There are significant parallels between networking to build a business and general career networking. It is equally important for a business owner to connect with people outside their immediate circle. Seeking out ideas from people you don't ordinarily talk to is essential to success.
In my experience, the most successful business owners spend less time networking with business colleagues who are friends and more time networking with a diverse group that includes acquaintances and strangers. As I have discussed in earlier blogs, these are “weak ties” of acquaintanceship, of colleagues who are not friends. They provide new information and contribute to business development because they tend to serve as bridges between unconnected social groups. Weak ties allow for more experimentation in combining ideas from different sources and demand less social conformity than do strong ties.
Business people who spend more time with a diverse network of weak ties: advisors, acquaintances, and complete strangers, tend to be more effective in attracting new customers than those stuck within a uniform network. What does this mean? Mix it up. Take a class with strangers; join a new group or seek out ideas from people you don't ordinarily talk to!
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