Make Time for Coffee

As temperatures in Virginia head back into the 90s, I am reminded of the importance of coffee to the world of small business regardless of the time of year. Starbucks and Panera have provided a virtual network of conference rooms for entrepreneurs. It seems as though any Starbucks at any time of day is playing host to one or more small business meetings. The locations are comfortable and convenient to grab an hour with someone to share and learn.

The to-do here is to make a regular habit of reaching out to folks for these meetings. A 7:30 meeting makes it easy for someone to grab coffee and still make it to the office by 9:00. It's also the time of day at which people are most likely to be engaged. Productive meetings such as these occur much more frequently in the mornings than at lunch or after work. These other times are much more likely to be conflicted with last minute changes to the day.

Keep your network active and growing. Take advantage of the natural forces of coffee and the ubiquitous coffee houses. If you have not already done so, take a look around on your next visit. I guarantee you will see a number of these meetings occurring. And as you network, you will soon discover how many of these people you can get to know. Networks spider-web out quickly, but it takes initiative and attention.