In today’s interconnected world, virtual networking has become an essential skill for professionals across industries. As businesses expand globally and remote work is holding ground, the ability to forge meaningful connections online is crucial for career growth and business success.
Continue reading Mastering Virtual Networking at AIIP25: A Key Skill in the Global Business LandscapeTag: business growth
From Lawn Care to National Impact: How AIIP Shaped My Success Story
The Unexpected Opportunity
Sometimes the most meaningful professional opportunities emerge from unexpected places. For me, it started with an interest in native plants and a spot on a mailing list. As an independent information professional typically serving corporate clients and management consultancies, I never imagined that reducing my lawn and adding native plants would lead to one of my most fulfilling projects – or that my AIIP volunteer experience would prove so invaluable.
Continue reading From Lawn Care to National Impact: How AIIP Shaped My Success Story
Multi-Conference Exhibitor: New Lessons Learned Over Time
By Roger Magnus, Roger Magnus Research
In 2022, I wrote an AIIP Blog about being a first-time conference exhibitor. Two years later, I have now had an exhibitor table twice more and will again be at a large conference (see below) on October 24, 2024.
Continue reading Multi-Conference Exhibitor: New Lessons Learned Over Time
Strategic Doing, Not Just Strategic Planning
A recent conversation on the AIIP-L discussion list about the importance of setting aside time for business planning moved into a discussion of time-management techniques that AIIP members have found helpful for blocking out strategic planning time. Like many others, I set aside one full day a year—or every six months, if I am pivoting my business—to assess where I am, where my best clients are, what I’m enjoying the most, and what I want more of over the next year. After reflection, I come up with the measurable goals that I will achieve if I put my strategic plan in place.
Continue reading Strategic Doing, Not Just Strategic PlanningOnline training: what I learned through lockdown
In my school librarian background, professional development was neither valued nor recognized, so it may be surprising that my career is now based on providing training for the very type of professional I used to be. If your place of employment doesn’t recognize or value your professional development, and your opportunity for upward mobility is minimal, why would you ever bother?
Continue reading Online training: what I learned through lockdown
Too much thinking, not enough doing? How to grow your solopreneur business
By Kelly Berry
How many AIIP members have plans to launch a new business or service but struggle to make progress? I’m guessing (hoping?) I’m not the only one!
Continue reading Too much thinking, not enough doing? How to grow your solopreneur business
Another look: Stay focused with long-term planning
This is an updated version of a post that was originally published in 2017.
By Marcy Phelps
At meetings of the I-25ers, a group of independent information professionals located in and around Colorado, we often discuss how to stay focused. It’s getting harder and harder, with the many hats we wear and the ever-increasing rate of change in our lives and work, to make decisions about our businesses and carry them out.
Setting goals for the next 5 or 10 years provides focus in our lives and milestones for success.
It will also keep you sane.
Continue reading Another look: Stay focused with long-term planning
Why Should You Cultivate and Grow Your Local AIIP Network?
By Liz McLean, Knowsaic
Your local AIIP peer network could be one of the most effective strategic and marketing tools you have ever used. Here are a few of the reasons why:
Clarify Your Vision
Even though face to face ‘local’ AIIP gatherings have been overtaken by COVID-19 protocols, our need for instilling optimism and a sense of purpose through our local trust network of shared experiences and relationship building increases.
Grow Your Referral Network
AIIP members have long valued the benefits of this trust network that exists organization-wide. Because we weren’t able to gather in person for our annual conference in April as planned, we missed meeting one another in person to form or reinforce connections with folks who have skills that overlap or are complementary to our own, or get to know those who cover service areas that we don’t. Now, it is more important than ever to reinforce relationships at a regional level too. When we grow trusted network connections, it is a natural instinct to want to refer our colleagues to a business opportunity if it seems to be a promising match for another’s expertise.
Find Your Tribe
The common geographic element of groups like this can be a shared experience that serves as a springboard for some casual “get to know you” conversations. Even through uncertainty, connecting with other local AIIPers who speak our language can reassure or steady us, or surface some good old fashioned ‘hey, I thought of you recently when…”
Stay Top of Mind
Having a trusted referral network is what most successful AIIPers will tell you is marketing gold – their key to ongoing and lasting success. You can’t really develop that trusted referral network if you aren’t engaging with one another on a regular basis to see who’s overcoming what challenges, who is pivoting, who is trying something you’ve wanted to try, or who wants to try something with you to practice first before going live. Your local AIIP peers can be your sounding board, your cheerleaders, and your amplifiers. They can inspire, cajole and learn from your experiences as you do from theirs.
Build for Sustainability
Put your growth mindset into action. Take the initiative to get everyone together consistently. Look for opportunities to keep the conversations going. Invest energy into making fun and unique virtual get-togethers that you would want someone else to create for you. Find icebreakers or games to learn more about one another beyond the shared experience of being a solopreneur. Share what’s worked for you and what you now see in hindsight as a lesson.
The local networks that you cultivate now and over time will enrich your professional growth and business development in a sustainable and impactful way.
Liz McLean, principal, and founder of Knowsaic, uses her Library Science and Knowledge Management expertise to connect people and organizations to the know-how and know-who to learn and innovate for greater mission impact.