THE RESOURCE BANK - Sometimes It’s Who You Know

You know who everybody knows?

The person who only calls when they need something.

Don’t be that person.

Building resources isn’t about collecting people you can USE later. It’s about building relationships throughout your life.

Keep in touch with people. Help when you can. Share information. Recommend somebody for a job. Give them the name of a good contractor. Pick up the phone when somebody needs advice and you actually know the answer.

And sometimes just check on somebody without needing a damn thing.

THAT is how you build a Resource Bank.

Over the years, I’ve learned that everybody knows SOMETHING you don’t know.

One friend knows a great realtor. Somebody else knows a mechanic who won’t rip you off. Another person knows who to call about insurance. Somebody knows a contractor, lawyer, accountant, teacher, doctor, plumber, or person hiring.

You don’t need to personally know everybody.

Sometimes you just need to know somebody who knows somebody.

But relationships have to work BOTH ways.

If the only time your name pops up on somebody’s phone is when you need a favor, eventually they’re going to stop answering.

Be useful to other people, too.

Share what YOU know. Make the introduction. Give the recommendation. Answer the question. Help somebody get through something you’ve already been through.

And don’t keep score.

You don’t help someone today because you’re expecting them to owe you something tomorrow.

You do it because that’s how relationships are built.

Then one day, when life throws something at you and you don’t know what the hell to do, you may realize you already know exactly who to call.

That’s a resource.

And those relationships don’t get built the day you need them.

You build them along the way.