Earlier this week I was talking with some business friends on how large (or small) a persons network needs to be able to achieve certain business and life goals. These are the figures they came up with but I’d be interested in any feedback. What was interesting is how small the groups are when people are working for a person’s success

• To be able to move jobs easily…between 100 & 500 at appropriate level
• Success in a new job…team + boss + key influencers
• To have a successful on-line sales business…over 10,000 contacts in list
• To be famous… 10-25 team of promoters, press agents (accepted that fame is relative)
• To have Social Media, press, TV Influence…25,000 – 100,000 followers +
• To be happy…between 5 and 25 very close friends

Completely unscientific and after a few glasses of wine but what is interesting is that the smallest figure is the one for happiness.

If you listen to the radio or watch TV news you’d be preparing for the end of the world as we know it. Economic turmoil, strikes, food and water shortages are all being predicted. Yet I’m detecting there’s also a huge amount of good feeling about. New business teams are being brought together, projects started and thriving.

Two examples from just yesterday

Riverbanks Clinic
Today I was thrilled to hear that a great friend of mine, Dr Ravi Jain, who set up The Riverbanks Clinic just a couple of years ago and last year won three awards in the Aesthetic Medicine Awards, has won two more awards this year.  After such a short time Riverbanks must be ranked as one of the leading aesthetic clinics in the UK, if not further afield, and it’s not surprising that Ravi’s now travelling all over the world speaking at conferences.

When Ravi started he was focussed and had a great vision of what he wanted and I was delighted to have been able to help in a very small way but thrilled that all his hard work is showing such fantastic results.

Nick Hine Legal
Another great friend of mine, Nick Hine has set up his own solicitors firm Hine Legal in the City of London and specialising in personnel issues. Last night he had his official launch party, one month after he started work. One of the speeches revealed that he’s already landed one of the UK’s leading retail stores as a client. Destined for great success I feel.

There is all sorts of good news out there if we look

Did you see the BBC 2 programme on the wealth management industry last Tuesday.
I was fascinated at how many people rely on this type of development programme and spend thousands of pounds on the basis of a “taster session” in a hall with two or three hundred other people.

Would it be more sensible to spend the same amount of money bringing together a team of experts and seeking their advice by interviewing them, taking up references and undertaking some sort of assessment of worth before buying.

Is it greed, is it laziness, is it the times we are in
and who’s making the money?
or
am I missing the point?