Two young men just graduated from college. Both are very ambitious, intelligent, and resourceful. Each of them decides to start his own business. They’re offering the same level of service, at the same price point, in the same city, but there is one big difference. The first man is connected with dozens of other entrepreneurs and potential clients, while the second man knows nobody. Who do you think is more likely to succeed? If you said the first man, you guessed right because business is all about relationships. According to Michael Streets, here’s what you should be doing to expand your network and grow your business.
Putting Yourself Out There
The first thing you want to do is meet as many people as you can. The simple way to do that is to go to events, restaurants and clubs and start talking with people (we’ll cover what you can say in the next paragraph). If you consider yourself an introvert, then don’t worry. Becoming good with people is a skill you can foster through practice, and it’s worth it. As Michael explains, “It takes conscious effort for most people like myself to not be introverted, you just need to make it a habit to reach out and it’ll become easier over time. When I first decided to move to Dubai in spring this year, I didn’t know anyone. The first thing I did was write down four categories of people to meet, luxury real estate agents, influencers, broker/dealers, and attorneys, Since all these group’s line of work involve knowing all the high-performers in the area. An honest approach of “Hi I’m new to dubai and would love to get to know more about how things work here” etc works well, most people are actually quite welcoming to travellers. Sure enough every time I made a friend in these areas, a dozen more people would show up soon enough and it snowballs from there”.
Starting A Meaningful Conversation
Now you’ve gone out and decided to start a conversation with the random person across the bar. Or maybe you want to connect with another entrepreneur or potential client. Good, now what? What should you say? Well, Michael recommends you keep it simple. Start with a genuine interest in the person opposite you, or if you want to speak about a situation you find yourself in, ask for their advice in a way in which they’re regarded as an expert. You can also introduce yourself and see how that goes. Again, practice makes perfect, and simple things work best. People love to hear their own names, so make it a point to remember their names, some facts about their lives, and their features to paint a mental picture in your head so you don’t have to awkwardly ask for these details a second time.
Turning An Acquaintance Into A Friend
If you’ve met Michael, you’ll know he’s an experienced negotiator, and he’ll tell you that every successful negotiation is based on a win-win situation. The same goes for relationships. Don’t ask the person you’ve just met for favors out of the blue. Don’t pitch them your product or services. Instead, take a genuine interest in their lives, then you can aim towards adding value to their life, either by actually helping them solve a problem or by having a good time with them.
Who Is Michael Streets: A Brief Overview
Michael Streets can undoubtedly be considered a highly regarded SME entrepreneur with over $40m in private equity deals and a further $500m of financial transactions. But he believes it is his failures that other people can learn most from, “cover the downside, and the upside will take care of itself”
Today, he’s committed to helping fellow entrepreneurs fulfill their potential without landing themselves in crippling debt or making dangerous decisions. He describes accelerating the success of other pioneers as his passion.
The investment specialist also advises clients to focus on equity stakes and capital events rather than income and approach all situations with clear intentions and empathy. He is also keen to emphasize the importance of building trust in working relationships.
Conclusion
If you want to improve your life and business, then you need to grow your network. All you have to do is put yourself out there, engage in meaningful conversations and add value to people’s lives. If you would like to learn more about Michael and his businesses, visit michaelstreets.com, or contact him on social media platforms.
