Business Tip: Embrace the Schmooze

As a budding business owner, the importance of networking - or schmoozing, as I prefer to think of it - is rather apparent. You hear it everywhere: "Network, network, network!" There is no stronger referral than word of mouth, and no one will know how fabulous you are until they know you and trust in the quality of your work!

I consider myself a people person; I love meeting and getting to know people, and I am an avid and loyal friend. So why is it so easy to balk at the idea of networking?

In business school, representatives of companies would come and present to our class a couple times a week. Those who hadn't been totally decimated by the market crash (which conveniently occurred the September I started my program) would host receptions afterwards, and my friends and I would always grab a free glass of wine and watch the wolves descend: classmates of ours, starving for job interviews, would jostle to be front and center schmoozing with the corporate recruiters.

I never engaged in any of that, and yet I ended up with my MBA and a dream job - working as an events manager for the London 2012 Olympic Park. What I realize is that I can schmooze with the best of 'em, but I just won't force it.

Now that I'm starting my own bridal advisory business, I know in my brain that meeting vendors and other planners is absolutely critical to get to know the industry and spread the word about AnyWay Weddings. But I've had a hard time getting the schmooze ball rolling. Thus I was delighted when Mary Hines of Chandelier Productions contacted me through Twitter and suggested we meet up.

Mary is fabulous and has tons of experience planning gorgeous weddings in southwest Florida. She has recently relocated to NYC and is looking to build her network here. I certainly have my fair share of work to do in that department as well... hence NYC Wedding Connection!

NYC Wedding Connection is the New York incarnation of an event Mary created for wedding vendors in southwest Florida. By gathering for a casual lunch, there is no pressure, no forced schmoozing. Just good food and great company! Attendance is open to any NYC vendor, and there is no financial or membership commitment.

If you are an NYC wedding vendor, we certainly hope you will join us! If you're a vendor elsewhere, consider starting an event like this in your area. After all, we can never have enough quality schmoozing in our lives, can we?

Cheers,