Posts from — January 2008

Steve Nielsen is the president and CEO of PartnerUp.com, which he founded in Feb. 2005. Prior to starting PartnerUp, Steve had plans to start an RFID business. He spent months developing his business plan; all he needed was a business partner with electrical engineering experience to help him create the product.

After several months of searching, Steve had to scrap the entire idea because the right person was never found. That is where the idea for PartnerUp came from.

Josh: How do you define Business Networking and why do you feel it is important?

Steve Nielsen: Business networking is connecting with other like-minded people to find the people, resources, advice, ideas, and knowledge needed to succeed in business. It’s important because no matter how smart or business savvy someone is, he or she can still benefit from the knowledge and viewpoint of others.

Also, in the context of PartnerUp, a key component of business networking is the ability to find partners. So many great companies are the result of great partnerships. Bill Gates and Paul Allen (Microsoft), Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak (Apple), Bill Hewlett and David Packard (HP), and Sergey Brin and Larry Page (Google) are all examples of great companies that were started as a result of friendships, which most likely resulted from networking in one form or another.

Josh: Steve, can you share one idea that someone could put into practice that would help them to improve their professional networking skills?

Steve Nielsen: In a networking environment, it is important to first give and then take. You have to first be willing to give advice to demonstrate your commitment to the whole idea of business networking. Once you’ve done that and established yourself as a helpful member of a community then you can expect to receive good help and advice.

At PartnerUp the most successful partnerships are the result of people who’ve reached out and been willing to help someone, became friends with them, and then together they started a business.

Josh: For some people knowing where to go to network in the first place is a problem. Can you share some specific resources, events, or places that you have found helpful for meeting new people and growing your business network?

Steve Nielsen: PartnerUp has been incredibly helpful for anyone looking to meet new people and grow their business network (I’m probably a little biased). In addition, local entrepreneurial events are a great place for people to meet others they have something (entrepreneurship) in common with.

Networking through business and entrepreneurial colleges is also helpful. With these colleges come a sense of alumni and kinship, and an eagerness to help wherever possible.

Josh: Steve, you’re the CEO of PartnerUP.com — can you give us a brief overview of what the company does, as well as some specific ways it would be of benefit to folks who may want to join the community you all have in place there?

Steve Nielsen: PartnerUp is the first online network geared solely to entrepreneurs and startups. We help our members find business partners, co-founders, executives, and board members, network with other entrepreneurs and small businesses, ask for and offer up advice, find commercial real estate, and find service providers for their business (i.e. accountants, ad agencies, etc).

PartnerUp would be beneficial to anyone looking to start or get involved in a business because it takes many of the steps (finding partners/startups, commercial real estate, business resources) necessary for entrepreneurship and compacts them into one efficient and easy-to-use site.

Josh: Can you share a personal “networking” success story with us?

Steve Nielsen: Our marketing department here at PartnerUp was looking for a part-time digital media supervisor who could help us analytically asses some interactive ad opportunities. We have a proud tradition of doing most of our marketing and advertising in-house, so there was no need to look toward a big ad agency for help.

By networking through our very own site, we were able to find a stay-at-home mom with some big agency experience. She had recently started looking for a part-time gig, so it worked out perfectly. She gave us great feedback and has helped make some impressive improvements in our online ad campaigns.

*brought to you by BusinessNetworkingAdvice.com

Amanda Mooney is a senior undergraduate marketing communications student at Emerson College in Boston. In addition to her studies, she works in PR and social media for Schneider Associates, i5invest and Josef Mantl Communications. Upon graduating from Emerson in May, Amanda will join Edelman Interactive Solutions in New York.

In her spare time, Amanda enjoys reading business, technology and style news, going to the theater, discovering new artists on iTunes and blogging for American Shelf Life, Launch PR, and i5invest.

Josh: Amanda, how do you define Business Networking and why do you feel it is important?

Amanda Mooney: I think “networking” has become a really negative word associated with the card sharks that pass out and collect business cards and LinkedIn contacts in droves; the ones that pull out these contacts from time to time only when they need something, as if each contact is a currency for a transaction.

In my experience, the best networking happens when professionals seek each other out because they’re genuinely interested in the goals and passions of their peers and work to build a relationship that mirrors the relationship they have with friends and close colleagues.

As one of my role models in business and relationship building, Keith Ferrazzi, says: “Real networking is about finding ways to make other people more successful. It is about working hard to give more than you get.”

Building these kinds of relationships is important to me because it makes me even more excited about the work I do when I surround myself with great, equally as passionate professionals and understand that we each have skills and connections that can help each other achieve our professional goals.

Josh: Can you share a few ideas that someone could put into practice that would help them to improve their business networking skills?

Amanda Mooney: Think first about how you can help others achieve their goals and passions and be less focused on the size of your network and more focused on its quality.

Also, never wait until you need something (a job, a new client, etc) to build your relationship with someone. I think that networking is a bit like dating. When you are out to fill some void you have, you’ll have a tough time; but if you build relationships when you are out to simply add to the great life and work you’ve already built, you’re suddenly very attractive and interesting to others.

Josh: Based on your experiences, which places and activities (online or offline) have you found best for meeting new people and expanding your professional network?

Amanda Mooney: Go to the professional and non-professional activities you are genuinely passionate about rather than the ones you think you should go to. If you enjoy theater, go to a show and make a point at intermission to introduce yourself to someone around you who looks like he or she’d be interesting to talk to. You’d be surprised to see the kind of relationships that are sparked at great, non-”networking” events like this.

Josh: Can you share a personal “networking” success story with us?

Amanda Mooney: I went with a friend to a beautiful New Years Eve party in New York. Over the course of the night, I spoke with the host, whom, although I was unaware at the time, was starting his own Web and angel investing company, i5invest. We spoke very briefly about work but enjoyed a really great night of celebrating with friends.

A few months later, I was planning to visit the city and rang him up to see if he’d like to meet and catch up. During our meeting, I learned more about his goals for i5invest and told him about my studies of communications and the Web. I offered up my ideas and perspective on his work. This conversation led to one of my first and current consulting jobs as a young professional in PR that I enjoy very much.

*brought to you by BusinessNetworkingAdvice.com