what's in it for THEM?

Networking is hard, it’s another job or task on top of the many you already have.

But it’s essential….you know it is.

Writing a concise plan for your business, and one for YOU, and limiting it to one page, that’s even harder – but the value that plan delivers in 2022, and in 2032, and in 2062, is largely tied to the effort you expend to simply talk with everyone and listen, listen for the opportunity to help them, listen for the opportunity to make their lives better.

With networking, it truly is better to give than receive 

Networking (and the networks which result) is more than selfishly telling your elevator pitch; networking (the way I approach it and the way my firm has, for 25 years,) is about paying it forward. Better yet, give without asking for anything in return.

Networking is akin to a three legged stool which can’t stand with just two legs. Of course the “people” element is essential – think of the tabletop as the people – it’s the constant, flat surface which holds something of value, and keeps it stable and in its place – but it can’t function as a reliable surface without the support of at least the three legs below. Think more stable and less wobble.

Networking builds stability over time.

The three legs of the stable table of Networking are value, resources, and altruism.

The value is derived from the current or future exchange and leverage. The resources are the contacts, connections, referrals, deals, ideas, assistance, support and the most important ingredient is the altruism, the selfless approach to helping people before they ask for it, before they can see that they need it, before you ask for something. It’s really more of a prepaid, than a pay-it-forward.

• Networking isn’t who you know, it’s who knows YOU.
• Networking isn’t what you can get, it’s what you can GIVE.
• Networking isn’t about self, it’s about OTHERS. Not selfish, but selfless.
• Networking is about creating future value in your life by creating immediate value in the lives of others.
• And if you’re not networking, you’re notWORKING.
• An investment in others provides growth of your network which yields dividends and capital gains over time for you.

Nourish your network.

Bring it.

Bring it to the table.

Copyright 2021, Qorval Partners, LLC and/or Paul Fioravanti, MBA, MPA, CTP. All rights reserved.

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