In the business world, networking is crucial for success; it’s all about building relationships and making connections that can help you grow both professionally and personally. For me, the traditional networking approach of handing out business cards and making small talk at events can feel impersonal and unproductive. That’s why I was so excited to find Cearusnet – a warm leads based networking group in Saline, Michigan that takes a different approach.
As their website states, “Cearusnet was created in Michigan in 2008 and is an expression of founder, Steven Zyskowski’s burning desire to help local small business professionals and service providers develop mutually beneficial, local referral passing relationships.” What sets Cearusnet apart is the focus on building strong relationships. The group encourages members to get to know each other on a personal level, beyond just their business. This helps to build trust and mutual respect, which is essential when making business referrals.
My group meets every Thursday morning at StoryPoint, a retirement community in Saline. Each member has the opportunity to give a 60-second “commercial” about their business and what they are looking for in terms of referrals. This is followed by a 10-minute presentation by one member, where they can dive deeper into their business and educate the group on their specialty. This week, it was my turn!
The best part of this week being my spotlight presentation week is that we also took a new group photo that day! I was thrilled about this prospect because it means that every single person in my group was present. Not only does a new photo provide us the opportunity to showcase our camaraderie and professional connections, but it also provides us with a lasting memory of our time together. There’s something special about capturing the energy and enthusiasm of a group of like-minded professionals. So, the time has come: here we are, in all of our networking group glory!
Check out my Caerusnet group here: