How did my business grow?
ŘUsed all of my contacts from grammar school to the present
ŘWilling to take short assignments
ŘFirst major break came through a softball contact
ŘSecond big break came from studying Swedish
ŘContinue to network – NJ Chamber of Commerce, Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce, NJIT Alumni Association
• Never throw away a person’s business card without entering the information into a database.  You never know when you will need their skills and vice versa.  My earlier business contacts became the start of my new business.  Build a network from a variety of business and social contacts.
• A short assignment can lead to a long assignment.
• My third baseman from the Exxon softball league went on to become my first large business client.  From there I received referrals throughout the organization.
• My Senior year Chemical Engineering lab partner’s sister married someone in my Scandinavian social club.  The husband became my second big client.  A friend from my Swedish class referred me to my third.