Social Innovation
Networking is seen as an obstacle to success by many aspiring social entrepreneurs. According to Profound Gentlemen's Mario Jovan Shaw, that doesn't need to be the case. Here he explains why.
Networking is a funny thing. For many, the mention of the word will conjure up an image of a room full of strangers trying to find the tiniest sliver of mutual interest, which is nightmarish to say the least. But networking isn't really like that. Not in today's world, anyway. Social networks provide us with a free and easy tool to connect with new people at our own pace and to our individual preferences. But that doesn't mean that the art of real-world networking no longer applies.
As co-founder of social enterprise Profound Gentlemen, Mario Jovan Shaw knows how important good networking skills are to building a successful business. Seeking to change the huge imbalance between the number of boys of colour in American schools and the number of adults of colour teaching them, Shaw and fellow co-founder Jason Terrell decided to create an alternative education system. Today Profound Gentlemen has nine communities of educators – called Impact Cohorts – across the United States.
We caught up with Shaw to discover how he networks across the on and offline worlds to continue growing his startup.
Social capital can equal financial capital
"Networking is obtaining social capital," says Shaw, on the importance of connecting with others to develop an enterprise. "There are individuals out there able to help you achieve your dream and fulfill your purpose. Therefore social capital will often lead to financial gain."
When taking the time out to build relationships, it's good motivation to keep the end result in mind. After all, as Shaw says, the effort you spend may one day create the turning point, as your enterprise dreams turn to reality. However, Shaw is also of the belief that the approach to networking should your reflect your personal identity and background.
"As a person of colour, I believe that we experience certain barriers navigating and growing our social capital. Which is why establishing communities of colour are important," he says. "These give us opportunities, even when society doesn’t give us a seat at the table – opportunities that have been very beneficial in my own career as a social entrepreneur. However, I also believe that it's important to navigate networking spaces with people who don't look or share similar backgrounds as your own."
Authenticity is key
Shaw is resolute in the importance of networking, but what we really want to know is how he goes about doing it. For self-described introverts, or those who are networking amateurs, the whole experience can seem fairly daunting. So what's the best approach to the situation?
"Relax and be yourself," he says. "I don't mind not being liked when I'm my true, authentic self. And I can't stand when it when I tried to be someone else and get rejected. I'm still practicing more on being myself."
Jump into the DMs
Shaw's advice isn't exclusive to face-to-face interactions. His genuine approach to networking also applies to the online world.
"There are so many ways to network these days," Shaw explains. "It literally goes down in the DMs (direct messages). I simply find people online that interest me and message them to see if they're up for a quick chat. I've responded to and sent loads of DMs, many of which have turned into life long partnerships."
The DMs are a great place to make a move, but they're a tricky place to navigate. Making the decision to start a conversation is one thing, but deciding what to say is a whole other beast – especially in a networking context. So what would work on Shaw?
"If I were giving advice on how to connect with me, I'd first start off by offering ways you could help me," he says. "But I don’t like the question, 'how can I help you?', because I have to think of ways you can help me. Be specific. For example, 'can I help you by sharing your event flyer with my friends?'. How could I say no to that? After making that connection, I now know what you can offer and would definitely recommend your services to others."
Social media is a tool. Use it
Social networks are called so for good reason. They enable us to form and develop connections that probably wouldn't have ever happened otherwise, but that's also where the criticism comes from. We so enjoy communicating on these platforms that it's difficult to not become reliant on them for every interaction. From Shaw's perspective, though, this isn't something to be worried about when making those all-important connections.
"There's no need to overthink it," he says. "I've never counted or configured the balance between the amount of people I've met on social media against the ones I've met in real life. Just go with the flow and allow your energy to attract the right people, regardless of whether they are online or the real world."
Be willing to find your answer anywhere
Attracting the right people is tough. Yet finding them is even harder. Shaw confesses that to be his biggest networking challenge, but believes that an open mind goes a long way in overcoming it.
"You have to put your question out into the universe, and be willing to find its answer anywhere," he says. "I've connected with someone at a food service line at an airport minutes before my flight. If I'd chosen not to go get food, perhaps I would have missed that opportunity. Always be willing to find your answer anywhere."
That's definitely sound advice for any social entrepreneur with a problem to solve, and also a great excuse to stock up on snacks.