Nurture Your Network - Chris Gittings

I'm the host of?On the Schmooze , a?weekly podcast that features interviews with talented professionals who have achieved success in their field or industry. I ask probing questions to get them to share untold stories about their leadership journey and how they built and sustained their professional network.

Put insights from me and my guests into action this week and you’ll benefit from for years to come.

OTS 254: Nurture Your Network - Chris Gittings (click to listen)

Today’s guest believes relationships are the assets that always yield the greatest returns - maximizing lifelong happiness and fulfillment.

With his background in cognitive science & psychology, he understands knowing how to initiate quality relationships is a must for any professional, particularly when searching for a job, recruiting new talent to your workplace, exploring acquisition opportunities, building new sales relationships, and so on.

He is the founder of Cogent Connections, a young sales consulting and marketing firm that helps businesses build genuine, thoughtful, and productive professional relationships. He helps you connect with the right people, initiate productive conversations, and nurture your network.

Please join me in welcoming Chris Gittings.

In this episode we discuss:

• his thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is something that requires a bit of courage and the ability to take risks.”
• his experiences growing up being picked last and experiencing harassment/bullying in school.
• his love of watching and learning about history.
• finding his mentor in his high school history teacher.
• his developing love of human behavior and how there is still so much to explore.
• his work at The Cleveland Clinic with kids struggling with ADHD.
• how the relationships he has built allow him to take risks in trying new things.
• his strategy about asking people for help when he needs it.
• how he nurtures and sustains the outer levels of his network.

Listen, subscribe, and read show notes from all the archived episodes at?www.OntheSchmooze.com .

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About Robbie:

Robbie Samuels is a keynote speaker,?TEDx speaker , and relationship-based business strategy coach?who has been recognized as a “networking expert” by?Harvard Business Review Ascend,?Forbes,?Lifehacker,?and?Inc?and as an “industry expert in the field of digital event design” by JDC Events.?He is a Certified Virtual Convener and Certified Virtual Presenter.

He created?The 5% Advantage Program , a four-week certification program that helps presenters grow in their confidence with Zoom, online facilitation, and virtual event design so they can reduce their tech angst and host more engaging online experiences. Presenters have the opportunity to be "Certified Virtual Event Professional #NoMoreBadZoom."?

He is the host of?#NoMoreBadZoom Virtual Happy Hour , a popular weekly virtual event that explores new ways to design engaging virtual experiences. This event attracts 50-60 participants each week, 50% of them have attended 8 or more times, 20% say they lost track and plan their week around this event.

As a Virtual Event Design Consultant and Executive Zoom Producer, he assists organizations with bringing their in-person events strategically online. He provides virtual event design strategy, emceeing, production (managing the tech, including chat and breakout rooms), and training/supporting presenters. His clients include California WIC, Feeding America, Association of Talent & Development chapter, The National At-Home Dad Network, and the California Notary Symposium.

He is the author of the best-selling business book?Croissants vs. Bagels: Strategic, Effective, and Inclusive Networking at Conferences?and has been profiled in the?Harvard Business Review,?Forbes, and?Fast Company. He writes for?Harvard Business Review Ascend.?His clients include associations, women’s leadership summits, and corporations including Marriott, AmeriCorps, Hostelling International, and General Assembly.

He has been featured in several books including?Stand Out: How to Find Your Breakthrough Idea and Build a Following Around It?by Dorie Clark and?The Connector’s Advantage: 7 Mindsets to Grow Your Influence and Impact?by Michelle Tillis Lederman. He has guest lectured at many leading educational institutions including Harvard University, Brown University, Cornell University, and Northeastern University.

Robbie is the host of On the Schmooze podcast which features his networking strategies and talented professionals sharing untold stories of leadership and networking.

READ his "9 Ways to Network in a Pandemic" - www.robbiesamuels.com/9ways

Sign up for his free weekly Virtual Happy Hours at www.NoMoreBadZoom.com .

The 5% Advantage Program - Get Certified #NoMoreBadZoom

Right now, everyone is being pretty forgiving when it comes to poorly executed virtual events, but that's not likely to last much longer. If virtual events are part of your business plan you need to get better. We all do.

• You need the confidence and skills to up your game.?The problem is that there are so many new pieces of technology to master quickly that you can feel stuck, overwhelmed, and like you're running out of time.
• The reason options are overwhelming?is that you're trying to go from zero to 100 immediately, when -- to make the most of your time -- continuously getting 5% better would allow you to focus on the most important and highest-impact options.
• Why??Because you know it's true that if you try to do everything, you will accomplish nothing.?This means, to achieve your goal, you have to invest in a strategy to put time on your side.
• How??The 5% Advantage Program teaches online facilitation and virtual event design, but even more so, give you the tools for reflection and continuous improvement.
• Through this interactive and experiential 4-week program you will get 5% better now, will know how to keep learning so you are far ahead of your peers in a few months, and will be leading your industry 5-10 years from now.
• The time to get 5% better is now because soon you will be sought out, not just for your expertise, but for your ability to deliver that expertise on an interactive virtual platform.
• Interested to learn more about this program and get on the waitlist? Send Robbie an email: [email protected]

Relationship-Based Business Strategist & Business Coach

Are you ready to create a Relationship-Based Business Plan that will help you achieve greater impact (and income)?

• You want to have a greater impact and increased income.?The problem is?that there are so many options for how to build your business that you can feel stuck, overwhelmed, and like you’re running out of time.
• The reason?options are overwhelming is that you’re looking at them as a series of disconnected steps when — to make the most of your time — you need a strategy that connects only the most important and highest impact ones.
• Why??Because you know it’s true that if you try to do everything, you will accomplish nothing.?This means, to achieve your goal, you have to invest in a strategy to put time on your side.
• How??This program will help you find the clarity to determine what is the right next step for your business. A book? A podcast? An online course? Masterminds? Speaking on bigger stages?
• Together we will design a Relationship-Based Business Plan?that will allow you to stack your successes to create momentum and leverage your limited time.
• Robbie believes that networking is a marketing strategy?and coaches “expert entrepreneurs” to grow to the next level through relationship-based business strategies and hands-on support. Interested to learn more about private coaching packages? Send Robbie an email: [email protected].

Keynote Speaker

Interested in booking Robbie to speak??At?www.robbiesamuels.com/speaking ?you'll find video clips and a description of his signature session, Art of the Schmooze.

Watch his TEDx talk "Hate networking? Stop bageling and be the croissant!" at?www.robbiesamuels.com/TEDx .

Stay Connected:

• Connect with Robbie on?LinkedIn
• @RobbieSamuels on?Twitter ?and?Instagram
• New to his website ??Start here
• On the Schmooze podcast archive ?- over 200 episodes!