How Does Business Networking Mesh with a Trading Business? (Part 1)

I’m taking a break from my previous post to discuss networking.

Last year I did an 18-part blog mini-series on trader Meetups. In many of those posts, I bashed the idea of the Meetup for trader networking purposes and even considered it a disguised ploy to get my business since the Meetup organizer ran a premium online subscription service.

I’ve recently joined a dedicated, local networking group. In that group we’re reading and discussing a book focused specifically on business networking. Since it is net-WORK-ing, the book recommends many homework tasks to ensure time spent is time returned.

For many reasons, I’ve already come to realize that networking can be an important tool for me and much of that stems from the fact that trading is such a solitary pursuit. I miss my co-workers and patients from the pharmacy. Most of my trading day is spent at home in front of my computer. I know I’m not alone on that, either. Pretty much every trader I have ever crossed paths with has said something like “I’m so happy to finally be able to speak with someone who knows what I do. None of my friends or family have any clue what trading is all about.”

Since I know there are others like me out there somewhere, why not spend some time trying to find them? In the process, networking can give me the opportunity to help others, to teach, to share knowledge, and maybe even to have some laughs and good times.

With this post I am creating a new blog category. I will periodically discuss networking efforts and perhaps use this blog as a means to get some of that networking homework done.