"You are your own walking billboard and your best salesperson…" — Loren Ridinger
Founder, Female Founders Fund
A: My top three tips for networking would be as follows: 1) Focus on having a meaningful conversation with at least one or two individuals in a room or at an event. Collecting more business cards will not result in a bigger network. Quality over quantity. 2) Engage your network by sending out a quarterly update with all the new things you are ... READ MORE »
Founder & CEO, Catchafire
A: It depends on what phase the company is in and where it needs me most. At times (for instance, when I'm fundraising), I spend most of my time networking, learning from mentors and building my knowledge from the best people I can find; but most of the time I'm focused internally on leading and operating the business. I always pepper ... READ MORE »
Founder & CEO, 85 Broads Unlimited LLC
A: Alexa von Tobel was one of 11 young women who interned at Milestone Capital in the summer of 2005. We wanted to figure out in "our lab" why young women didn't care much about investing. The simple answer was because it was boring! We formed a company called Market Clout and rolled it out at Harvard that fall. Because everyone was ... READ MORE »
Founder and CEO, ArtStar, Little Collector by ArtStar
A: We love our partnerships! I have partnered with MoMA Design Stores, Sotheby’s, RxArt, Giggle and multiple art fairs. The key is to lay out all responsibilities ahead of time in a contract so everyone is on the same page and knows their role. Clear and direct communication is essential for a successful partnership. READ MORE »
Co-founder, Women Innovate Mobile (WIM) Accelerator
A: Stop committing random acts of networking. Be strategic, focused and consistent in your networking efforts. Build your network before you need it. Recognize that networking is relationship building and relationship building takes time. Networking is about people. Become a considerate and thoughtful listener and networking will become easier. READ MORE »
CEO, Marina Maher Communications
A: I happen to love networking on both a professional and personal leveI. Any entrepreneur has to devote a significant amount of time to it. It’s essential to the growth of your business – not just for meeting potential clients, but also for attracting top-level staff, gathering competitive intelligence and learning how your clients’ products are perceived. Networking is as important ... READ MORE »