It's Not What You Know

Now that you've decided who to trust, you need to focus on who you know. it's the everyday people who can play a major role in your success. Here are a few people it's good to know on a first name basis:

1. An expert or two in your field. I was lucky enough to meet Amilya Antonetti (http://www.amilya.com/) a year ago and she's been a great sense of security to me. Knowing I have Amilya in my phone to call if I need an answer before having a meeting or returning an e-mail. More recently, I've had the pleasure of meeting Mark Reyland (http://www.inventoropinion.blogspot.com/) who is a "Process Guru." What I mean by that, is he knows all the ins and outs of creating, researching, and manufacturing. He has taught me so much about the process of getting a product to market.
2. Your Banker. I am personal friends with the CEO of my credit union. I started out as a vendor, recruiting for him and as we worked together, we became friends. I made the choice to move my personal banking accounts to this credit union and it's been a blessing ever since. When the people who can help you with money know you, and have some say so in a loan approval, it makes life SO much easier. Get to know the people who can say "Yes!" to your financial needs.
3. An Accountant. Having a personal relationship with your accountant is essential to them understanding your business and how to handle your taxes from start-up to your mega million dollar empire. My accountant is actually one of Dave's ex-girlfriends. I know, it may seem strange, but she's known us for so many years, she can guide us through this world of what would be IRS hell. It's also lucky for us she specialized in start up companies.
4. A Lawyer. Yes, knowing someone who is a lawyer is essential. If they practice law in the field of IP, that's even better, but even a lawyer in another field who considers you a friend, can likely find answers for you. Dave was involved in a multi-car accident some years ago, and though it seemed nobody was seriously hurt, one passenger took legal action against all involved. We had no money, and at the time of the accident, Dave had no auto insurance. I called a friend of mine from Rotary who was a real estate attorney. He wrote a letter explaining we had no assets, had since obtained insurance, and pointed out that Dave was on his way to his National Guard weekend drill. That one page letter written by a friend had Dave dropped from the suit, and all it cost us was dinner! Make friends with an attorney, preferably one who specializes in patent law.

There are many more professional people you want to have in your network, but these four are essential. Start building that golden Rolodex and remember, the "who" are people. Get a little personal and become friends. It's so much easier to ask for help when the last time you communicated, it was to just say, "Hello!"