I recently received a newsletter from my friend & fellow EFTer Paul Zelizer in which he talked about the great value of supportive relationships. Paul is great at creating connections through social media, etc. As Paul was working on his new website, he already had a web of professional connections so that all the support, skills and help he needed just flowed. This rang a bell for me because of something that we just went through in our family. While my husband and I were still on vacation, our 22-year-old daughter had a car accident. Thank goodness, both she and the other driver were uninjured. But we weren’t there to help her, and it was amazing to see the web of connection that smoothed the way. The mechanic we’ve worked with for years arranged for the towing, etc., “Don’t worry about a thing, I’ll take care of it all.” The insurance we’ve had for years took our daughter under their wing and helped with all the paperwork and a rental car. When it was clear that the car was totaled and a new (used) car had to be found, our mechanic found one for us that day — and my husband knew the owner! Another professional connection. The owner was so supportive — “This happened to my daughter too!” — and even gave us a good deal! Within just a few days, everything was done and all was well.

I’ve thought a lot about how valuable those professional relationships were at that moment. People we’ve done business with for years were really there for us. There was a web of connection and support already in place. It’s the relationships and trust that we build over time that make all the difference.

By the way, Paul’s newsletters are always thoughtful and I get a lot out of them. Find out more at www.paulzelizer.com. I appreciate Paul’s integrity and authenticity and value his work. He has helped me quite a lot with my own business.