Dorie Clark and the Power of Human Connection

by Vern Schellenger, CEO Contacts Count

10/10/23

Contacts Count is all about helping you and others tap into the power of human connection by building trust-based mutally benefical relationships.  Sharing an email I recently received from Dorie Clark which speaks to her journey and the power of human connection.  And while her comments focus on her efforts to build her business, all of what she says is just as applicable to building your career success.

 “When I started working for myself back in 2006, I didn’t have a lot of role models. 

Eventually, over time, I’d meet people “in my world” at industry events or who’d also been brought in to work for the organizations I’d managed to land as clients. 

And you can learn some things from afar. 

I’d study their websites, or try to learn more about how they structured their businesses. 

But there’s only so much you can glean from the outside. The important things – how to structure proposals, pricing strategies, the techniques that actually work – well, that’s private. 

Over time, I learned by trial and error. I raised my fees, and I got faster and better at what I did. 

But what was painful to realize is that if I’d had a community around me – colleagues to share and learn from, and a forum to raise questions and get good answers – I could have learned it all so much sooner. 

For someone who values learning and growth as much as I do, it was a slap in the face. 

But the truth was, back then I wouldn’t have known where to look for learning and support like that. 

You need a high trust environment - and not just any people, but the right people. 

The problem with so much of professional life – and it’s true for everyone to a certain extent, but especially for solopreneurs – is that you only know what *you’re* doing. 

The most crucial insights remain hidden, because most often, we can’t talk about the “real things” (like money, or achieving certain hard-to-reach goals) with people when we don’t have a very, very solid foundation of trust. 

Achieving that – and finding a community of smart, generous, inclusive peers – is one of the most important things you can do to move your business forward.”

Finding your community of smart, inlusive peers is achieved by learning how to build trust-based mutually beneficial relationships.  And like Dorie you might not know where to look for the learning and support you need.

Using the Contacts Count approach to networking on a consistent basis will help you find the “right people”. The people who you know you can trust. These are the folks that you can learn from, who can help you solve problems, introduce to others in their network, and send opportunities your way.  And you are willing to do the same for them.  Build an open network of the right people and you will experience the power of human connection in both your professional and personal lives.

Dorie found her community that helped her move her business to worldwide recognition.      https://dorieclark.com/about/

Contacts Count is the premier coaching and training organization dedicated to helping you use the power of human connection to transform your career, business, and life.

About the Author

 Vern Schellenger, President and CEO of Contact Count.

Vern is dedicated to empowering professionals and entrepreneurs with the strategies, skills and tools to master networking (even if they are introverted and don’t like networking events). His vast experience includes such roles as HR VP and CLO at Dunkin Donuts, VP & Director of Professional Services at Lee Hecht Harrison, and SR VP of Human Resources at American Bankers Association.