Are you curious about how Commerce Connections started and what its purpose is? If you’re searching for a way to grow your business, knowing this information can help you decide whether your time and money are wisely invested in joining a particular networking group. Their goals and values should align with yours.
So sit back and spend a few minutes discovering how Commerce Connections started. Let’s start by going all the way back to 2012.
Network Building as a Necessity
Daniel Rothrock, the current Director of Property Management at Eaton Realty in Fishhawk, Florida, was just starting out in property management in 2012. Part of his mission was to quickly grow relationships with local vendors and trades to help care for the properties he managed. This included painters, electricians, plumbers, handymen, and more.
This network was a necessity and benefitted everyone involved.
Now Daniel was not an extrovert by nature, but he was interested in and committed to helping people. “I’m very passionate about finding what makes my heart sing. Helping other small business owners succeed and put food on their family’s table did that.”
Networking with a Purpose
This discovery helped Daniel look back at his family history. He remembered his grandmother was very involved with the Chamber of Commerce when he was growing up. He also knew he didn’t particularly enjoy social situations where he was expected to join groups, meet strangers, and jump right into business networking relationships.
He had a slower, more careful approach. He preferred to observe and analyze situations, watch people and their interactions, so he could make intentional connections with people he would like and trust. This way, he felt confident in bringing the right small businesses together and referring them to his clients and friends. This, Daniel felt, was a good recipe – in theory.
First Experiences with Network Groups
Like many businesses interested in connecting with others for referrals and growth, Daniel visited several different networking groups, including BNI (Busines Network International). If you’ve done any research at all on networking, this group is probably familiar to you.
BNI has a very structured approach and requirements that can be beneficial to the right type of person and business. Or it can feel overwhelming and very restrictive to others. There are attendance requirements or you will lose your seat, and you must pay for annual membership when you join. Your referrals to other businesses are tracked and you are expected to be actively referring other members to warm leads regularly.
So in 2013-2014, as Daniel became more involved with networking, he realized he needed to connect with more local vendors to provide services for his growing list of clients. He also realized that high-quality networking partners were extremely important because their work was a direct reflection on him and Eaton Realty.
Tune In For Part Two of This Series…
We know your time is valuable and we want to respect that by keeping our blogs in easy-to-read lengths while you’re on-the-go. Stay tuned for part 2 of 3 of The Story Behind Commerce Connections.
In the meantime, visit us and see if we are the right networking group for you.
Whether you are a new business or a more established one, if you want to grow in the southeastern Hillsborough County area, you’re invited to visit Commerce Connections. It’s a place where genuinely friendly and welcoming people gather to support each other and give back to our local communities. We’d also love the opportunity to learn from you.
Schedule a visit! Or, join us on Wednesdays at The Scrambled Egg in Fishhawk. We can’t wait to meet you!