Sharmadean Reid: Business & Empowerment

Sharmadean’s top tips for building your network

Sharmadean joined us as one of four guest V-Hub advisers who took over our Instagram channel in March.

Sharmadean's session focused on making an impact, where she shared her expertise on business development, in addition to insights from the businesses she is running and supporting. Here, she follows up her highly informative session with guidance on mentoring, networking and collaborating. 

“The experience and the lessons you could gain through mentorships are so invaluable that it is undoubtedly worth it.”

Getting confidence to ask for mentorship

Gaining the confidence to ask for mentorship can feel like the ultimate fear of being rejected. But you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. Just reaching out and sending an email or a message on LinkedIn could be the first step to something incredible. The experience and the lessons you could gain through mentorships are so invaluable that it is undoubtedly worth it.

Networking as an energy exchange

I never considered myself a ‘networker’. When I first moved away from home, I embraced an attitude of curiosity, genuine interest and optimism. Carrying this energy into my professional life proved immensely helpful because it portrayed me as someone capable and efficient.

The energy you bring to interactions plays a significant role in networking.

How to decide who is right for a collaboration

Look at your values. Make sure that what you believe in is also what they believe in. This not only makes it easier to work together but also allows your message to be brought together and amplified in a more seamless way. Furthermore, look at what you can offer to the brand that they may not have. This could be any skill or asset, no matter how big or small your brand is. Even if you are a young Gen-Z company in the early stages, you have access to a whole world of insights that a more established, older brand cannot tap into.

 
I recently did an Instagram Live on networking as a guest V-Hub adviser. This was my favourite question that was asked:

How do you have patience when it comes to building partnerships and creating impact for your business?

Our culture is too obsessed with overnight success. This is not a realistic nor sustainable idea of success. Good things take time. One of the most important things to do as an entrepreneur is realise and accept that your journey to success will take time. One of my favourite things to do is look at famous entrepreneurs and see what age they were when they founded their first successful business. Michael Bloomberg was 39 when he founded Bloomberg. Vera Wang was 40 when she founded her famous fashion house. Success doesn’t come to all of us at the same time, and it’s never too late to find it.

Looking for more help and support? Why not speak to our expert V-Hub advisers for free for more guidance on your networking goals.