I Learned How To Network After 60 And So Can You!

OCT 21 WRITTEN BY ROBERT MILLER

I’m a baby boomer. I’m from a generation before the term networking existed. Back in the day all we had to reach people was a Rolodex. Sorry kids, you may not know what a Rolodex is. A Rolodex only contained contact information of people you already knew. A Rolodex didn’t help you find new people to connect with.

The Internet changed everything. Today, with the help of Facebook,  Instagram and Google there's no longer the need for an old contraption like a Rolodex. 

The question is if you're a baby boomer, how can you utilize social media to meet people, network and grow a business? Many of us have no clue.

When I started the Follow Your Dream Podcast in 2021 one of my biggest challenges was finding guests. I had the drive and the grit to make this podcast happen, but I was without a thriving online community to access. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention (no, this is not a Frank Zappa  joke). That being said, I took a dive head first into the world of networking. My strategy was simple but effective: I asked for help.

I started asking each of my podcast guests to introduce me to another person who would be a great guest. Was it uncomfortable for me to ask for help? yes. Did I do it anyway? yes. I went out of my comfort zone and built my network . As many people from my generation do, I felt too old for this risk, but I was wrong.

For those reading this story, who think it's too late to take the risk and network, take it from me, it's never too late.