To business mentor Charlie D’Agostino, few things are more valuable than a strong professional network.
As he tells Business Report in its new cover feature, the ability to pick up the phone and hear “yes” on the other end can make or break a new company and can help advance careers. Establishing a thriving network of reliable connections has to be front and center for anyone trying to do business, he says.
“It is absolutely critical to success,” says D’Agostino, executive director of the Louisiana Business and Technology Center, the 26-year-old business and technology incubator at LSU. “And you have to spend a lot of time doing it.”
D’Agostino, a Baton Rouge native and LSU alumnus, says he has spent most of his adult life building contacts, some of which were first fostered in high school and college. They’re contacts he says he’s happy to share with the startups housed at the LBTC.
“I tell people all the time that I have a phenomenal network that I share with all my companies,” D’Agostino says. “If one of them needs a contact or an introduction, I can call somebody, and busy business leaders will take time out of their schedule to meet with my people. That is the greatest service I can provide.”
In Baton Rouge, networking has long been a fundamental part of doing business, but it has evolved. The classic rules governing networking remain the same: Young professionals (and their bosses) recognize the importance of joining established networking organizations flush with prominent business and community leaders.
But here and around the country, face-to-face networking opportunities are supplemented by social media platforms. Traditional goal-oriented networking, in which participants want quick ROI, is being outpaced by organic networking groups that emphasize socializing or volunteerism.
More than ever, Greater Baton Rouge is awash in both formal and informal networking opportunities—entry points where both natives and newcomers get the chance to develop relationships with peers, community leaders and potential clients. The local Rotary Clubs, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, the Baton Rouge Chapter of the American Advertising Federation, the Public Relations Association of Louisiana, the Louisiana Chemical Association and many others draw young and veteran professionals to regular educational forums and meet-and-greet lunches. In addition, organizations like Forum 35 and the Junior League of Baton Rouge give members a chance to build leadership skills and relationships through community service.
Read the full cover feature, which includes profiles of four prolific networkers in Baton Rouge, including Eric Dexter, director of business development at Civil Solutions Consulting Group; Ben Nguyen, founder of Cyber Fision; Jessica Gagliano, development manager of distinguished events at the American Cancer Society; and Jesse Hoggard, vice president of marketing at CellControl.
The cover package also includes quick networking tips from six veterans and comprehensive networking advice from Breaking Vases founder and former IBM executive Dima Ghawi, as well as advice from Louisiana Business Inc. President Julio Melara. Also, Blake Killian of Zehnder Communications shares his thoughts on why professionals might want to give LinkedIn another try. Send your comments to editors@businessreport.com.
