People Networking in the New World

Networking is the action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts. Professionals use networking to expand their circles of acquaintances, find out about job opportunities in their fields, and increase their awareness. The business owner uses networking to develop relationships with people and companies for potential business opportunities.

Many think that networking is just about connecting with people. Fortunately, this is not the case. Networking is much bigger than what you may think.

“Networking is not about just connecting people. It’s about connecting people with people, people with ideas, and people with opportunities. - Michele Jennae, Author of The Connectworker

Whether or not you have recognized, networking has shaped the latest revolution. Many businesses and industries are now flourishing on the wave of networking.

Here is my perspective.

What is Uber? Uber is a mobilizing company, although, at its core, it is a fleet of drivers (network) who come together to serve customers (opportunity). Similarly, Airbnb is a collection (network) of bed and breakfast providers who come together to serve customers (opportunity).

As of February 2023, Honda has a market cap of around $44.23 Billion. The market capitalization of Uber stands at $67.72 Billion. The valuation of Uber is 50% more.

Similarly, the valuation of the Top five hotel brands in the world stands at $21.33 Billion; that of Airbnb is approximately $80 Billion. Airbnb is valued roughly four times more than the top 5 hotel chains in the world combined!

The world is valuing networks much more than it used to in the past! The Infographic below shows some of the interesting statistics to support my viewpoint.

“The world has changed a lot. From Yours Truly to Yours Virtually! - Rahul Ladha

Networking post-COVID-19 has gone a lot virtual, but the basics remain the same. Try to leverage opportunities for both in-person and virtual networking to maximize impact.

Try not to miss any opportunity to interact with people in a physical setup. Attend the virtual conferences and events and instantly connect with people you come across in those conferences or meetings through social media for long-term relationships.

I hope you enjoyed reading the article. You may search for other articles by me on the topic of networking. Please feel free to connect with me on?LinkedIn, and?Medium?and hopefully, we can learn more from each other.

Disclaimer:?The views and opinions expressed in this article belongs solely to the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any entity whatsoever with which the author has been, currently or will be affiliated in future.