CLEARWATER, Fla. — Meeting people and "word of mouth" are powerful tools not only when it comes to getting a new job, but when it comes to growing your business.
It can really be the key to developing professional contacts. Just a couple of weeks ago in Clearwater, dozens of small businesses got together for their first in-person networking event in more than a year.
Mark O'Donnell started RGA Network 10 years ago.
"We help small business owners get more business," he said.
But when COVID-19 hit in early 2020, networking events like this were canceled.
"So literally we shut down on a Wednesday and about 10 of our team leaders got together and we learned about Zoom," O'Donnell said. "We literally did practice Zoom meetings Wednesday to Sunday and re-launched our whole network Monday morning on Zoom."
Eleven Zoom meetings a week, that literally kept these small businesses connected in so many ways.
"It helped my business grow, it helped me grow personally. A little bit more confidence, it goes a long way," said Dawn O'Neill with Our Town America Postcard marketing in Clearwater.
She now knows how vital it was to be a part of this networking group. They were reminded every meeting that they could make it through a difficult year with a little help from some friends.
"Being a part of RGA and just sharing referrals and gaining referrals was something I had never experienced before. And it's not who you know. It's who knows you and that is extremely important and I learned that lesson during 2020," O'Neill said.