Budapest Calling

A story about the power of asking your network for support.

A question I’m often asked about networking, especially by NNB’s (Networking Non-Believers) is ‘Can networking really help?’.

This personal story epitomizes everything about the power of a network.

In June 2024, my 19 year-old daughter ended up in Budapest. Alone.

She’d planned the trip months before after securing tickets to see Cold Play. In Budapest. As you do!

The night before leaving, her friend pulled out. She was upset. I was frustrated that she’d been let down. She’d paid and organised everything. The friend just had to turn up, follow and enjoy.

Despite being a concerned mother about her first solo travel adventure abroad, involving lots of night travel, when she asked if she could/should still go, my response was clear.

‘You absolutely must go. Do this for yourself, stick two fingers up to life’s let-downs, and have an amazing experience’.

She left that night with a promise to text and call me regularly.


What does this have to do with networking?

Well, being a worried mum but also resourceful and connected, I looked through Linkedin for connections in Budapest. I found six. I messaged them and explained it was not work-related and asked if they could be an emergency contact for help if it were needed.

Three responded within hours – on a Sunday – with advice and more contacts.

One even met up with my daughter for a drink and sightseeing. Another put her in contact with a friends daughter the same age. Each contact asked me how she was during and after the trip.

Needless to say, she had an amazing experience. Best thing she’s ever done, she said. Best concert too! I’m so proud of her resilience. And she didn’t really need my help and contacts in the end. But it reduced my worry.

This is the power of networking.

The power of human connection.

The power of kindness.


Often when I’m delivering networking training and we discuss the benefits it offers, the responses I get include career development, lead generation and professional relationship-building.

I don’t dispute any of these.

But the benefits I’m not hearing enough are: Emotional and wellbeing support, personal development, learning, and paying it forward.

In a world more connected than ever and with worryingly high mental health challenges, what a shame these aspects aren’t quoted more.

Business is relevant of course, but it can wait in line. It’ll happen anyway. The real human stuff comes first for me any day.

Thank you must be extended to my new Budapest buddies – Attila Suhajda, Andrea Hajdu and Zsolt SZALAY (he/him/his) – for their support and providing me with a reminder of the power of networking. And if ever they need something, they must know that I’ll be there to repay their kindness.


 

Kirsty James is a networking, relationship-marketing and connections expert with a track record in supporting people to ‘Connect with Purpose’. Kirsty specialises in effective business communication and relationship-marketing using the power of networking to enable personal and business growth and community engagement. Offering networking skills training, workshop facilitation, event hosting and speaking, and marketing project management. Open to new projects, clients, collaborations and opportunities where our values align.

Values: Connection, Collaboration & Community.
Specialisms: Networking and Communications Training & Coaching; Event Hosting, Connection and Engagement Projects; Team & Community Building.
Watch my TED❌ talk on legacy-building at: https://lnkd.in/dYAJmtas

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Kirsty James: Speaker, Trainer, Connector, Event Host.

Kirsty is a networking, relationship-marketing and connections expert with a track record in supporting people to ‘Connect with Purpose’.

Kirsty specialises in effective business communication and relationship-marketing using the power of networking to enable personal and business growth and community engagement.

Kirsty helps networkers to enjoy networking more and get better results from it. She works with people who want to improve their networking skills, build their personal brand and networking reputation, introduce structure and planning into their networking strategy, and boost their networking confidence. 

She does this by offering networking skills training, personal branding workshops, hosting events for various networking brands and sharing her expertise when speaking at events and conferences.

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