There are certain people you need to be close to, especially if you are a business person; they weigh heavily on your ability to succeed in life. These individuals are Lawyers, Accountants, Business owners, Investors, Politicians, Doctors, Realtors, and Government officials. Let me expound on each below;
Lawyers
The majority of the population visits the lawyer’s office when they are in trouble or when it’s an absolute necessity. The more successful you become in life or business, the more challenges you will encounter. It could be from business partners, or other business owners who are simply competitors who want you to go out of business. It is also important to understand your country’s Law about what you are doing. Some things that look normal or common in the layman’s eyes, could be an offence in the eyes of the law. The law also provides loopholes in business and other normal life matters. So, add lawyers to your network; firstly, as friends, they can give you great Legal advice over a cup of coffee. Then you can also have one or two that officially handle your legal needs, most of these charge by the hour or depending on the situation. If you get to a certain point in life where you can afford it, it is vital to have one on retainer, a seasoned individual who officially tackles all your legal needs.
Accountants
Accountants will be very important especially if you have a business. Even when you don’t have a business, these individuals come in handy when it comes to Taxation matters. In most progressive countries it is mandatory to pay your taxes and file your tax returns with the relevant authorities every year. Visit the accounting firms in your locality; if you can’t afford the big ones, start with small ones who will charge you affordable fees. Most established accounting firms have a financial consultancy department, and if they don’t have one, they can point you to the right people or individuals in the industry. Financial consultancy is also important in your life. If you have individuals in these firms, please add them to your network; it will be very helpful in your life or business.
Business owners
If you want to be successful in a certain industry then have successful individuals from that industry in your network. In most cases these individuals are successful business owners, find the modest ones befriend them. They will ease your journey in very many ways, you never know, they might end up being your business partners or investors in future ventures. Make sure you know how most businesses operate, even if they are small or medium-sized businesses. Ideas or solutions to other non-related businesses may pop into your head by just making observations about other people’s businesses. Also, find credible mentors physically or on the internet.
Investors
Smart people know the importance of diversifying risk, A lot of big firms in the world never use their money in their business operations. They use lines of credit from banks; they expand their businesses through partnerships, takeovers (some may be hostile), Joint ventures, and Initial public offerings, commonly known as IPOs. Your ability to raise money for a business venture from investors is key; sometimes, it just involves successfully running a small venture for at least two years before looking for people to grow the business further. Some even sell their businesses for a fortune to other firms. In most cases, people will not invest in ideas on paper; they want to see tangible results. So, start and run small successful businesses before looking for investors. The whole process also helps you by being a smart investor in ideas and other businesses in the future.
Politicians
I don’t care where you are from in this world; please know your politicians, at least the ones you can reach out to. It is important to know the current ones, as well as those who were in office. Also, anticipate a future wave of change in political matters; if you are a business owner in a certain locality, you must remain neutral “publicly” when it comes to political matters. Even though the private sector is big, it is entirely engulfed and operates within government policies or frameworks. Politicians are the link between the citizens and the government; these individuals even know about future policies that are at the infancy stage that may affect your existing or future undertakings or business ventures. So, align yourself with politicians they will be very helpful in your life.
Doctors
This is mostly self-explanatory, your productivity as an individual is correlated to your health. Your mental health is also very important. They say the brain is the most important muscle in the human body. Have doctors as friends if you are from a privileged country where most of your health needs are covered. Take full advantage of that system; if you are from a less privileged country, befriend doctors, and take advantage of free check-ups or medical campaigns. If you can afford it, have medical insurance, have a personal doctor, and have regular check-ups. Stay on top of your health matters; even for those with pre-existing conditions, it is important to manage them properly. On an individual level, stay away from unhealthy habits in life and eat healthy foods, listen to nutritionists and other experts. Know your body type and its correlation to food consumption.
Realtors
If you are not homeless, you either live in an owned or rental property. Realtors are mostly Consultants or Agents who are knowledgeable individuals who can ease the processes, for instance, moving from one area to another. They can advise you on land matters as well as commercial and residential properties, they know a lot about land ownership, land titles, Leases as well as agreements. They also work closely with lawyers in their processes. Have these people in your network because you might need them now and then, they will help you with getting the value for money. Plus, there is a lot in the real estate industry that the common man does not understand.
Government officials
Just like politicians, these also will act as the middlemen of public service between the government and its citizens. Again, government policies affect all businesses, it is important to know the local officials as well as top officials. These individuals may expedite processes for you, or keep you informed on ongoing processes. Have these people in your network, because you need a lot of government services in your life or business. They also have a lot of information that might help you in your current and future life. It may be positive or negative, but it’s helpful to know and adjust to the information early enough. There are a lot of individual or business costs that are tied to the government in terms of permits, taxes, and service charges that you need.
Your network is your net worth, I have only tackled the most relevant areas in life or business. There are many other areas in which you can expand your network, for instance, socially -join membership clubs, attend social events, Religiously, and so on and so forth.
