The Importance of Relationship Building

Early in my career I didn’t understand the importance of relationships in business. I fully believed that I was the sole person responsible for my personal development, professional growth, and future opportunities. As a result, I convinced myself that workplace relationships were the cherry on top

As the owner of a consulting firm, it’s not surprising that I believe relationships are integral to a business’s success. Without building and leveraging relationships, I wouldn’t have been able to secure clients or receive advice and assistance when I was in need. I’ve found that many Black-owned businesses, though overflowing with creativity and innovation, lack the support that I’ve found necessary to scale my operations. That’s why this month’s consulting tip is to lean on your already established relationships.

Now, I’m not talking about the kind of “leaning” that leaves people unpaid or dodging your “pick your brain” emails. No one has the time to give “free game” or do work for no pay. But what I do suggest is that each entrepreneur or small business owner take inventory of their network and utilize the expertise of others, nurturing a reciprocal relationship with someone you consider a peer. In other words, before you reach out asking for help from another business owner, figure out what skills or knowledge you have that they may find useful for their own endeavors.

In a 2017 interview with Interactive One, Issa Rae underscores the importance of networking with people at your same level. The business publication Inc. quotes the video of Rae saying the following:

“Who's next to you? Who's struggling? Who's in the trenches with you? Who's just as hungry as you are? And those are the people that you need to build with.”

So often people focus too much on building relationships with people in high places, thinking of ways to utilize another person’s position to improve their own. That sounds nice but in my experience, the most important relationships you need to cultivate, outside of the one with yourself, are those with people that are hustling just like you.