It is important to maintain your network of past colleagues and bosses. There are both personal and commercial benefits for doing this.
On the personal, you get to maintain friendships which is very rewarding. We all need friends and connections.
There is also a huge upside on the commercial side if you are in a startup sales role. All these former peers and boses know and trust you and are willing to help you succeed. They will give you insights into their current organisations as well as introduce you to new sales opportunities. It’s a win-win for everyone.
In startup sales there is no silver bullet on getting B2B customers, you need to be trying multiple strands. Catching up for coffee or meals with former colleagues is one of the easiest ways.
A book that I know expands on this topic is Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi.
I challenge you to give these meetings a try!
Catch up with five former colleagues or bosses and see what happens!
