Master Networker SECRETS OF A —By Laura Schwartz
Author, national television commentator, and motivational speaker Laura Schwartz networked her way from answering phones for the White House press office at the age of 19 to producing more than 1,000 events as White House director of events. Here—and in her book Eat, Drink and Succeed—she shares her belief in the power of networking and some tips on how to make the most of social situations.
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PRAH MAPPED OUT HER FUTURE on a napkin while on a date at Hamburger Hamlet. Spielberg cooked up the idea for DreamWorks while socializing at a White House state dinner. And I went from an-
swering phones to staging high-profile events for the president on a daily basis. I served at the White House for eight years, from 1993 to
2001. I was 19 when I started as a volunteer and quickly moved up the ranks to staff assistant, Midwest press secretary, director of television, and, ultimately, White House director of events. As director of events, I saw opportunities both capitalized on
and lost through the course of just one event. Some guests came to eat, drink, and leave with the White House towels stuffed in their pockets. Others came to eat, drink, and leave with ideas they could turn into reality and relationships they could turn into lasting partnerships. I grew up in a photography business my parents built from scratch. I could see how it succeeded in large part through their lifetime of building genuine, long-lasting relationships. My White House experience reaffirmed my belief in the power of building relationships outside the office. Whether an annual con- vention, regional meeting, weekend retreat, nonprofit gala, com- mittee meeting, or daily coffee run, what may seem like a mere social occasion can profoundly change one’s life—but only when guests and hosts realize it. I approach social occasions in two basic ways. First, rather than looking at an event as optional, I see it as opportunity. Sec-
ond, I look at networking not in a manipulative way, as in “What can I get from you?” Rather, I look at it from the standpoint of “What can I do for you?” I truly believe it is through helping oth- ers succeed that we achieve success ourselves.
BUSINESS IN BLACK TIE A state dinner at the White House is glamorous and social, no doubt about it. It’s also the most coveted party invitation in the political power scene. When it gets down to basics, it’s really just a business meeting in black tie. At these events, major deals are clinched even before the president and visiting heads of state ask everyone to raise their glasses for the first ceremonial toast. It was at a state dinner for Russia’s President Boris Yeltsin
on Sept 29, 1994, that three guests—Steven Spielberg, David Geffen, and Jeffery Katzenberg, all invited separately—found themselves talking through dinner and late into the night about their common interests. Tirteen days later, they announced one of the biggest partnerships and film studios of all time, DreamWorks. Tese guys did not come up with this idea in an office, on a studio lot, or anywhere near Hollywood. In fact, Spielberg recalled the night in Joseph McBride’s 1999 book, Steven Spielberg: A Biography: “We’re in tuxedos talking about a brand-new studio, and just across from us there’s Yeltsin and Bill Clinton talking about disarming the world of nuclear weapons.”
Tis just proves you don’t have to be in your office to create the next big success. In fact, I firmly believe we are most open to new ideas, and often come up with our best ideas, at annual con-
www.elitemeetings.com
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