Blog by Iwan Thomas, Brummies Team

Networking on Valentine’s Day leads to analogies between romance and business networking.

Catching the eye of someone who looks attractive is one thing – but they may not be suitable for a long term relationship. They may not value you, but just be after your money. They could make extravagant promises that they cannot keep. They maybe have an unfortunate history that you do not know about. As they say, “marry in haste, repent at leisure”.

So it pays to take time to get to know people. Look at the kinds of friends they have. Use social media (there was a story this week of a woman who googled her new boyfriend, and found he was paedophile). Find out who they have been involved with before, and how that ended. Don’t get blinded by the romance of meeting someone new.

At Brummies Networking, we try to create space for long term relationships. What we cannot do is vet who attends, or whether they are suitable for you.

So take care that you do not wake up in the morning feeling used, or wondering “what have I done?”