Mastering Networking: Finding a Group For You and Building Strong Relationships - Ep. 43

Title: Master the Art of Networking with Pete Mols

Description:

Unlock the secrets of effective networking with expert Pete Mols in this value-packed episode of Giraffes Don't Eat Steak. Whether you're an introvert dreading your next business event or a seasoned networker looking to up your game, this episode has something for everyone.

Discover:

• Why networking is crucial for business growth, especially for small businesses
• The 7-11-4 formula for building trust and relationships
• Practical tips for introverts to network effectively
• How to find your perfect networking tribe
• The importance of consistency and showing up

Plus, hear host Erica's hilarious story about how wearing pajamas to a networking event led to multiple client relationships!

Key takeaways:

1. Networking is a marathon, not a sprint - focus on building relationships, not making immediate sales
2. Find networking events and formats that suit your personality
3. Use the 7-11-4 formula: 7 hours of interaction, over 11 touchpoints, in 4 different locations
4. Don't be afraid to stand out - it can make you memorable

Whether you're a small business owner, entrepreneur, or professional looking to expand your network, this episode offers practical advice and inspiring insights to help you connect more effectively.

Join hosts Erica and Alex as they chat with Pete Mols about transforming your approach to networking. Tune in now and start building meaningful business relationships!

#NetworkingTips #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusinessSuccess

Erica: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-mackay/
Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-bilney/

Get in touch with us at The Marketing Detective Agency - www.themarketingdetectiveagency.com

Transcript

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This is the giraffes don't eat steak podcast. The show that brings you marketing stories, tips, hints, and much more. A treat for those who want to succeed in business or marketers who just want to learn. Hello, Alex. Hello. And welcome, Pete, to our podcast today. Thank you so much for having me. So I think one of our first podcasts, probably episode 2 or 4, one of them, was around networking. And even then, we said, wow. We need a networking guru on, our show. And so I'm so pleased because Pete Mols is one of the networking gurus that I know. And so Pete was so pleased that you could come and join us and just talk networking today. I'm, I'm absolutely thrilled to be here. I feel honored to be here, to be honest. I'm new to the podcasting scene. I'm late to it, and did my first, podcast maybe only a month ago actually, but fell in love with that. I had so much fun. The the moment that you mentioned it, I was like, yep. I'm in. Bring me in. I wanna talk. Great. And and, I I talk all day every day in my in my business. It's what I do for a living. So it it makes perfect sense to be doing more of this sort of stuff. So I'm really happy to be here. Natural progression. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely. And, yeah, I'm delighted to be here and and hope I can shed a little bit of, leave leave people with 1 or 2 gems. Well, I think it's it's great to have you. I think Erica and I have similar but also diff different views on on networking. And, we we have our strengths and weaknesses, the things we like and the things we don't like about networking. There's a whole mixed bag of of feelings and emotions to to talk about when it comes to networking. Yeah. So there's lots to unpack. In fact, I was thinking, Pete, as to start you off, Alex is a resistant networker. So I also don't like it, but I go. Alex will not go. He will just refuse. And but he but, Alex, Jordan, you do agree that networking is an important part of your marketing strategy if that's where your target clients are. Right? I I think I think it's almost essential. But but you can't. But you won't do it. So, Alex, what Pete, what are your tips for someone like Alex who just cannot cross? Yeah. I've got the tip. I've got the tip. Just send your business partner, Erica. There you go. That that is allegation is often a very, very good skill for people in business. And and I think that there's an element of that that makes a lot of sense. Right? You should play to your strengths as as a partnership in business. Do the things that you enjoy doing. And if you really don't like doing it and you're in a really fortunate position, Alex, because some people when you're starting out in business, some people don't have that choice. You've just kind of gotta get out and do it. And I think I think the thing that makes networking so accessible for small like, when I'm when we talk about business owners, I think probably I'm talking about solo and micro business owners when they're starting out on their journey. I think it's useful because and it it's useful for a number of reasons. Number 1, it's really cost effective. So in order in order to find a potential customer, marketing can actually be really quite expensive. But theoretically, when you're just getting going, actually, you could strike it lucky. And I've seen it a few times where people turn up to one networking event and they land a client. That doesn't happen very often, but I've seen it happen a number of number of times. To your to your point, Erica, around, you know, what could you do to, encourage people to do it? I think it depends on the reasons why. And if you are in solo land like both of us have been for the last for the last 5 years. Being in business is lonely and it's tough. That that's unquestionable. It you know, it's a statement of fact. And surrounding yourself with people who are on a similar journey is one of the best things that you can do early in your journey in business ownership or or entrepreneurship. And Yeah. Your situation is kinda unique because you've got each other. And and and, actually, if we take it that it's probably one of the most cost effective forms of marketing, especially in the early days, one of you asked to do it. And it sounds like, Erica, you stepped up and you did it. And I literally remember the first time that you came to networking in, and I think it's safe to say that it wasn't your natural comfort zone. You were you were way outside your comfort zone. And but here's the interesting thing. Right? You're phenomenal at it now. Phenomenal at it. You can network with the best of them. And it might not be the place where that you're most comfortable, but you are easily as competent as anyone else in the room at the skill of networking. Yeah. But you don't get there by not doing it. You get there by putting yourself outside of your comfort zone and and kind of walking towards it and embracing it and just trying and learning and practicing and getting better and failing and doing it again and getting better and better. And, it's been an absolute joy, a privilege actually to watch your journey over the last what is it? It's 4 years probably, I suppose. Something like that. I wasn't I'm having I'm having a little PR moment. It it's been it's been an absolute privilege to be able to to witness it. And, John, you I'm I'm fortunate to to run a network that's full of really good egg business owners, really good deserving business owners that are, kind and considerate and respectful and non salesy and all of that stuff. And I think we typically attract more introverts to our community than than some other networks, I would say. So I'm blessed often to watch the journey of, you know, some of those more introvert people who who go through the process and learn along the way. So, Alex, you should come to our network, mate, because it's it's a very safe space is what I would say. It's a very That sounds great. It sounds great. I think, the networking that I've been less resistant to go to and I've been joking is when it's, an event like a sports event, and we get taken there and, with food and alcohol, and then I'm in heaven. You're much better at those than I am. Absolutely. I'm I'm a little bit of a dodo when it comes to sport. I think I think it's the it's it's the structured part of things that gets me gives me the the ekes. I I like once I'm in the room with people and I'm talking to someone, I'm on having a one on one conversation with someone, I think, you know, I do pretty well. But it's the it's the coming coming to a structured event that kind of turns me off, I guess. Actually, that is the difference between us. Because if there's no structure, I struggle. I need to know, k, you're gonna come in, and then they're gonna do this piece, and then they're gonna do that piece, and then I'm okay. I've tried ones where it's sort of come in and free for all, and that's like, oh, where you because, actually, when you do join me on networking, you're a hit. Everyone loves you, Alex. You're like there's no issues. Right? It's just me dragging you there. That's, like, the hard part is, like, you know, you have to do it. So it's I think I think that's the tip then, isn't it, for anyone listening is you need to find the format that suits you because there's different formats. There's so many different formats as well as they don't all have nice people, and it's just the truth. The very first networking I went to, I won't mention what it was, but I'm sure you all guess. I hated it. Literally, from the first second I walked through the door, it was horrific. Everyone was in suits, and I'm I'm work mostly in insurance, so suits is my nature. But literally, this was a boardroom table of suits. No one greeted me when I came in. No. Like, I just felt like an imposter from the beginning. And within 10 minutes, I was like, what am I doing here? I need to leave, and I did. No one kind of even bothered, so I I could leave and run out. And it put me off networking for quite a while, but you have to you know, they're not all like that. And maybe that's your style. You can find nice ones where it's welcoming people, do you agree, Pete? 100%. I think it's about Do do you agree, Pete? 100%. I think it's about finding finding your tribe. Yeah. We can all benefit. We're we're pack animals at the end of the day in the main. Even the introverts, we need people. And we benefit greatly from having those shared experiences with others. So I think TriNet is is the answer, and, you know, sometimes you you won't get it right the first time. I'm pretty sure I know the the community that you're talking about, and it baffles me why why some networking organizations perhaps feel a little bit more clicky than others. And, you know, we we've we've modeled what we do on trying to be fun and friendly and lighthearted and stuff like that. And and and but it and if that works for you, then that's great. But if you do need more structure or less structure, then the, you know, there's there's something out there for everyone. And I genuinely believe that even to Alex's point, you know, if even if it's networking down the pub, that's networking. Right? Networking at the school gates, that's networking. There are many different ways that you can choose to take your networking, but I think ultimately, you know, you've got the, the, the old analogy. It's it's not what you know, it's who you know, and that's really true in life. You know, the more people you know, generally, the easier your life gets. And the more the people that you know who, you know, are useful to know, the easier your life gets. Absolutely. The the the more I work every day of my working life, I learn that statement more and more and more. It's whenever you're you're everyone's busy. Right? And people don't really have that much time to look and search for something that they need. If they already have something in their mind, someone they've already met, it's a kind of the the trust, know, like statement as well. If you're already in their mind, you're you're gonna be the first to the first to, be called. Right? 100%. Exactly. Just because they know you can do it. Yeah. Exactly. I I don't know whether you guys you'll certainly know of, of Daniel Priestley. Yep. There was a a a really, really good diary of a CEO podcast with Daniel Priestley and Steven Bartlett recently, where he was talking about the the book oversubscribed and the the 7, 7114 formula for getting to that kind of trust point where you're the person that's in the inner circle. I don't don't know whether you you guys, listen to it, but it's it I always come back to that Daniel Priestley. It's in his book, Oversubscribed as well. And he says that those people that, for in order for someone to to buy from you, buy anything from you, they need to have, experienced 7 hours of what it is that you do. So that might be 7 hours of giraffe stone at stake. It might have been 7 hours in networking events. It might have been 7 hours of the best selling book that Erica's about to launch. There could be lots of different ways for someone to consume 7 hours of what you do, but it's seldom true that people will buy from you without, having 7 hours in their their locker with you. The next thing is the, 11, which is that 7 hours can't come in a oner. So if someone reads Erica's book in a oner, I don't know whether I necessarily agree with this, but they're less likely to buy from you. But his point is it needs to come over multiple different interactions. So 11 different episodes are likely to lead to a better result than someone kind of binging on all 11 episodes in in one go. And the final point is the 4, and he says that those 4, the 4 is 4 separate locations, 4 separate locations. And if you think about the people that you went to school or college or uni with, those people that you spent where you spent more than 7 hours in their company. Right? Because you were in a lecture hall with them. You spent way more than 7 hours together. You, had lots more than 11 interactions together as well because there were lots of times when you were in the same lecture hall. But the people who became your friends, the people became who entered your kind of personal first or second circle are the people that you didn't just go to school with. They're the ones that you went to the cafe with and to the bar with and to the Yeah. To the night club with. The ones that you had more separate Shared experience. Shared experiences. Exactly that. Right? And so I think the the overwhelming benefit of networking as a concept is it's it's a place. It's one of the places where you can meet people and build relationships. And there's never enough. The people that you meet in networking and you just meet in networking, you come to networking, you see them. It's like, hi. Nice. Nice to see. They're never the ones that are gonna be the ones that are gonna form great strategic partnerships or buy from you. But if you have a one to 1 on the back of it and then you arrange to go to, do something else, go to another networking event, the ones I don't know whether you Connect on LinkedIn. Exact connect on LinkedIn. That's the obvious one. Right? But, you know, Erica, there will be times where you've been to a networking event. And once upon a time, you were the only person that you knew. And then you went to a different networking event somewhere else, and you saw someone that you met somewhere else. And you might have only split you might have only, you know, experienced a little little hello and, like, very small talk, but you knew them. And now all of a sudden, you're seeing them somewhere else. And all of a sudden, you've got this stronger bond with this person. You've got more in common, and you spend more time with that person. It's that's, to me, the real benefit of networking. The more that you can get out there, the more relationships that you can build, the higher the the more likely they are to follow you on LinkedIn and, you know, learn your story and and all of that stuff. I love that. Yeah. That's that's brilliant. I love that. So it's more about trying to invest, quality time and experiences with people, to build that build better. I mean, that's a quite a good, mantra anyway for just general relationships in in your life. Could be your your friends, partner, family, business. Potential that's quite a good formula anyway, sure, for building good relationships. 100%. 100%. But, you know, with with the failure rate of business being what it is, the more you can stack your odd the odds in your favor Yeah. Better. And for me, networking is one of those core pillars that we should all be doing to a greater or lesser extent. And as an example, Alex, you'll laugh at this. I actually shared it with Pete this morning. Yes. I went to a networking event last week. It was a breakfasty one, like, 7th city, like, very far away. But, anyway, I did it, and didn't only knew I knew one person in the room because they're the one who invited me. Didn't know anyone else. But as I was introducing myself, this guy said, you're the marketing lady. Right? So I said, yes. I am. He said, yeah. Couple of years ago, I saw you at this network. You were wearing your pajamas. I think and do you remember that one networking? I did it by in my it was a onesie just for anyone listening. There was nothing slinky about it or anything. It was a full on onesie. And I was doing a talk on first impressions and how quickly people make judgment calls based on on just the first impression, and then how much harder it is to undo that, because they don't even know they've made that that decision in their brains. Right? So I wore the pajamas. Anyway, so that was funny. And, we're just laughing about it because the opposite happened. Right? So I was trying to give this story about first impressions don't work. You need to really think about it. But, actually, me wearing my pajamas, I think off the back of that, I've got 3 or 4 clients over time. And here, 3, 4 years later, somebody's like, I remember you. You were the one in your. I did. That's networking. Right? But can we just dwell on that for a second? I went to a networking event, and over the next 3 or 4 years, 3 of those people have become clients from one network in a okay. You might have seen them in other networking events. Yep. That's the power of it. In fact, one of our clients even said the words. He said, the only reason I chose you is because you pitched up in your pajamas, and I thought you were different. That's what he said. So, in the field of, black and white house be purple. Absolutely. Pitch up in your pajamas. It's important to see you in normal clothes. I know. Right? I'm just gonna have to start wearing my my hot onesie in this British summer or to all my networkings going forward. Yeah. I think it's it's a given that you have to do it for your talk at networking in. Right? We'll have to just pitch up at the onesie. In the onesie. Awesome. I've So one of the one of the mistakes, that I see people, pea people make is give up on networking because that sale doesn't happen at the first try. Right? And it's a little bit of a balance because, okay, we joke that it does happen, and I've spoken about a client that I got. But most of the time, you gotta put the work in. Right? And it's about the relationships, not not just pitch up and and everyone will if if that happens, yay you. Right? If you happen to have the thing that everyone really wants and needs at that point in time, Yay you. What are your thoughts on that? I think I've been so I've been hosting networking events for 6 years. So I've hosted hundreds of events over the last 6 years, and I've attended 100 and 100 and 100 more over the last 20 odd years in business. And I think the amount of times where I've been in a place where someone's turned up on their first time and I've been witness to someone going, what do you do? And they go, oh, I do this. And the person going, oh, that's exactly what I need. Let's let's do business together. It's definitely less than 5, but it's it's probably less than 3. So I think the the reality is it's a slow burn. I I wrote an I wrote an ebook on 16 ways to network like a pro a few years ago. And one of the things that I say is you've gotta be in it for the marathon. It is not a sprint. You know, your to, to your point, you picked up 3 clients from that first network and went event all that events that you went to in your pajamas. But the reality is I would hazard a guess that that wasn't the only networking event that you went to, over time, you will have gone to lots and lots and lots and lots, and you would have slowly built the relationship and planted seeds and poured water on it. And and occasionally, a client falls out and it's brilliant, but it doesn't happen as often as people hope it will Yeah. Especially in those early days when they're just starting out and they go, I really need to make some money because I've just left this job. And, you know, there's loads of pressure, and they rock up, and they try too hard and people smell self interest and desperation. It never works. It never works. And they're the ones typically that 6 months down the line you see on on LinkedIn that they've gone and gotten another job. You have to. It's not about making sales. It's about building relationships. Yeah. Well, Pete, we see the same thing actually across all marketing, streams with many different businesses who try something and say, hi. You know? This is not working after 5 minutes of trying a certain strategy. And then they just stop and then try something else. And then again, they invest, but then they back off as I asked. I'm not, it's not working. I'm not getting any business immediately. It's, everything, everything takes time, takes effort. It's hard work. I mean, if it was easy, everyone would be 1,000,000 millionaires doing it. And yeah, you, you, you have to, you have to not only invest time, you have to invest money, you have to invest stress and happiness and tears and laughter and everything. Right? It's all, it's all one package. You can't take, you can't, you it comes it comes together. You can't you can't take one and not the others. Yeah. 100%. And to quote the late, great Jim Rohn, there there are 2 keys to success in anything that any of us will ever do. Discipline and consistency. Without discipline and without consistency, you won't get started and you won't finish. And, to your to to your point, Alex, I am, I am definitely guilty of and Erica will will attest to this. I'm definitely guilty of trying lots of stuff out. I have lots of ideas, and we go, right. Let's do it. Let's do it. And we invest a load of energy into it, and then it doesn't work. And we maybe pause on it. Doesn't mean to say that it doesn't work. It just means that I'm not good enough to figure it out right now because it would you know, the things that we're trying have been proven by lots and lots of people to work. They're just better at it than me. So I don't say I I pause it because I don't wanna waste any more money until I get better at doing it, and then I'll try again and I'll try again. I'll read a book. I'll speak to people. And and I think that, you know, one of the one of the biggest tips that I can give to any new networker, the really, really skilled networkers, the ones who are exceptional, They understand the importance of getting to the middle of the network. Make friends with the people at the middle of the network because they've been doing it longer than you have probably and definitely within the context of the specific group that you're in. And they'll be able to coach, teach, train, advise to help you fast track, you know, lots of, lots of mistakes and and problems. And, so that's one of the big ones for me, I would say. And it's a bit a bit like the kind of the basics of the law of attraction. I think like, you know, surround yourself with the people, the things, the environment where you want to be, not necessarily where you are. And you sort of you get there kind of via osmosis. You just you're taking everything in. Amen. But there's also there's also a lot of psychology in this. Right? So, you know, Pete, I'm a firm believer in in pain points. Right? And there's a nail in the foot pain point, which is I need help now, and then the pebble in the shoe pain point, which is, yeah, I'll get there. Now most of network, you're meeting people with pebbles. K? They don't have nails. And so that's why you're not making that instant sale. But when that people becomes a nail, you want them to remember you. Hence, the power of of just getting your name out there, consistent, pitching up, saying hi, repeating your message, repeating your had a chat to someone this morning about, you know, oh, if I'm saying, you know, the same 60 seconds intro over and over and over, isn't everyone bored of hearing it? It's 60 seconds of their life. Really, it's fine. And you can twist it a bit, try different things, use the space to get comfortable. Like, doesn't matter, but you want them to keep hearing your message so that when they have the nail, that's the moment they're going, oh, wait. Erica does marketing. Right? Like, that's what you want. And if you don't do that, if you just pitch up once and then disappear, guess what? Someone else is gonna take that spot. Somebody else's name is gonna be the one they remember. You want to But it all comes down, and this is I learned this from you, Pete, is you have to know who your target client is. Because if you're at this networking and people are saying, hey. I wanna refer you, because this is this is part of it's not just making connections with the people there. It's getting them to refer people to you. So it's a double where me layer. Right? You and the same with LinkedIn. Right? You're not you're not only interested in your connections, you're interested in their connection. So but in order to do that, in order to say, hey, Pete. I'm looking. Please refer me. I have to be able to explain to you who I'm after. And so understanding the kind of client you want to work with is so important. Right? 100%. 100. And and do you know what? I'm I'm I'm absolutely flattered that you said you got it for me, but you definitely did it. That's I did. I learned way more about marketing from you than you do for me, lady. So, but thank you for saying it. I'll I'll take it and throw it back over the fence and say thank you. But, it's it's a fundamental. Right? It's at the it's it's a a a BTEC level of marketing, not a a degree or a level marketing. It's the fundamentals understand who your target market is. And so many business owners just don't understand actually who it is that they're going after. And I think a lot of it comes down to the impostasis the the the impostor syndrome that that lives and breathes within most of us on the planet. Yeah. And, you know, I speak to really, really smart people with great back stories and great businesses. And, in my role as a business coach, the amount of people who who literally don't understand that very basic thing, It, I would I would hazard a guess, and I don't know the stats on it, but I would hazard a guess that close to close to 80% of businesses don't really clearly know their their target market. I I I know I'll bow to your superior knowledge on that because I'd absolutely agree with that. But I think there's another another reason outside of the impostor syndrome is that I think we all do it. And even though, for example, me and Eric have been working in marketing for a long time, and we we call each other out on this quite a lot as well. We put so much of our own personal bias into the decisions that we make. It doesn't matter what it is, but if we're talking about target client, we look at we look at our product and it well, it doesn't matter if it's the product that we've developed ourselves or we're working for another company who has a product. We look at it from our perspective. How how is it solving my problems? That doesn't really matter. That doesn't matter at all. That's right. You're going down the completely wrong avenue by doing that. And this is the perfectly natural thing to do. I mean, we're looking at the world through our own eyes or anybody else's. So everything we do is based on our own experiences and knowledge that we've had from the past. It's that that is a skill in itself, and I think that's kind of what makes great, marketers, business owners, entrepreneurs is when they have the kind of empathy, to be able to put themselves in somebody else's shoes and also understand and listen to people and and go and and use the right tools to to gather information and research and and use that to to to build a objective perception of what is really going on. Mhmm. Yeah. And it's it's not even just business owners. I'm seeing it with sales salespeople generally. Even if you're a salesperson working for a massive organization, you need to understand who is the person who wants this product I'm selling. Right? So anyone who's doing any marketing or sales, it has to start at that fundamental is who is this person that I'm after, And then all the rest will flow. But a lot of salespeople are hired in organizations. They get taught the product. They get taught the product. Right? This is the product. Go sell it. Yeah. It it's it's missing a gap. There there's a whole thing missing because then they're like, oh, I'm a bad salesperson. I sold nothing. Oh, well, where were you fishing? Were you fishing where the right people are? Were you Yeah. Were you doing the right stuff? So it's such such a fundamental. Do you know about working on a sorry. It's just a reminder because I'm working on a an interesting well, actually, it's not it's a little bit boring, but the the concept of it is interesting. But the actual project's not interesting. But the the concept is so we're working on a really big market research project. And we we have this it's it's designed for 1 person working in the in in the company that's contracted us to do it. And but so the the engineers and the researchers in the company that that I'm I'm I'm working for doing that, they've they're gathering all the information all the information, all the information around this around this topic. And it's a huge amount of data. I told you we've got a 300 page document that they put together, and they and they were supposed to just be giving it to the to the client. And I was and I saw it, and I thought, woah. You're gonna kill this person. You're they're gonna have death by document. And so, you know, I was just asking the question, like, what what is it that they're looking for? What is it that they're interested in really knowing? The most important let's let's kind of put ourselves in their shoes and understand when they get this document, what are they hoping to look for? You know? And let's put let's take those out, put it at the front, create a very nice little summary. We can even have little, clicks so it can go down to more detail or whatever, but don't make them work for it. Just give them what they want and what they need. And it just it will make sure it makes your life much easier when it comes to retaining that customer, keeping them happy, presenting the work. And and it's not it's way less work than the actual research itself. Just take a moment to think about what they want what they need. Yeah. Right. Through 1 of the marketing. Yeah. It comes in every it's you can apply it to many parts of the business, not necessarily just selling. And that was kind of my point. It it it can be even just on a in an ongoing, work delivery purpose as well. I actually I'm so frustrated. I did this course. You know, I'm always studying. Right? So that I'm look studying sustainability at the moment. So it was it was the 6 month course through Cambridge. Fantastic. It was really hard. I had to do assignments every week and whatever, but I did it. And then they've gone silent. It's all finished. So I emailed going, hey. Just following up about you know, I've passed all my assignments. When am I getting my certificate? The reply is you need to keep logging in to the website to see if it's there. It will be between 6 8 weeks. We can't tell you when. Really? Re really? You can't even just automate an email going, Erica, your certificate is ready? There's so many tools that could make that whole process easier. The answer to me is, you have to log in every single day and check just in case it arrives. Yeah. Like And That speaks to the whole, Vinay Palmer thing this morning. Right? Exactly. Customer experience. And, you know, I wonder, whether you'll go back to the University of Cambridge to do another another course on the back of that. And it's just so simple, isn't it? It's like, how can we humanize this interaction to make it simple for the for the person? So Well, I've I've just been going through a horrible experience with my visa situation in in Colombia. I I won't go through the rest of it, but I'll just go through the most recent one because the rest of it is just absolutely dire. But I finally managed to get there, and I finally managed to register myself with a visa, blah blah blah, get my photo done and everything like that. And then they they said I said, when can I pick up? They said, oh, like, next month. Will will you tell me? Will I get an email? No. I just need to come to the office. Oh, I need to come to the office where I live I I live nowhere near and just randomly come in and see. Surely, when the person printed it, they can go, do do do. Mistability is ready. And it's just awful. I I you know? And that happens in many, many, many different businesses and aspects. But, yeah, that that was dreadful. That's one of the worst things about technology, right, that that we are all now so used to the fact that things should be automated because we've seen it for years. This new technology has come in, and things have got simpler and simpler and simpler. And now you order something and you get an immediate text and there's an email. And the companies that do it well, they've won the world because they've done it well. But what they've done is they've set the expectation for everyone else to live up to, and not everyone's got the money to be able to do that, like the government of Colombia clearly, or probably HMRC or, you know, they've got my mother's. So But that's a different story. But, But send an email. How hard is that? How hard is that? Like, literally, you can pay a student minimum wage to be sitting there as the printer thing comes out, send the email to Alex saying it's here. Like, you don't have to be fully automated. You can but just keep the customer in mind. Right? Like It it it costs them an extra 50 pesos per passport to employ that person to do it Do it. And that shows my optimism because I don't know whether it's pesos in Colombia. So it was oh, yes. Oh, well, But, actually, Alex would happily pay those 50 pesos. Exorcist. Said to him, would you pay extra 11 100 pesos for us to send you the email and you score the extra 50? Are you listening, Colombian government? We're making you some money here. They he would do it. You would pay the 100 and let them score the 50 if it meant you didn't have to go in and check. Right? So come on. There's ways to do this. Many, many pesos already to get the the down visa. So you'll pay another. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Anyway, we could join all of our I do have one question, though, for for for Pete. I'm just going certainly back to networking. Go back to networking. Yeah. Yeah. And I I think this this, I guess this applies to many people because it applies to me, and I think it applies to Erica as well. I mean, Erica is now quite, an expert in networking, but certainly in the beginning, I think, when we think about going to these events and having to present our baby as it is for the business, Not only that and just also your personal character you is on the show. The the the vulnerability you feel, the exposure you feel in front of people that you have no idea is completely different to doing a Facebook ad, for example. And you're doing it in person with all these strange people who, in your mind, have been doing it for years, and they know and it's really comfortable for them, and it's like a breeze. Yep. That's not what you see. That's my perception of it. I'm like, oh, these guys, they know what they're doing. They've been doing it for ages, and I'm new, and I feel really scared and vulnerable and exposed. What would you say to somebody who has that feeling? And that's the reason that they, they haven't stepped up to, even try one networking event. Well, I think coming back to, you know, what we talked about earlier on. Right? The good things happen on the other side of your comfort zone. And it will never be as scary as it is in your head. You know, false expectations appear appearing real. What you will usually encounter is friendly, supportive, encouraging people who have all been there at some point. And I think, you know, speaking to the place that you choose to go first, Erica was burnt. Right? Erica went to a place where she didn't feel supportive, supported and encouraged, and, and that burned her. And so don't go to places like that. And and if you if you don't know where those places are, speak to people who have got a little bit more experience. Ask someone who you know who does it, where they go, where they would recommend. I think my personal, for those people who are really feeling like that, I would suggest that they're more on the introvert scale than the extrovert scale. In my experience, online is easier for, for introverts. Way is a much safer space because we're also used to just having these kind of conversations now. It's not that much more scary to have a conversation with 3 people as it is to say something on a screen in front of a few more people. So I would encourage them to look online. I would encourage them to spend a little bit of time speaking to some people, reaching out to some people who go to the network. That that's a that's a golden piece of advice. Right? Because when you go on your own for the first time, you know no one. When you research a few of the regulars and you you see from LinkedIn that Erica's going to this event and this event and this event, and you know Erica, but you feel like you're you're not brave enough to go. Speak to Erica and say, hey, Erica. I'm I'm I'm feeling these things, but I feel like it would be a good thing to do. We all know an Erica. Right? All of us in business know someone like Erica or like Steve or Matthew or whoever else it is that is empathetic, understanding, potentially a little bit more on the introvert scale if that's that's where you're playing and that's what's holding you back. Speak to those people who have got over the hurdle and go with them so you're not going on your own. You've got someone in the room who's got your back, who's your cheerleader, who's your support. I think that that is so underrated and so few people do it. Baffles me that we don't get more people going turning up Saying, oh, I'm a friend of Fiona. Fiona encouraged me to come because it's my first time networking. I don't understand why that doesn't happen more like people people who are feeling that way just should research regulars, figure out who's who's who's going, make a friend, and it will make everything a little bit easier. Yeah. I've got 2. So I'm an an introvert, and so I've got 2 tips for networking when I go. The first is if I can grab a a friend to go with me, that's a win. Even if it's a friend who'd never been before. So, yes, a winner is if it's someone who's already in the network. But, otherwise, take another friend. Right? Like, just don't don't go by yourself. Go with someone else. If that's not possible, which it always isn't, my wingman lives in Colombia, so not always available. But, I find if you walk into the room, you'll find another lonely soul standing somewhere. Now it doesn't work on Zoom. But if you're in the face to face, that's eye scan, and maybe it's my bodyguard's tools coming out. But as soon as I stand, I scan, and I'll find someone else who's standing by themselves, and I'll make a beeline. And then I've got a then I've I'll make my intro, and then there's 2 of you. And already the world becomes a different place. And, so those are my 2, survival skills is either take someone with you or scan the room, and first step, hook yourself up with somebody. Yeah. And then you've got a friend. And I think just to add to that, a perfect script an absolutely perfect script to break the ice is to have a little smile, look them in the eye, put your hand out, and say it's my first time. Can I talk to you? Yeah. Works every time. Like, who's gonna who's gonna turn around and say, oh, no. But it gives you an instant in and it gives you instant empathy, instant warmth, and they'll either go, mine too. And then you're in it together or there'll be an old hat in the room, and they will make you feel welcome. Just with that little bit of vulnerability at the beginning. Yeah. I like I like that a lot. That that's a really nice point. Eric, have you ever taken your dogs? No. Not yet. They they they're not people friendly yet. Okay. Shoot. But we have been talking for almost an hour, guys, so I'm gonna call this so close. Pete, what an absolute pleasure to have you, on our show. Do you wanna just round up with where people can find you? Like, what do you wanna share about how people can get in touch? That is really kind of you. So the easiest way to find me is on LinkedIn. I'm a friend of Erica's. So if you go and search, if you're friends of Erica, then you'll be able to find me. My surname is very unusual. M o l s is Dutch. There's only one Peter Moles on LinkedIn. I'm I'm the one that says head cheerleader. And, yeah. Look. I I run a network. I run an online network, which is full of really lovely, friendly, good egg sorts of business owners. We're not Sharky in any way, shape, or form. It's very easy out, easy in, easy out. You can come a few times as our guest without having to pay, and practice and get better. If you do decide that you wanna you wanna come more regularly, it's a tenor a time. So really easy in, easy out. And we'd love to welcome some more people to our community. So, yeah, that that trash. And and the the community is called Networking Inn. And, Yeah. You can find just just ask ask me on LinkedIn if you want any more information. Oh, ask me. I'm I'm a paper of of networking, and I love it. Oh, you're doing. Awesome. Thank you so much, Pete. Alex, a pleasure as always. Guys, thank you so much for having me. I've loved it. Alright. That's awesome. I love love talking to you. Talk to you soon. Thank you. Bye bye. Bye. That wraps up this episode of giraffes don't eat steak. Thanks for joining us. I hope you found value in our discussion and got some new ideas to apply to your own business. Tune in next week for another round of marketing insights and inspiration. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. We appreciate you listening. Catch you next time on giraffes don't eat steak.