Bill Matthies

My 73,000 Friends
October 8, 2007

Do you sometimes feel like no one knows you’re out there, like no one else cares? I did, but not any more, not after what I saw today.

I’m a member of LinkedIn, a social networking site that appears to cater more to adults in general and business/professional people specifically than does say Facebook or MySpace. I’ve been a member for at least a couple of years; I don’t recall exactly how long, and you would think I would be all over this given what I do for a living (consultant). But I haven’t. Nothing has really happened other than responding to people who contacted me asking if I wanted to be “linked” with them (networked).

So two years in and how many people am I “linked” to? Well, according to the LinkedIn statistics, which I decided to finally look at for the first time today, 10 “one-degree” away from me folks; 1,100+ two-degrees away people who are in some way linked to one or more of my 10 direct links; and an additional, not to mention astounding, 73,300+ individuals who are a mere three degrees away from me linked to one or more of the second-degree 1,100.

My PEOPLE! They’ve got my back and I’m their main man. That’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout!

Well at least in theory. Practically speaking, I really don’t know many if any of the 73,000 other than the original 10, but hey, LinkedIn says we’re a tribe and that’s good enough for me.

All kidding aside, as with so much else, you get out of things like this what you put into them and when it comes to LinkedIn, for me that hasn’t been much. But that’s not their fault. They provide a networking venue and it’s up to me to take advantage of it, which, no doubt, many of their 14,000,000 + members do. As I intend to do more of from this point forward.

Did you know there is a networking group similar to LinkedIn devoted specifically to consumer electronics? Not similar in the sense of being a virtual networking clearing house, although they are some of that. Actually, it’s more complete by including both the real as well as virtual worlds. It’s a place you can go to learn, to improve yourself and your business. It’s called the Consumer Electronics Association and if you’re not already a member, an active member you should be. If you’re not a part of it already, it’s time to join the circle; you’ll be amazed what awaits you inside.

Now that really is what I’m talkin’ ‘bout!

Posted by Bill Matthies on October 8, 2007 | Comments (0)