How Big Is Your Net?

Since creating NAMMAS two years ago, I have learned that a person's social and professional net worth is directly proportional to their network.  This basically means you can be of little value to those around you unless your network extends beyond your small circle of friends.

Here's what I mean:

This week has been one of my most fun ever! There were back-to-back events that I was invited to attend and since I love to be where moms of service members and spouses are, I couldn't wait to get there.  The first event was Wednesday when I attended an awesome forum here in Washington DC sponsored by the Air Force Association.  It was the AF Spouse Employment Seminar where I learned TONS of info to empower you to either find your dream job or create one.  The speaker was Sue Hoppin, founder of  National Military Spouse Network.  I had heard so much about Sue that I knew it was time for us to meet.

Sue is a humble person, but mention her name in any military forum and most people will know who she is.  She knows everyone.  It's not that she's been everywhere and done everything either.  But she is a connector.  She hooks people up together who are a great fit for friendship, resources, employment...you name it, Sue knows about it.  People leave her presence refreshed, more empowered, and just a little smarter than before they met her! Her network is amazing.  Therefore, she is valuable to most people, they invite her to speak, to coffee, to join things and to start things.  Her net worth is priceless.

Then Thursday, I was one of 150 entrepreneur spouses and veterans attending a mentoring event sponsored by INC magazine.   We were coached one-on-one by CEO entrepreneurs who've grossed at least $1,000,000 or more since 2010! What a treat that was.  For the first half of the event, I had the extreme pleasure of being mentored by my friend and powerhouse Babette Maxwell, Founder and Chief Editor at Military Spouse Magazine.  Babette is another connector, and it's no wonder she and Sue are great friends! The information she passed on to me in mentorship, I know is worth thousands, as we discussed business strategy and sketched out a plan to launch ideas.

I should mention that both Sue and Babette were mentors at this lunch.  Is there any surprise why they are successful both personally and professionally?

The key to all this is being a connector.  Go about your day as if your job is to hook people up! If you know of a babysitter, give her the number to a family who needs one.  If you know where the great deals are at the mall, tell your friends at work.  And if you hear of a job opening up soon, let your girlfriends know about it.  Doing this increases your worth to people around you, and it will result in them always wanting you around them.  You'll see opportunities opening up for you that weren't there before.  And you'll find that people won't want to make a decision without including you in the process.

Magical? Nope.  It's called service.  Actually, it's selfless service.  As Zig Ziglar always says, "Help enough people get what they want, and you'll always get what you want."

Who will connect today?