I created an email inbox in Outlook to park Blog ideas called Idea Bank. [I know, I am some creative guy]. The concept is simple: when I am in a conference or a meeting or driving and I get an idea, I send myself an email, and later drag and drop.
It works well sometimes. Other times it is like a physician trying to read his own handwriting. Maybe you can help me decipher what A Weird and Cheery People and Hard and Soft Thinking mean.
Most of my professional interactions are with real estate appraisers, brokers and lawyers. Nothing wrong with that, I just realized that other professions can offer some wisdom and a worldview that is not available to me in the ordinary course of business.
I am not a big fan of networking/Chamber of Commerce events. My practice has a very specific niche, and unlike the carpet cleaning guy or the local insurance agent my potential clients are not every person who owns a carpet or a car, so these get-togethers, while fun, are not a great use of my limited marketing resources.
Proving that Carl Jung was right about synchronicity, around the time I placed How do I collaborate with professionals other fields? in the Idea Bank I got an email invitation to attend the next meeting of the Central New Jersey Think Tank.
The Think Tank was generously created (and financed) by Sal Schibell to be, “a forum for best-in-breed practices and all-around business success. Networking is just one facet of the group, as our members are true experts in their fields and take pride in offering their advice to help the local business community thrive.”
I attended several Think Tank meetings and I enjoyed the interaction and the talks. Of all the groups that I have been a part of this one is really, truly useful and interesting. I hope to get more involved and to help the organization grow.
So I guess my long-winded point is this: If you need something in your life, ask for it.