Why is it easier to find a date online than a list of potential business partners? Resource strapped companies spend time and money on costly expansion strategies and outreach tactics, whereas it’s so simple to go on match.com and filter by multiple categories to connect with eligible men (or ladies) within a 10 mile radius.
This boggled my mind a few years ago and hence the origins of BeConnections.
In my former life, before embarking in the wonderful world of entrepreneurship, I used to map out business communities in emerging markets for investment climate reports that were distributed in international newspapers. My company would send me out on the field and ask me to provide them with a list of companies divided by categories, which could serve as examples of their industry in that country. I had to identify local resources and coordinate and spearhead meetings with industry and government leaders. This was my job and each time, I had to start from scratch.
I started doing this kind of work when I was 23 years old and lasted until I was well over 26. I was a young woman alone in often times a male dominated society. The experience was incredible and also very enlightening. This is what I learned on the field:
1. We are all people; don’t be scared of high-level personalities.
When I had the opportunity to meet Vice President Kgalema Motlanthe in his residence in South Africa, he was just as nervous as I was.
Johannesburg, South Africa
2. A door is never closed if pushed hard enough.
Be persistent and kind always. After 2 weeks in Kazakhstan I landed a VIP press pass for an event hosted by the UN and President Nursultan Nazarbayev. I was one of few journalists that day that had access to a room full of Heads of State and Cabinet leaders, and the only reason for this was because I sat at the Ministry of Communications for 10 days straight until I became friends with the press officer who gave me a pass.
Astana, Kazakhstan
3. Never underestimate a person’s network.
My driver in the UAE helped me land a meeting with the chief of staff of the ruler of Ras al-Khaimah because he knew someone who knew someone else that could help me get my foot in the door. Always keep the 6 degrees of separation theory in the back of your mind and ask for help when necessary.
Dubai, UAE
4. One lie can kill your reputation; always be straightforward.
Unfortunately, my predecessors hadn’t always been honest with their interviewees about how we financed our reports (local advertisement). As such, this damaged my company’s reputation, and as a result, I had to work twice as hard to gain our client’s trust. This is a great quote to paste on your wall at home: “trust takes years to build, seconds to break and forever to repair.”
5. Be open to new cultures, they aren’t wrong… just different.
I’ve traveled to over 50 countries around the world. I’ve eaten horse tongue, broken fish guts with my hands over a pool of rice, wrapped a veil over my head as a sign of respect, learnt the basics of local languages and have come to appreciate societies that are very different from my own. The more open you are to new cultures and schools of thought, the richer your business will be. Remember that people like working with people that respect and want to learn about their culture although they may not agree with it. To have the opportunity to formulate your own opinions based on experiences is a privilege – embrace it.
Buddhist Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal
More about BeConnections
BeConnections is a global and free B2B networking platform for companies. Our multiple filters – industry, country, event, and B2B community, help companies zoom into their niche partners/clients locally or abroad. Users can cross reference filters or focus on one category. Think match.com for companies.
BeConnections provides users with a bird’s eye view on industry trends, competitors and new business opportunities. Profiles make it easy for companies to stay in the loop on each other’s long-term achievements and activity, making profiles a company’s best promotional tool and a one stop shop for its B2B relationships.
Thanks to our internal messaging tool, communication between company representatives is instant. Unlike LinkedIn, status updates are about business development achievements and goals, and companies retain the connections created on their behalf even after employees move on to another job.
Join us on www.beconnections.com, hundreds of companies are already using our network to interact with each other everyday.
Pitch by Pitch 