Steven Robbins here. Welcome to the Get It Done guys, quick and dirty tips to work less and do more.

I really believe in the power of relationships to help you succeed. And I love having friends.

But it's really hard for me to make them. Fortunately, I'm reading Who's Got Your Back by Keith Farozy. It's all

about how great it is to have a support network of people who care about each other and are

willing to hold each other accountable to their own dreams and goals. That sounds wonderful,

but first, you actually have to meet people. You have to find them and deepen your relationship to the point where you can count on each other.

Once you're out of school, where do you meet people? I wish there were a magical place to go where it was easy to find new friends.

Some people attend networking events, but standing around in a suit eating cheese cubes doesn't exactly bring out my personality. I like

fun events. When having fun, I meet people, even business connections, in the unlikeliest places.

Conferences on entrepreneurship, science fiction, hypnosis, changing the world, yoga, board games,

live action role-playing, the National Book Expo, Coaching, Swing Dancing, Comedy Improv,

podcasting, and musical

theater, to name a few. As you may recall from my last episode on networking, striking up a

conversation is easy. First, finish chewing and swallow that hors d'oeuvre of your munching. In fact,

eat the whole handful. Shaking someone's hand while you're still holding a piece of chicken liver

wrapped in bacon isn't the best way to start.

Once your hands are free, just walk up and say,

Hi, we don't know each other. My name is, insert your name, and that's it. Now you're talking.

If they look at you like you're a six-legged creature from another dimension, say, it was a pleasure meeting you, and go on to the next person. Life is too short to deal with jerks.

Now that you're talking, what do you talk about? If you want to be utterly forgettable,

talk about business. Better yet, talk about the value of your portfolio. That will fill several

fun-filled hours and ensure you won't even need to follow up on the conversation

...