From building connections to maintaining them, simple networking lessons can have an outsized impact on entrepreneurs' bottom lines
Recent research has revealed a paradox in common business practices. A growing amount of evidence suggests that connections with a larger and more diverse group of peers can greatly improve a company’s success. Yet, entrepreneurs chronically squander opportunities to expand their network.
“People don’t really mix at mixers. Oftentimes they end up talking to people they already know,” says assistant professor of strategic management at the Rotman School Stefan Dimitriadis, citing a study from Columbia University. “If these contacts are so valuable, why aren’t they making more of them?”
[This article has been reprinted, with permission, from Rotman Management, the magazine of the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management]