I published this article for Harvard Business Review on May 9, 2018.
Please click here to read the full article at HBR.org. The full article is not published in this blog.
Whether it’s attending startup events, social gatherings, or happy hours, networking is a necessary part of every entrepreneur’s life. Seventy-eight percent of entrepreneurs agree that networking is crucial to startup success, which is why there are a myriad of articles online about how to master and love the art of networking.
But networking can be extremely draining. Imagine the countless hours entrepreneurs spend talking, traveling, and socializing with contacts and potential investors. Excessive social interaction can be physically and mentally exhausting for anyone — even extroverts. In fact, many of the founders I coach describe networking as draining, saying it sometimes robs them of the energy they need to work on actual business operations.
As an entrepreneur, you can’t avoid networking. But there are techniques you can use to prevent and cope with networking-induced exhaustion...
To continue reading this article, please visit HBR.org.
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