On Sept 5th, Caerusnet Founder, Steven Zyskowski was invited to attend a special Go-Giver Q&A event put on by his close, personal friend and business coach, Minesh Baxi. The event was designed to celebrate the principals found on Bob Burg‘s small business cult classic book, The Go-Giver.
Zyskowski originally started Caerusnet in 2008 as an in-person business, however, ever since the pandemic, a large portion of Caerusnet members now do their networking online, over Zoom. For many local professionals, it’s been a learning curve of skillset development to learn how to develop “know, like and trust” over a computer screen. However, the majority of Caerusnet’s online members wouldn’t have it any other way now that they’ve discovered the benefits and flexibility of networking over Zoom.
In addtion to a great Q&A session, Burg also shared a wonderful tip sheet for imporving our chances at making deep connections with those we are networking with. Caerusnet members will find this very helpful: Bob-Burg-Networking-Questions
As the book, The Go-Giver was first published in 2007, the world has dramatically changed since then. Zyskowski asked Burg his best advice is for people who do a lot of networking and connection building online? Burg’s answer was priceless, especially his emphasis on “B to B”, “B to C” and ultimately, “H to H”. Enjoy this 3 minute clip:
Feel like you’re missing out on opportunities because you’re not connecting with the right people?
In today’s fast-paced business world, success is not only attributed to what you know … but also to who you know.
Business networking events provide invaluable opportunities for professionals to connect, share, and grow. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a seasoned professional, or just starting your career, attending events can yield significant benefits over time.
Expanding Your Professional Network
One of the most obvious benefits of attending networking events is the opportunity to expand your professional network. Meeting new people in your industry or related fields opens doors to new opportunities, ideas, and collaborations.
1. Diverse Connections: Business networking in Michigan through Caerusnet brings together a diverse group of professionals, each with unique experiences and insights. This diversity can provide fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to challenges you may face in your career.
2. Increased Visibility: Regular attendance at networking events helps you become a familiar face in your industry. Being recognized and remembered can lead to being top-of-mind when opportunities arise.
3. Referral Opportunities: As your network grows, so does the potential for referrals. People are more likely to refer business or job opportunities to someone they know, like, and trust.
Building and Strengthening Professional Relationships
Networking events are not just about making new connections; they are also an excellent way to nurture existing relationships. Strengthening these relationships can lead to deeper trust and more meaningful collaborations.
1. Personal Touch: Face-to-face interactions allow more personal connections than emails or phone calls. Attending events gives you the chance to engage in meaningful conversations and show genuine interest in others.
2. Long-term Support: Building strong relationships within your network provides a support system. Whether you need advice, mentorship, or just someone to bounce ideas off, having trusted connections can be invaluable.
Positive Impact Over Time
The benefits of attending networking events may not always be immediate, but the positive impact over time can be profound.
1. Career Advancement: Networking can lead to job offers, promotions, and new career opportunities. Being connected with the right people can open doors that might otherwise remain closed.
2. Knowledge and Skill Enhancement: Many networking events feature guest speakers, panel discussions, and workshops. These sessions provide valuable learning opportunities that can enhance your knowledge and skills.
3. Business Growth: For entrepreneurs and business owners, networking can lead to new clients, partnerships, and business growth. Establishing a strong network can be crucial for business development and sustainability.
Personal Growth and Confidence
Attending networking events also contributes to personal growth. Engaging with new people, sharing your experiences, and stepping out of your comfort zone can significantly boost your confidence and interpersonal skills. Regularly interacting with diverse professionals helps you refine your communication skills, making you more effective in conveying your ideas and goals.
Business Networking in Michigan is for Everyone
Are you ready to invest in yourself? Putting your time into attending business networking events can yield a remarkable return.
Business networking in Michigan with Caerusnet offers an exceptional environment to foster professional connections. Remember, the key to successful networking is not just in making connections, but in cultivating and maintaining those relationships. Join a Caerusnet group today to start making valuable connections!
Caerusnet Ann Arbor member Joe Tiberi displays his MVP coffee tumbler.
What are the main reasons most local professionals consider joining a facilitated referral network like Caerusnet? They want opportunities for their business to get exposure. Most also want to make new, long-term connections in the local business community. They hope to emerge as a trusted resource amongst others. In addition, most professionals would like to get referrals from their network, as other professionals get to know, like, and trust them. Some join because they have a nice pipeline of prospects, and they are looking to add value to their own customer relationships by giving their clients helpful referrals when in need.
Over the past 16 years that I have owned Caerusnet, I have noticed that not everyone gets the same results, no matter their profession. While our facilitators are here to deeply support member success in our beloved facilitated referral network, the responsibility for that success lands in the lap of the individual member.
No matter what your profession is, it is a certain type of person that gets referrals. The ones who get referrals have difference-maker qualities. I first got exposure to the term “difference maker” from my dear friend, sales coach, and Caerusnet member, Jason Tracey, while listening to his valuable and insightful Coffee & Grit podcast.
In my observation, here are the most common traits of Caerusnet’s difference makers:
MINDSET CHOICE
They made the right choice in mindset between service-to-others vs service-to-self. Why should people refer clients to them? Especially, if they are in a field where there is serious competition like real estate, financial advising, insurance, home services, etc. Service to self is always putting one’s own needs above all others. People who are service-to-self operate with the mindset of “when I get what I want, then maybe I will help others get what they want.” This clearly the wrong mindset choice that sabotages your one to build mutually beneficial referral relationships! Service-to-others is the correct mindset to have. “How can I add value to my client, friends and family relationships?” is how difference-makers think. Difference makers believe that if they help enough people get what they want, then they will also get what they want.” Because of this mindset, I will offer that difference-makers know that in a fun way, service-to-others is honorable service-to-self.
Caerusnet Brighton members Lacey Reedy & Mary Beth Potrykus.
POSITIVE PRESENCE
Anyone can complain but difference makers focus their energies on creative brainstorming and are experts at finding solutions, not pointing out obvious problems. They make their presence felt by leaving everything better than the condition they found them in. They improve the lives of the people they come across and make the organizations they are a part of better, simply because they are present in the presence of others. They are interested in the people in their network and ask questions. Most importantly, they listen to the answers they are given vs. formulating a response in their minds as their listening. Every day is a present when you are a difference maker – because difference makers are always present when they are with others.
CONSISTENT GOOD ACTIONS
Difference makers do not live in the world of good intentions. They live in the world of good actions. They take their network of referral partners with them subconsciously when they are in their regular course of business activity, always looking for opportunities to make referrals. Many Caerusnet difference-makers love to be the first member to give a new member of a team their very first referral! Taking good actions, multiplied consistently over time, will result in getting some of the best, warmed up reciprocal referrals one could ever ask for. If a person is not getting referrals in Caerusnet, the questions a member should ask themselves are: “Who have I really helped lately?” “Who have I really gone to bat for?” “Are the referrals I’m giving others adding value to their business?”
MINDSET CHOICE. POSITIVE PRESENCE. CONSISTENT GOOD ACTIONS.
This is the honest and honorable approach to relationship and referral success that Caerusnet difference-makers embrace. As a result, they are getting what they want in our facilitated referral network.
Do you have leadership and presentation skills? If so, becoming a Caerusnet Facilitator is the perfect opportunity for you! Here are just a few reasons why you should consider becoming a Caerusnet Facilitator and lead business networking in Michigan!
Fill the Gap in Your Area
Many communities need an established and effective referral network. By becoming a Caerusnet Facilitator, you can fill this gap. You can create and lead a referral passing team in your desired area, helping local business professionals and service providers connect and grow. This benefits your community and positions you as a key player in the local business ecosystem!
Thrive Watching Your Team Grow
There is immense satisfaction in watching a team you’ve built and nurtured thrive. As a Caerusnet Facilitator, you’ll bring local, referral-focused business professionals together in a friendly and welcoming environment. Seeing your team members increase their success with referrals and grow their businesses under your leadership can be incredibly rewarding. You’ll make a real difference in their professional lives, and their success will be a testament to your leadership skills.
Become the Go-To Pro in Your Field
Caerusnet teams operate with the principle of one category per business. This means you’ll be the exclusive representative of your industry within your team. As referrals flow through the network, your name will be top-of-mind for potential clients seeking your specific services.
A Personal Touch Compared to BNI
Many professionals have found that traditional networking groups, like BNI, can be too impersonal or rigid for their liking. Caerusnet offers a more personalized approach. Our Facilitators foster a supportive and engaging atmosphere where genuine relationships can flourish. Steven Zyskowski, Chief Referral Officer of Caerusnet, emphasizes the importance of a friendly and welcoming team environment.
Exclusive Benefits for Facilitators
Becoming a Caerusnet Facilitator comes with several exclusive benefits:
Get Paid to Facilitate: Members of your team pay you to facilitate the referral passing team, with only nominal licensing fees on your end.
Exclusive Business Representation: As a Facilitator, you get to exclusively represent your business category (e.g., real estate agent) on your team, giving you a competitive edge.
Proven System: Use a proven system that has been implemented since 2008, and get paid to network, even if you don’t receive a referral immediately!
Scalable Success: Start with a single referral team and have the option to add another one later to double your referral success.
Who Should Become a Facilitator?
Ideal candidates for becoming a Caerusnet Facilitator include real estate agents, independent financial advisors, insurance agents, business coaches, and health and wellness professionals. However, any business person who loves networking and relies on local referrals to grow their business is eligible! For those exceptionally talented in networking, Caerusnet even offers the opportunity to make a career as a Chief Referral Officer.
Ready to Take the Next Steps as a Facilitator? | Business Networking in Michigan
Want to learn more about becoming a Caerusnet Facilitator? Complete this form to receive a FREE Caerusnet Facilitator Self-Assessment. This assessment will help you determine if you’re a good fit for licensing a Caerusnet referral team and includes more details not provided here. Want to talk first? Schedule a call with Caerusnet Founder, Steven Zyskowski, by clicking here.
If you are looking to be on the cutting edge of clear strategy and bring your business networking success to a new levels, be sure to get involved in one or all three of these amazing sessions from the Caerusnet Success Series! There is one session each month, starting NEXT WEEK (on April 17th)! The first session is Wendy Caverly’s “Not Your Mamma’s Member Minute“. Caverly is the owner of Crusaders Networking and she facilitates many local Caerusnet teams in Michigan. This 90-minute workshop is limited to 20 participants only. There will be a chance to practice what you are learning for increased confidence and agility. Wendy will include take away resources you can use again.
In May, Jason Tracey, owner of Roar Consulting and host of the popular “Coffee & Grit” Podcast, will help you be more confident and close more deals by overcoming objections authentically. In June, Denise Roberts of Playing To Win Teams, will help you further develop your emotional intelligence in business so you “Don’t Let Doubt Take You Out”. Be sure to watch the short video below and see the additional flyer.
Enjoy these fantastic ReferralTopia Speaker REPLAY VIDEOS and the recording of NETWORKING SESSION #1 from the March 21st, 2024 ReferralTopia Online event. Also shown are pictures from the afterglow at The Fowling Warehouse in Ypsilanti! At the bottom of the page are the two ReferralTopia preview vidoes from the event registration page. We are looking forward to doing it again on October 3rd, 2024! To see the ReferralTopia landing page for the event, click here.
Business networking is the process of establishing and nurturing mutually beneficial relationships with other professionals, entrepreneurs, and potential clients.
Fast, Friendly, And Affordable Junk Removal Company. Mitten Junk Removal specializes in junk and debris removal in the greater Livingston County area. They are awesome Caerusnet members.
Networking can take many forms, like attending industry conferences, joining referral groups, participating in online forums and communities, and of course, attending networking events.
In the fast-paced world of business, building strong connections is often the key to success but can feel like a tug-of-war with all of the other demands we have on our time.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a seasoned professional, or someone just starting in your career, networking can play a crucial role in opening the doors of opportunity.
The Importance of Consistency
Consistency is the secret sauce that transforms networking from a sporadic activity into a powerful tool for relationship-building. While attending a single networking event may yield some immediate benefits, the real value lies in making networking a regular part of your professional routine.
Here’s why consistent attendance matters:
1. Building Trust and Rapport: Consistently showing up allows you to build trust and rapport with other professionals over time. By being present and engaged in the community, you demonstrate your commitment to building relationships and adding value to others.
2. Strengthening Connections: Networking is not just about making initial contacts; it’s about nurturing and strengthening those connections over time. By consistently showing up to events, you allow yourself to follow up with people you’ve met, deepen your relationships, and explore potential collaborations or partnerships.
3. Expanding Your Network: Networking events provide the opportunity to expand your professional network and connect with people from diverse backgrounds and industries. By consistently attending events, you increase your chances of gaining new information and opportunities.
4. Staying Informed: The business landscape is constantly evolving. Networking events often feature speakers, workshops, and discussions that can help you stay informed about industry developments.
5. Enhancing Personal Branding: By regularly interacting with other professionals, sharing your expertise, and contributing value to discussions, you establish yourself as a thoughtful leader and expert in your field. This can lead to increased visibility, credibility, and recognition among your peers.
Enhance Your Business Networking in Michigan with Caerusnet
Are you looking to grow your professional network?
Joining a Caerusnet referral group is not just a commitment to networking; it’s an investment in a dynamic and supportive community where consistency is valued, relationships are fostered, and success is shared.
If you’re a Caerusnet member, checkout this helpful self-assessment video to help you up your game in areas that need it.
“Caerusnet has been an amazing gift to us as we have grown our business. Steve has put together a wonderful group of facilitators and growth-minded business owners who prioritize professional development and building authentic relationships together. This creates an environment where we cultivate friendships and develop business synergies more than just another contact for the Rolodex. If you enjoy meeting people and want to grow your small business, this is the place!”
WHAT IS REFERRALTOPIA?
Join us for ReferralTopia: Professional Development & LIVE 1:1 Networking, a one-of-a-kind online event that will take your professional growth to new heights! Starting on Thursday Mar 21 2024 at 9:00 this event offers a unique opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals from various industries. Meet Caerusnet members from across SE & Mid Michigan as well as other likeminded referral focused professionals.
At ReferralTopia, we believe in the power of networking and its impact on career development. Through our innovative platform, you can engage in live 1:1 networking sessions with industry experts, thought leaders, and potential future referral partners. Share ideas, gain insights, and build meaningful connections that can propel your career forward.
In addition to the networking aspect, we have curated a diverse lineup of professional development sessions led by enthusiastic speakers. You will have the chance to learn from experts in areas such as leadership, innovation, and personal growth. Discover new strategies, acquire valuable skills, and stay ahead of the curve in today’s competitive world.
Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to expand your professional network and enhance your skills. Register now for ReferralTopia: Professional Development & LIVE 1:1 Networking and take your career to the next level!
Jump off the Zoom screen and attend the ReferralTopia In-Person AfterGlow at the Fowling Warehouse in Ypsilanti, Michigan and have a great time networking in person and walk away with some free ReferralTopia swag!
On Friday, February 2nd, the majority of Caerusnet MVP members, from networking teams across Michigan, attended a celebration in their honor: The Caerusnet Member MVP Celebration. Steven Zyskowski, the founder of Caerusnet, welcomed the MVPs and praised them for being shining examples of goodness and what’s possible in Caerusnet. To provide some “swag” for the occasion, Caerusnet commissioned Michelle Cousineau from EngraveItAllUsa.com to produce an personalized Caerusnet 2023 MVP tumbler for each MVP winner.
In addition, Doug Moffat, leadership coach at The Moffat Group, and facilitator of three Caerusnet teams (Ann Arbor, Brighton & Detroit), was honored as the 2023 Facilitator of The Year. Moffats’s commitment to excellence in overcoming challenges, increasing the membership size of his Caerusnet teams, and his consistent positive leadership are an inspiration.
Each MVP member was asked to share the highlights of their Caerusnet experience and any advice or tips for success to help all Caerusnet members increase their chances for success in our facilitated referral network.
Congratulations to the 2023 Caerusnet MVPs: Penny Wilson – A Path To Transformation; Joe Tiberi – The Tiberi Agency; Barbara Zinser – Charles Reinhart Realtors; Trae Bohlen – Photography by Trae; Robert Pierce – This Guy Cleans House; Scott Shay – Berkshire Hathaway Real Estate Services; Dayn Benson – Focused Feedback; Kevin Rogan – Legacy Wealth Partners; Ryan Shuchman – Cornerstone Financial; Jack Weyers – Family & Elder
Care Law of Mid-Michigan; Emma Ziraldo – Notary Services Ziraldo LLC; Jeff Roth – Arbor Advising; Donielle Gay – Mich Widder Group; Nathan Murray – Subconscious Realty LLC; Dr. Michael Berry – Conquer Chiropractic ™; Scott Brown – Fowling Warehouse and Matt Shosey – State Farm Insurance.
On Sept 5th, Caerusnet Founder, Steven Zyskowski was invited to attend a special Go-Giver Q&A event put on by his close, personal friend and business coach, Minesh Baxi. The event was designed to celebrate the principals found on Bob Burg‘s small business cult classic book, The Go-Giver.
The first session is Wendy Caverly’s “
On Friday, February 2nd, the majority of Caerusnet MVP members, from 
