By Kurtis Bell, ServiceMaster by Bell

Abraham Lincoln once said: “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” We know this to be true because it was said by the same man who once exclaimed: “Everything on the internet is fact!” Ok, maybe that last part was not the case, but you should heed our 16th president’s words when it comes to networking.

Being proactive about developing connections and connecting others can really help you build a solid web of connections. When I first began in business, I had an undersized (non-existent) network.

Thankfully I was able to identify this shortfall and align myself with a group of people that aided in the construction of my network. It was this group of go-getters that taught me about networking, and I owe all that I know now to them.

“So Kurtis, what about the old adage ‘Good things come to those who wait’?” That’s great and all, but waiting on your network to deliver without building a network or maintaining your relationships with your network is much like waiting at a restaurant for a meal that you never ordered.

Don’t sit back and wait for something to fall into your lap. Even when a huge referral “falls into my lap” from my network, what most don’t see are the years I have invested in making my network what it is today.

Take the advice from Honest Abe and a guy that experienced first hand what hustle can do for building a network. As always, thanks for reading and happy networking.

This article was published in the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce’s July 2018 edition of the VenangoWorks! Newsletter.