Robert Saric

I was fortunate enough to get introduced to international business coach, speaker and author, Doug Smith last week through a respected colleague of mine. Doug’s life story in itself is certainly inspiring and worth reading about – dsenetwork.com.  This post is about how my 30 minute morning discussion with Doug, really opened my eyes about something often overlooked by technical entrepreneurs.  It’s not what you know, it’s who you know… and, more importantly, who knows and trusts you.  My conversation with Doug, made me realize that for any of my startups to prosper, building a strategic network, or “roster” as Doug coins it, needs to not only follow a methodology but also, needs to be nurtured and constantly refined.

My Realization

After my meeting, I sat down and jotted all of the people that came to mind within my personal network, or “roster”.  I define my roster as my professional community – people I know well enough to ask for a favor without hesitation at any time.  Sadly, I could ONLY think of about 10 people. This was a stark realization. According to Doug, your roster is the top 50 people in your strategic network, all of whom you have worked with in some capacity or know personally. These non-institutional thinkers typically offset certain skill sets that you may lack, or they may just be super connectors. The effectiveness of your roster really depends on how committed you are to building it.  A great example of one of the most effective networks is Ron Conway, who happens to be one of the most connected and respected individuals in the Silicon Valley. In order to be involved with Ron’s network, you must meet certain important requirements. He cherishes his network and because of that, it has become an extremely valuable asset to everyone who is a part of it.

My goal is to build relationships, not numbers of contacts

Everyone experiences a lull at some point in his or her career. One way to jump-start your resurgence is to examine your social network for clues about how to get back on track. Doug encourages all of us to be brokers of quality not quantity. I am now planning to revitalize my network and galvanize my entrepreneurial endeavors by leveraging Doug’s prescribed methodology.  Doug is a superconnector and he openly tells people that he is willing to help, but it is up to us to build a meaningful, substantive network that is valuable to our business.

Research shows that if you create your “roster” or strategic network with trust, diversity and brokerage, you can raise your ability to be successful and raise your game from, what you know to who you know.

More than 100 years ago, Ralph Waldo Emerson reportedly declared during a lecture, “If a man can write a better book, preach a better sermon, or make a better mouse-trap than his neighbor, even though he built his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his door.” But Emerson was only half right. Creativity and insight are certainly important, but without an effective strategic network, you may never spark your imagination, reinvent yourself, or declare your sensational news to the world.

“A system is a network of interdependent components that work together to try to accomplish the aim of the system. A system must have an aim. Without the aim, there is no system.” – W. Edwards Deming

So, for all you entrepreneurs, looking to build your startup, who’s on your roster?  Has your network been one of your greatest assets or biggest liabilities?

If you’re interested in learning more about Doug Smith, you can subscribe to his mailing list at dsenetwork.com.  He will also be launching his next book May, 2010.