Month: July 2017

Archives for July 2017

Expanding Your Professional Network

Your professional network is more than just a group of business colleagues. As an entrepreneur or small business, it takes on even greater importance and can be a valuable source of opportunity to grow and expand.

In business, its not so much what you know or what youre capable of as it is who you know. Keep in mind that key business decisions are still made by real people, and most often, these people would prefer to do business with those they know, as opposed to those they just met or have only heard about.

Taken in that light, its incredibly important to network, communicate, and keep yourself active on the minds of the people who run the companies you want to do business with. But its not just about knowing these people – it would seem a little self-serving to simply insinuate yourself on people whose business you want to cultivate – its about building relationships that are mutually beneficial.

Here are some of our top tips for building your professional network:

1. Put yourself out there

You will never expand your professional network unless you are committed to doing so. This means attending trade shows, conferences, and showing up for social events, joining alumni associations, and connecting with colleagues, suppliers, and even competitors on a regular basis. Play tennis, or golf? All the better. Reach out and connect in your spare time so people can get to know what a force of nature you are. Be yourself. Have fun.

2. Offer to help

When others in your network are strong, you become stronger as well. Dont pass up the chance to do a favor or two, as generosity often encourages reciprocity. Share what you know, offer ideas, and promote your colleagues company and their accomplishments freely. If a someone you know is looking for staff or needs to find a product or service, connect the dots if you can. If you can put two people together that wouldnt have normally met otherwise, your network has just become that much stronger.

3. Build your reputation

What are you known for? what do you want to be known for? do you bring something of value to the table? If you are seen as helpful, talented, smart, and resourceful, you will be well on your way to a glowing reputation. There are many ways to accomplish this besides simply showing up, too: stay active on your blog and social media and generally build your credibility through the public medium. Once you have established a reputation for being an expert in your field (and a super nice person to boot) the benefits to your personal network will flow.

4. Think about the people you want to meet and do what they do

Do you have an idea of the people you would like to add to your professional network? find out where they hang out, both in the real world and online, and go there. Whether its attending the occasional happy hour or joining a LinkedIn group, being a involved goes a long way to helping you build your professional network. Interact, start conversations, and freely share your expertise and insight, both through your words and through valuable content.

5. Listen first – before you respond

The ability to listen is one of the most engaging qualities of highly successful people. When others know that you are listening to what they have to say, they will engage more easily. No one ever complained about having to talk about themselves and will appreciate it when you take a genuine interest in them. Listening will also help you get to know people better, which in turn will foster strong professional relationships. You may even learn new ways in which you can offer to help (see #2).

Expand your professional network at Lakeside Executive Suites

Lakeside Executive Suites is dedicated to supporting the business needs of entrepreneurs, small businesses and startups with professional and flexible office solutions that includeprivate office space, virtual office services, coworking space and fully equipped meeting rooms. Our members are just like you – driven to succeed. If you live or do business in the Weston, Florida area, call today or drop by for a tour. Wed love to help you grow your professional network.

Yes, there is life after work. Or there ought to be. Here’s how to get it!

It might seem a bit counter-intuitive, but people are actually more productive when they work less.

Typically, the average person who is working full-time – and this includes digital nomads, entrepreneurs, freelancers and remote workers as well as your average office employee – spends between 7 and 10 hours a day working. The higher numbers tend to refer more to the entrepreneurial types, as they dont punch a clock and will often continue to work until they cant anymore.

So, what happens to your social time, your family life, or your hobbies? If youre like many Americans, these things just might fall by the wayside in favor of getting more accomplished. Whether that decision is fueled by deadlines, finances, or simply a drive to finish what youve started, the result is the same: overworked, burnt-out, and ultimately headed for the ditch at some point.

Too much work comes at a cost, too: besides the emotional withdrawal from your loved ones and causing harm to your relationships, there are health implications too. Depression, heart disease, stomach problems, high blood pressure, hair loss, poor sleep – all of these things can happen, even to the most resilient among us.

You might be thinking: thats impossible for me. How am I possibly going to get time off or make time for myself when I have so much on my plate? The answer is simpler than you think.

Heres a few tips to help make it happen:

Make YOU part of your schedule

If you are always juggling a full calendar, think about scheduling yourself into the mix. Make a commitment not to work on weekends, or pick a day (preferably two in a row), and stick to it. Its all about setting boundaries. All you need to do is make that decision and stand by it. This will give you freedom to attend your kidsbaseball games or school picnics, or afford you some free time that you can spend with your friends doing something you love. Even if you stay at home all day watching Netflix, youre allocating time for yourself, and thats the important thing. Remember – if youre not doing well, physically, mentally and emotionally, youll be little use to anybody else.

Turn off your technology

One of the biggest obstacles to unfettered personal time is probably your smartphone. Pick a day of the week, maybe Sunday, and resolve to not look at any emails or texts, or take phone calls for any work-related purpose. Unplugging, even for a short time, releases a great deal of anxiety. If you cant manage to do it for an entire day right off the bat, try it for a couple of hours each evening, and work up from there. Youll be surprised at how much more attuned you are to things that happen in the moment, and hopefully youll realize that there is more to life than – well, you know. Work.

Get active

Make a daily habit of getting outside and connecting with your physical self. You can go for a walk or a run in the morning, or take your dog for a long walk in the evening, go to the gym for an hour a day, or join a community sporting club (but remember to leave the phone at home)!

Getting your blood pumping helps to lubricate your brain, and when you get back to work, you will feel energized and ready to take on whatever may come.

Dont give in to distraction

When youre working, focus on work. Dont get caught up in office chit chat, dilly-dally, or allow something non-work related to take your attention away from what youre doing. The sooner you get your work done, the sooner you can leave and get back to that life youve been hoping to have. Turn off your social media notifications during work hours. Delete non-work-related emails. If you can, remove all but your own chair from your office so that nobody can park their butt there and keep you from getting things done.

Lakeside Executive Suites: flexible office space in Weston, Florida

If you see yourself in any of these scenarios, youre not alone. Most of the American workforce struggles with work-life balance. But as successful and as driven as you are, you dont have to burn the candle at both ends to come out on top. If you live or work in the Weston area, drop by Lakeside Executive Suites for a tour. Our flexible and fully-equipped office spaces are dedicated to powering entrepreneurs, solopreneurs and startups to make the most of their working hours. Call today to find out more.

Book A Tour.