Make Friends, Not Contacts
It didn’t take too long to realize that one of the keys in having a successful creative career is making friends, not contacts. You hear it all the time: “network.”
Networking is bogus, though. We live and work in a world based on relationships, not transactions. To have the opportunity to create meaningful work, one should strive on fostering meaningful friendships. As opposed to trying to “network,” aim for immersing yourself within a community of people who give a damn.
Therein lies a bridge between art and commerce. Designers and illustrators are more than just vendors, and the people they work for are more than just “clients.” The success of the an art and business relationship depends on how much each side mutually values the other.
Meeting and greeting new folks aren’t just another +1 to your LinkedIn profile. They’re the next lucky person you can share your passions with.
July 6th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Nicely said once again, Mig. You have taught me to take this advice, and it @&$! works. Thanks.
December 1st, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Great against people who talk about “leveraging their friends”. Well done!
December 1st, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I disagree… kinda. College students across fields are told to “network your ass off”.
I agree with that statement. In today’s economy, you need contacts to reach your full potential. I’m not friends with everyone in my network. But I talk with them, learn from them, and so on. I’ve also became friends with people I had networked with in the past, but originally didn’t have a friendship with.
Here’s the kinda part… your network has to be more than numbers. You need to make relationships with people (though not necessarily everyone). If you don’t have friends, no one is going to reinforce that you’re (potentially) a great person to work with, hang with, etc. If you don’t have strong relationships within your network, you’ve just got a bunch of empty numbers that don’t mean sh*t.
Great post. Really got the wheels turning.
December 3rd, 2009 at 11:20 am
Colby, I agree with you actually. You definitely need contacts to reach your full potential. But I feel like more often than not, people approach their contacts with a “what can you do for me” mentality, when really, I feel like people should have a “how can we help each other” mentality.
Thanks for your thoughts, I’m glad the wheels be turning!