LinkedIn. Let's talk about it.

The first time I heard about LinkedIn was by accident. To explain what LinkedIn means to me and how I found it, requires some background. As I had finished high school I was planning to go into the medical field to become an OB/ GYN. Yes I know what you're saying, how does someone who planned to go into the field of healthcare become a salesman and aspiring software/ technology founder? Well, as Ralph Waldo Emerson put it," Make yourself necessary to somebody. "

I had just returned from living and working in Washington DC for my college degree and I needed a job. My then girlfriend was living upstate and we knew we were going to get married soon so money was of the essence. I had found an opening online for a Sales Representative position with a pest control company and I didn't see the harm in it. The job offered good pay, it was close to home, and it was only for a short time until I found a more appropriate position to gain me experience for the medical field.

Well, fast forward a couple of years and it turns out that business was what I was meant to do. I became the top representative in the company, taught others how to sell efficiently and with integrity, and grew in my desire to one day start my own company. Now that you've sat through all that framework, let's tie in LinkedIn. My mom is a very accomplished business woman and has always advised me in how to be successful within it. I had returned from work one day and was relaxing on my bed. My mom entered my room and asked me if I was on LinkedIn now that I had entered into the business field rather than the medical field. I replied that I didn't know what it was and immediately went to downloading and researching.

There was a lot of learning to do along the way. The biggest lesson I've learned is that I get out of LinkedIn what I put into it. For a long time I did not post, comment, or check in on LinkedIn. Simply put, my information would sit on LinkedIn for the occasional person to view. The change to become active on LinkedIn happened because I realized that I wanted to form something bigger than myself. Since I've become active on LinkedIn I have talked with stellar people, made connections with business executives who continue to lead me in the right way for my future company, and have absorbed an incredible amount of great content from many industries.

The only regret I have surrounding LinkedIn is that I didn't become active sooner. LinkedIn is all about networking and my network has grown in droves since I've put effort into it. As someone who has a lot to learn, take it from me. You get out of LinkedIn what you put into it.

Happy Networking!