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Joy of Medina County Magazine | May 2020
BUSINESS: THE NETWORKER
BUSINESS: THE IN BOX
Keeping Contact Without Contact
With Friends Like These
by Bob Arnold
One thing I learned a long time ago about being an entrepreneur and business owner is that you cannot do it alone. As I write this, my business is shut down, like many others. Also, like many other business owners with employees, the shutdown has caused me to have to make some gutwrenching decisions. It has not been easy. I am lucky that I have a solid network, including business colleagues, friends and trade associations to support me and my company. It is in times like these that these relationships are critical. I have been in constant contact with fellow business owners, sharing strategies and procedures to help our businesses survive this difficult time. We are all learning as we go, but at least we have each other to lean on. Calling a fellow business owner and talking candidly about situations like this helps me immensely. Another thing that is helpful are the social media pages set up by trade associations to share relevant information from the federal and local government levels. Checking trade sites daily will keep you up to date on the changing rules and guidelines. If you have not already joined your local trade association or a group that pertains to your business, now is the time to do so. Also, while it may not be the easiest time to try to make friends within in your industry, it is worth a try. Reach out to someone whom you think can help, or you can e-mail me at steveii@me.com. We will get through this.
All of a sudden, we were asked to stay to ourselves, to stay home as if we did not live among other people in our community, and to practice social or, more accurately, physical distancing. So much time off, isolation, and the closing of businesses and schools can cause a rise in anxiety for many. How do we deal with this in a society that depends on social interaction in its work and play? First, we have to restructure priorities around what is best for our families and our neighbors. This means we have made saving lives a top priority. The highly contagious nature of COVID-19 makes it necessary to take steps to stay away from each other, or we could see our circle of family and friends diminishing. At the same time that we must limit contact with each other, we also have to ensure our families have the provisions they need for health and sanity and then ensuring our neighbors do, too. Second, we need to remember that, despite the challenges, we still need to find ways to maintain our connections with the people in our businesses, neighborhoods and communities. Networking is an essential activity that we, as humans, require. To overcome the challenges presented by living and working in isolation, I suggest moving your networking and social groups to online platforms. These platforms have experienced a surge in popularity with many who have utilized them for meetings and networking. By using these platforms, you can maintain contact and connections with people in your network and maintain a degree of certainty. Bob Arnold is the founder of ONward Networking and the international best-selling author of “The Uncanny Power of the Networking Pencil,” which can be purchased at https:// amzn.to/2KSy3Xm More networking tips are available at “Bob’s Pencil Points” blog at http://onwardnetworking.com/ or by contacting Arnold at TheNetworkingPencil@gmail.com
by Steve Rak
Medina resident Steve Rak is an award-winning columnist and has spoken at numerous venues throughout the United States and Canada as the owner of Rak Consulting, http://www.rakconsultingllc.com/, and Southwest Landscape Management, http://www.sw-landscape.com/ E-mail questions or suggestions for future column topics to Joy@BlakeHousePublishing.com with “In Box” in the subject line.
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