Community and networks (and how <client> helps develop them)
This is a writing sample from Scripted writer Matthew Chabe
Many of you are probably familiar with the phrase, "It's not what you know, it's who you know." On the surface, the meaning of this seems evident. But how many of us stop to think about how important it is to your own professional development?
It's easy to think we have all the skills we need to succeed on our own (especially when you attend a school like , which focuses on leadership and problem-solving skills). But we rarely exist in a vacuum. More often than not, the most successful among us reach our goals with input and support from a whole community of like-minded individuals. Sports teams, academic groups, and professional membership clubs are good examples.
Let's put it in 21st-century terms: artificial neural networks (ANNs) are computing systems inspired by the biological networks in animal brains—that is, the systems "learn" to do things by drawing from examples and making specialized connections. The concept was first hypothesized and tested in the 1940s. By the turn of the millenium, it was a recognized fact that ANNs could quickly make decisions that less-connected systems just couldn't.
Similarly, when we create a good professional network, we benefit from a deeper well of examples and make better decisions than we would on our own. We make specialized connections. That's why, in order to succeed professionally, we need a good network. One reason is because we can pool pertinent knowledge and resources. Another reason is that as knowledge and resources are shared, we can build things together—and sometimes individually—that would never have been built before.
A good network—a community of like-minded individuals—is one of the most important resources a professional can have.
I'm excited about , our continuing education and professional development program being launched in this September. I'm excited because, in addition to developing world-class leadership and problem-solving skills, it provides participants with a powerful professional network (appropriately called the ).
All participants join a strong, active community of top employers, entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors. They become part of a talented, diverse network from across the continent and around the world.They take part in entrepreneurship events, exercises, and real-world experiences. The networking opportunities that come from simply participating in are nearly endless—and invaluable.
I encourage you to visit and discover just how far you can go when you connect "what you know" with "who you know."
Right up front, I'm a professional editor | published freelancer writer | business owner | marketer | travel obsessive | outdoorsman. But since you're here, I have a question for you: when you're looking for a writer to represent your business, do you want A) someone with an English degree but little real-world experience, or B) a writer that "gets" what owning a business is like, has a marketing degree, and writes professionally for a living?
Good news—I'm the second one. I'm a professional writer with credits in national publications, an (employed) newspaper editor, and a serial entrepre...
