International Entrepreneur Club

International Entrepreneur Club

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  • Octavio Pitaluga
    Octavio Pitaluga
    The company name is only visible to registered members.
    5.000+ contacts on LinkedIn. Continuous learning

    Dear all,


    I keep recording my my online networking based on milestones on LinkedIn. I surpassed the barrier of 5.000 contacts yesterday. In other words, it took me 3 months + 4 days in order to add 1.000 connections. I guess that my network is even more international than before. I am pleased to share my continuous learning after 22 months in this networking game so far:

    1. Besides disclosing my e-mail address, I have added "MBA" beside my name. I look for a close identification with all MBAs worldwide. Unfortunately, based on some feed-back received from some collagues, I wonder that many of them have not yet clearly understood the super power of online networking activities for their corporate careers and/or success of their own ventures.

    2. It was a great pleasure to interact personally with many of virtual business contacts during my recent business trip to Europe http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=58228. It was all designed based on online networking relationships that I have been developing for more than 18 months at that time.

    3. I have realized that some companies are finally recognizing the importance and need for CRO - Chief Relationship Officer position in their organogram. My article explored this point http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=49232 . So, I am discussing with some companies about networking business coaching services by now. Interested ? Please contact me.

    4. I have been very passive for abt 9 months on LinkedIn. As a result, I lost several positions on its ranking: from # 21 to # 26 worldwide and from # 1 to # 2 by now. At this stage, I am much more interested in developing a reliable and long term partnership with those I have already connected rather than keep growing my network endlessly. The most important point is not the number of connections and/or leadership per se but the recognition of my name as (a) top networker and, most importantly, (b) as a reliable professional who is serving the business community in Brazil and abroad carefully. It´s quite nice when somebody who only connected to met me online, recognizes my name when we exchange business cards in an event.

    5. I have already collected about 10.100+ e-mails mails randomly and uploaded them on LinkedIn. In addition, I have abt 3.840+ outstanding answers for my previous invitations. Once in a while, I re-invite people who I have invited about 1 year ago. Only a few of them connect which means that the great majority still do not understand the reasoning behind this networking game and its paramount importance to their business and professional careers.

    6. In order to address these points, I have created a simple public speaking (PDF in Portuguese http://www.tech-bridges.com.br/sitePT/images/stories/PDFs/pa...) which I will start presenting in my own networking events everywhere in Brazil. I am also considering some virtual sessions.

    7. I noticed the begin of what I will call "networking companies" acting on LinkedIn. Let´s start differentiating "virtual agile organizations" from "networking companies". In both cases, the networking structure is super important and clearly recognized inside the organization. However, virtual agile organizations are those in which business partners are physically located everywhere and working together during specific projects and using communication tools in order to deliver their work. Whilst, networking companies are physically located in one specific address and their employees are actively connecting people on LinkedIn. Once they managed to be accepted by one person, they tell their colleagues and soon after all other partners come after asking for the same connection. I observed 2 recruitment companies doing so. One is based in Argentina while another is located in India. I see this behavior as a trend in this online networking world.

    8. Revising my preferable online networking platforms, per category:

    # business directory: LinkedIn with 5.084 contacts and 64 endorsements

    # business communities: Ecademy (# 1 in Brazil with 336 "Goods") and openBC (#2 in Brazil). There´s a nice and light Brazilian plataform named Syxt (Portuguese only) where I am co-moderating RSM Erasmus University - Brazil chapter group.

    # social communities: Orkut, Gazzag, Hi5 and MySpace

    # contact management tool: Plaxo

    # discussion boards: Yahoo

    # communication tools: Skype (octaviopitaluga) and Google Talk (opitaluga@gmail.com). The latter seems lighter and offers better sound quality than the former. Btw, I noticed that Skype lost quality soon after E-Bay bought it. Do you feel the same ? Is there any relation ?


    9. At last but not at least, not everything is positive in this online networking game. I also learnt on the hard way that I need to raise more filters and not be so open concerning brand new business partners who I have only meet online. I also faced a terrible experience http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=55586 during this period. Well, we need to "kiss some frogs before we find our princess", right ? It´s also part of the learning curve.

    STOP
    Additional blogs about my online networking experience :
    12-18 month online networking experience
    http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=39778
    3.000 connections on LinkedIn
    http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=47153
    4.000 connections on LinkedIn
    http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=54124

    Please feel yourself encouraged to connect to me in all major online networking platforms.

    Best regards,


    Octavio Pitaluga
    • 16 Nov 2005, 8:37 pm
  • Shrinath Navghane
    Shrinath Navghane    Group moderator
    The company name is only visible to registered members.
    Re: 5.000+ contacts on LinkedIn. Continuous learning
    Octavio..
    LinkedIN is a amazing website to come across some very powerful people. But yet many are still to harness the real power of online networking. I am trying to do the same in India.. with my Entrepreneur Meetup's solely through ryze.com, openbc.com and linkedin contacts. Thus helping in generating a lot of real time networking.

    Keep up the good work and sharing your infinite knowledge with iEC.

    Cheers!

    Shrinath Navghane


    Octavio Pitaluga wrote:
    Dear all,
     
     
    I keep recording my my online networking based on milestones on LinkedIn. I surpassed the barrier of 5.000 contacts yesterday. In other words, it took me 3 months + 4 days in order to add 1.000 connections. I guess that my network is even more international than before. I am pleased to share my continuous learning after 22 months in this networking game so far:
     
    1. Besides disclosing my e-mail address, I have added "MBA" beside my name. I look for a close identification with all MBAs worldwide. Unfortunately, based on some feed-back received from some collagues, I wonder that many of them have not yet clearly understood the super power of online networking activities for their corporate careers and/or success of their own ventures.
     
    2. It was a great pleasure to interact personally with many of virtual business contacts during my recent business trip to Europe http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=58228. It was all designed based on online networking relationships that I have been developing for more than 18 months at that time.
     
    3. I have realized that some companies are finally recognizing the importance and need for CRO - Chief Relationship Officer position in their organogram. My article explored this point http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=49232 . So, I am discussing with some companies about networking business coaching services by now. Interested ? Please contact me.
     
    4. I have been very passive for abt 9 months on LinkedIn. As a result, I lost several positions on its ranking: from # 21 to # 26 worldwide and from # 1 to # 2 by now. At this stage, I am much more interested in developing a reliable and long term partnership with those I have already connected rather than keep growing my network endlessly. The most important point is not the number of connections and/or leadership per se but the recognition of my name as (a) top networker and, most importantly, (b) as a reliable professional who is serving the business community in Brazil and abroad carefully. It´s quite nice when somebody who only connected to met me online, recognizes my name when we exchange business cards in an event.
     
    5. I have already collected about 10.100+ e-mails mails randomly and uploaded them on LinkedIn. In addition, I have abt 3.840+ outstanding answers for my previous invitations. Once in a while, I re-invite people who I have invited about 1 year ago. Only a few of them connect which means that the great majority still do not understand the reasoning behind this networking game and its paramount importance to their business and professional careers.
     
    6. In order to address these points, I have created a simple public speaking (PDF in Portuguese http://www.tech-bridges.com.br/sitePT/images/stories/PDFs/pa...
    %20uso%20de%20ferramentas%20de%20networking%20online%20na%20prospec%E7
    %E3o%20de%20neg%F3cios%20internacionais.pdf) which I will start presenting in my own networking events everywhere in Brazil. I am also considering some virtual sessions.
     
    7. I noticed the begin of what I will call "networking companies" acting on LinkedIn. Let´s start differentiating "virtual agile organizations" from "networking companies". In both cases, the networking structure is super important and clearly recognized inside the organization. However, virtual agile organizations are those in which business partners are physically located everywhere and working together during specific projects and using communication tools in order to deliver their work. Whilst, networking companies are physically located in one specific address and their employees are actively connecting people on LinkedIn. Once they managed to be accepted by one person, they tell their colleagues and soon after all other partners come after asking for the same connection. I observed 2 recruitment companies doing so. One is based in Argentina while another is located in India. I see this behavior as a trend in this online networking world.
     
    8. Revising my preferable online networking platforms, per category:
     
    # business directory: LinkedIn with 5.084 contacts and 64 endorsements
     
    # business communities: Ecademy (# 1 in Brazil with 336 "Goods") and openBC (#2 in Brazil). There´s a nice and light Brazilian plataform named Syxt (Portuguese only) where I am co-moderating RSM Erasmus University - Brazil chapter group.
     
    # social communities: Orkut, Gazzag, Hi5 and MySpace
     
    # contact management tool: Plaxo
     
    # discussion boards: Yahoo
     
    # communication tools: Skype (octaviopitaluga) and Google Talk (opitaluga@gmail.com). The latter seems lighter and offers better sound quality than the former. Btw, I noticed that Skype lost quality soon after E-Bay bought it. Do you feel the same ? Is there any relation ?
     
     
    9. At last but not at least, not everything is positive in this online networking game. I also learnt on the hard way that I need to raise more filters and not be so open concerning brand new business partners who I have only meet online. I also faced a terrible experience http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=55586 during this period. Well, we need to "kiss some frogs before we find our princess", right ? It´s also part of the learning curve.
     
    STOP
    Additional blogs about my online networking experience :
    12-18 month online networking experience
    http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=39778
    3.000 connections on LinkedIn
    http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=47153
    4.000 connections on LinkedIn
    http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=54124
     
    Please feel yourself encouraged to connect to me in all major online networking platforms.
     
    Best regards,
     
     
    Octavio Pitaluga
    • 18 Nov 2005, 05:40 am