How To Network And Build Relationships

Alright everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host Tyler Wagner. Today I have Jamie Cadenac with us. He is a community builder, networking nerd, Venture Associate at Capital Factory in the center of gravity for entrepreneurs in Texas. So welcome to the show, man.

Thanks, Tyler. Thanks for having me.

Of course, grateful to have you here. So the first one I got for you is, what is the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?

Nice. Let's see. I think, I think I'll start with a theme that kind of, kind of overarches a lot of how I apply, you know, my life and everything. So like getting comfortable with being uncomfortable is something that I try to stick to. And that looks like a variety of things. So like moving to a new city, because I'm originally from the Northeast and I'm down here in Austin, Texas. Not really knowing anybody, just kind of jumping down here and jumping into it. Applying for a job, not hearing anything, and then knowing they have an event coming up, showing up, meeting the hiring manager and saying, hey, did you hire anybody yet? And I'm saying no and really enjoying that. Yeah, I got my current role. Or reaching out to somebody, you know, you think you shouldn't because of some form of imposter syndrome or something like that. Just making sure that if you're comfortable Why are you comfortable? Is there a way that you can get uncomfortable to learn, experience something new, and just kind of go from there? Hopefully that makes a little bit of sense.

No, no, no, it does. And I think, I mean, I found with myself, like public speaking was always a fear of mine and I still get a little fidgety on stage, but I started to like, I started to like think of it less as being nervous and more getting excited. So it's like getting comfortable with the uncomfortable and in fact, starting to seek out the uncomfortable things.

Absolutely.

So now before I get on stage, I still get nervous, but I just have done it so many times now that I'm like, dude, this is just fun. Like, just have fun with it.

Find the joy in it.

Yeah, yeah, it's a rush. So, um, next one I got is, what is the most valuable piece of information we should know that's within your expertise or industry?

Sure. Um, so I'm here in startup realm, and, um, there's the power of connection is kind of pretty powerful. So like Not underestimating the power of simply just saying hello is something that I pitch to people. It's so simple and something that you can do on a daily basis. But I mean, it's a scary thing to do sometimes too, but like it comes down to it just opens so many doors. And that is super helpful in startup realm because like I'm working with founders all the time and, you know, the power of connection can really make or break a business, which is pretty wild to see and say But that goes for, you know, being at a corporate job as well, because I used to be at a big corporate company and, you know, I just didn't network and say hello as much as I should have to just people I didn't know. Like, set a goal, one person every day that you can just say hello to. Maybe it's two times a week if that's a little overbearing on that one person a day, but just start saying hello, having a conversation, and, you know, see what happens, see what doors open up. It could lead to, you know, future opportunities for yourself. It's something that just can't hurt. And the worst they can say is, what's going on? Why are you talking to me? Like, move on.

Who cares? Totally fine. That's like, okay, good. I don't have to worry about you then.

Exactly. Move on. There we go.

Yeah. So dude, you're talking to somebody, I do like 20 or more interviews a week. So like, I'm all about that, man. Like I'm on that 2, 3 a day, you know?

And it can be daunting. I mean, it's something that kind of going back to getting uncomfortable with it. Or if you're getting, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.

So yeah, so my next one for you is, um, if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?

Uh, I think about this a lot. I don't, I don't know why. Um, I like asking other people this question too, just because I think it's, you know, it can open doors too. Um, but I think like, who cares what other people think? Um, yeah. It just doesn't matter. Kind of going back to you being on stage, like, and having, like, maybe originally having, being a little fearful, but if you kind of just go into it like, you know, I know what I'm here to talk about, maybe I stumble, maybe I trip, maybe I fall, whatever, but like, it really doesn't matter. Like, it's, it's just kind of something that happens, roll with it, move on, and, and go from there. Um, I mean, like, when I was, when I was maybe in like junior high or high school, like, it's just kind of a time, even like a little bit through college when I, and like maybe mid-college is kind of when I was like you know, who really cares? Like, it doesn't matter. Just, you know, maybe not doing something, maybe not putting something out there, just kind of, you know, being a little bit more reserved. And now that I'm in a new city, it's just like, you know, if people aren't down with, you know, me being me, then, you know, they're not the people I'm surrounding myself with.

That's quite all right with me. Yeah, dude, I'm with you. I think that's the biggest thing too, is like I started to realize— I started to think to myself, why am I fearful on stage? Is it that I'm actually Am I scared, or is it that I like care about what other people think? Yeah, you know, and if you can— if you realize that it's that you care about what other people think, and then you boil that down to the root, you're like, that's actually kind of silly, you know, because like, once you understand it— yeah, yeah, it is. And another part, and I remember learning this when I was like 20 or something, I read The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. And one of the parts he talks about is like realizing like what's the worst possible thing that could happen? Like what's the worst that could happen? And I started to apply that in my life, and you realize that like a lot of these fears are just like overwhelms in the mind that you just like are like you overthink things. So it's like on stage, what's the worst thing that could happen? Like I literally trip, fall, and like break my teeth or something, and like the chances of that is like very little, but like But that could happen, and even if that happened, it still ain't that bad, you know what I mean? They got fake teeth and I can walk. I go get back up.

Absolutely, absolutely, man.

It ain't that bad. Um, so my next one for you is kind of going down a different path. In your opinion, what is the key to happiness?

Oh man, deep. Oh yeah, so many things. Um, I think healthy relationships, man, is just super important. Cherish, cherish the ones you have, build new ones as well. I mean, a lot of people, let's say they have financial, like, financial fortune or fame or, or both or whatever, whatever some goals are. Like, maybe the person who's sitting on the porch after a hard day's work, like living within their means, just having a cocktail, watching the sunset, like having their family surrounded around them, maybe they haven't figured out. So like That's kind of what I see. Of course, I've got some financial goals myself, you know, being a young, ambitious, ambitious, uh, business, businessman myself. I, I, I just want to make sure that I'm still cherishing and that work, work-life balance, just making sure that the people in my life are close to me and my family, my friends, um, just the good people that I surround myself with.

Dude, I think relationships is a big part of it, personal and business. Um, so I agree. Um, so now we'll talk about books.

Okay.

What is the best book that you've read and what's the number one thing you learned about it or from it?

Yeah, a timeless one, and I recommend it to everybody. I've recommended it to so many people, and it's years and decades old. Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. Um, yeah, a major takeaway from it, like, that I took, um No, I mean, a couple. Like, everything in that book is great, but just kind of listening to others and not like, not listening to respond, but actually listening to what they're saying. That's big. So like, you know, a lot of the times, like, I'll find myself, and even still after reading the book and, you know, skimming through it a couple times after I've read it, I'll still find myself listening to respond, not necessarily listening to like what they're actually saying. And some of what they're trying to communicate to me. So that's just something that I try to think about as much as I can, as I, you know, in business, in my personal life, just kind of going from there, taking, listening to people, what people actually have to say.

Dude, I think that's huge. That's probably the biggest thing I got out of that book as well when I read it is before you literally, like, we do this, I don't know if it's like the way we're brought up or something, but like a lot of us like listen to responses So we're like, we're not really listening, we're just like thinking about what we're going to say. So if you can actually like silence your mind and fully listen, what's funny is the response actually naturally happens.

Yeah.

And it's more of an accurate, if you will, response than a calculated one.

Absolutely. And that, that was big. And I read that book when I was like 21, and it was just kind of a game changer. And I realized that like through my 21 years of life until I read that book It was a lot of me listening to respond, and I was like, what? Like, after reading that, I was almost blown away that this is what's going on, that I need to start actually hearing people.

Yeah, it changes your interactions with people, like 100%. One little tweak. Um, so my next one for you is, what's your favorite quote and why?

Um, one that I find myself saying probably once a week And I don't know who said it. I had a mentor say to me one time, it's always a no until you ask. Like, it's just kind of one of those things that kind of going back to opening doors and seeing what opportunities are out there. Like, you know, do you, do you, do you want a raise or do you deserve a raise? I guess is the real, real question. And if you do, like, bring it up in conversation with your manager, with whoever, with whoever needs to have that conversation. You know, whatever it is, it can be applied to business, personal life. It's always a no till you ask. I mean, it's, you know, you see videos of people sneaking into like the Super Bowl or something like that. You know, they're not asking anybody, but they're kind of using that philosophy of like, well, if somebody turns us around, then we'll go. But like, it really comes down to the fact that like, if you're, if you just keep it inside, you keep it internal, like nobody's in your mind, like reading what you, what you're thinking, like You got to put it out there to the universe. You gotta, you gotta let people know what you're thinking. Um, and, and, you know, ask the question, dude.

It's— yeah, couldn't agree more. I always say too, and this works better, one tip that I, uh, that I used when I was younger, when I first dropped out of school, I actually would reach out to conference coordinators and like, and it was truthful, but I was like leveraging my being young and broke, basically, is I would reach out and be like, I'm an aspiring entrepreneur, I don't have the $5,000 or whatever for your conference, but I'd love to come. Is there anything I can do to help you? Yeah, thanks for allowing me to come. Dude, no lie, you won't even believe how many yeses I got. Like, I got a lot of nos, but I got like literally about like 100 yeses. Yeah, I went to so many events for free, it was disgusting. And so, but if I never asked, you know, I never would have been to one of them.

No.

And you gotta— the nos come with it. So either way, and these were like in rooms with people like Tim Ferriss was a keynote at one of them. So you gotta ask.

Yeah, absolutely. It's, it's, it's, it's so cool to like see it in action too, especially when you're expecting a no and then you get that yes, like, like in your example. Or let's say, you know, you feel like you deserve that raise and you get it, you get a hard no. Well, maybe it's time to look for a different opportunity. Like, why are you still in this, in this role at this company? Like, there's other companies out there, and maybe they see the value that you're willing to bring to the table.

Absolutely, man. And another thing to realize too that I always like to mention is like, people that are like at a higher status than you, or whatever you want to call it, more wealthy, whatever, they also get something out of giving. Like, giving feels good to do. So like, there is something to be said like Being a mentee, you get to learn and grow, which is obviously a positive, but don't always think that you're the only one getting something out of the relationship, because as a mentor, it also feels good to give back and help others. So you're— I just like, if you can think about that, like, it feels good for them as well. So don't just think you're taking. It's actually, it's actually kind of an equal relationship.

Yeah, absolutely.

When you think about that way. So, dude, Love it. Thanks for coming on. Last one, where can we find you online?

Oh, absolutely, great question. Thanks for asking. I mean, @JHCJR_, that's my Twitter handle, or Jamie Kadnak on LinkedIn. Both great ways to get to reach me.

Perfect, bro. Thank you again.

Hey, no problem. Thank you.