SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT NETWORKS by Bill Stankiewicz, "Savannah Supply Chain Guy"

You will often hear a person was lucky and became successful. Of course, you cannot be lucky all the time, but you can increase the odds in your favor. As an entrepreneur or a business owner you can work to increase your chances of being lucky. No, it is not about reading a book on gambling or watching a movie on the subject. It’s about people:  The more people you meet in life, the more you will increase your chances of meeting that person that may change your destiny.

In 2006, I was exposed to social media through LinkedIn and while attending conferences as a speaker. I soon gained many new skills and in turn, began helping colleagues with their social media development. I learned something new and used that knowledge to help other people.  Life doesn’t get better than that.  I never turn down projects, even though they may be outside my  background or current range of skill-sets. When someone calls me for help, I use my list of contacts and try to point that person in the right direction. This is the start of my Connecting The Dots. I give them names and contacts and I follow up. And I make sure my contacts are current and up-to-date.

I am constantly learning new areas to adapt and help people. For example, one company contacted me about importing and exporting raw materials in and out of Savannah. This particular commodity was new to me. My contacts educated me quickly and I was able to help this company develop a new business here in Savannah. This business is now in an early start-up mode. I simply “Connected The Dots.”   In a typical day at work I may get calls for help in other states. On Friday, a friend in Texas called me and said, “Bill, it’s 3:30 pm and I need to get a quote within the next hour for my customer from a company based in Memphis. Can you help me?”  My response?  “Of course, no problem!” I then connected her with the right company and person. This became a successful connection!

It is crucial that you never hold back promoting yourself or your business. Remember “You Are A Brand.”  I return all my phone calls and emails and I always follow up.  Treat everyone you meet with great respect and professionalism. Be nice and helpful to anyone because you never know who they know in their field of contacts.   I enjoy travel, networking, and attending trade shows. I speak with people in the business and I am always listening and asking questions. My goal is to meet 10 new people outside my normal sphere of influence every year. This makes me think outside the box and be able to connect other dots.  You don’t want to get stuck in or comfortable with the status-quo.

We all have dreams. But to make your dreams a reality, it takes hard work, dedication and tremendous drive and luck. Life will derail you at times but you must stay the course to achieve your objectives. Work every day on your goals to make your dreams a reality. Don’t give up; there will be rough days but they will pass. It is important that you believe in yourself.

It is necessary to steer clear of people that may not support your efforts or that hold you back. Align and attract yourself with people to your business who are hungry for success.  

Top Management Organizations & For Networking

American Management Association (AMA)

If your goal is to work toward a management or executive role, seeking out a well-established organization where you can learn about the latest in management practices is a sound first step. The American Management Association offers student membership benefits such as discounts on conferences and seminars and an array of online trainings.

The World Federation of People Management Association (WFPMA)

Are you pursuing a business degree with a focus on international business? The World Federation of People Management Association is an umbrella organization representing several top people-management organizations from around the world. The WFPMA holds a World Congress every two years to address global people management trends and serve as an international networking event.

Top Marketing Organizations

The American Marketing Association (AMA)

The American Marketing Association (AMA) is a well-known professional organization in the industry. The association offers student membership, allowing you access to resources such as professional development, marketing certifications, e-learning and student competitions. Those benefits are in addition to access to regional AMA conferences on every aspect of marketing. You can find out if your school or university offers a chapter or you can start one yourself.

Business Marketing Association (BMA)

Business-to-business marketing, otherwise known as B2B marketing, is one of the strongest marketing sectors for professionals in the industry. The Business Marketing Association targets B2B marketers, offering regional chapters, trainings and well-attended national marketing conferences.

Top Finance Organizations

American Finance Association (AFA)

Are you interested in knowing more about financial economics? The American Finance Association's Journal of Finance is a mainstay for academic papers and research in finance. The finance association also hosts meetings at universities around the country on topics like "Riding the Bubble with Convex Incentives" and "Does it Pay to Invest in Art?"

As part of this organization, you're privy to its job boards, recruitment opportunities and the opportunity to submit your own paper for publication.

Association for Finance Professionals (AFP)

This organization provides advocacy, certifications, job and recruitment opportunities, and it also organizes an annual conference for professionals worldwide. The AFP is a one-stop association for learning about the latest industry trends and choosing from a wide selection of webinars.

The Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals in Business (IMA)

If you're an accounting or finance major, this association is a good place to meet professionals from around the world via the IMA's forum community, gain professional feedback and access job opportunities through their career services center.

Top Accounting Organizations

The Professional Accounting Society of America (PASA)

The Professional Accounting Society of America offers a free membership to thousands of accounting job listings as well as CPA exam support. Not to mention, the membership roster is strong, to better help you connect with other accounting professionals.

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)

You don't have to be a CPA to belong to this association. The AICPA offers a student and non-CPA affiliate membership, AICPA scholarships and career support in specific areas of interest like information management and not-for-profit organizations. The association also offers its members advocacy at the state and federal level.

Top Human Resource Organizations

Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM)

There are over 275,000 Society of Human Resource Management professionals around the world, and an annual student membership is relatively inexpensive. The organization also represents 93 percent of Fortune 500 companies, per its website.

Members have access to compliance information, education, forums, support on legal issues and current HR policy. For networking and growth opportunities, student, national and international conferences are also offered.

Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA)

The Professionals in Human Resources Association collaborates with SHRM for combined membership, and the focus of this association is on staying abreast of the latest trends and policies in the field. Though this professional organization is primarily regional on the West Coast, it provides phone-based HR consulting, advising and HR centers to help you create employee handbooks and job descriptions.

Top Healthcare Management Organizations

The American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHM)

The American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management organization is one of the only professional healthcare associations that highlights healthcare management. The almost-50-year-old organization places an emphasis on member professional development. The association represents administrative management professionals through "legislative and regulatory monitoring" and works with related organizations to help guide the industry.

Healthcare Administrators Association (HCAA)

You might think healthcare administration is solely comprised of administrative work in hospital or patient facilities. However, if you're interested in pursuing areas of healthcare administration such as auditing, insurance or working with technology organizations, this association's primary mission is to support healthcare administrators in these roles, or "third-party administrators" (TPAs).

They offer job postings, certifications and annual conferences for those in third-party industries. While this organization's membership is more expensive than other associations, particularly for those who don't yet work in the field, it might be worth inquiring whether they provide student discounts and rates.

Finding Additional Opportunities

Remember that employers in key hiring positions may also be affiliated with well-known business organizations. Becoming a member of a professional organization while you're a student shows potential employers your commitment to your field and to excellence in professional development.

Don't stop with this list; do your own exploring to find out about local chapters in your community, on campus and regionally. Part of a well-rounded education includes professional experience and development. Carving out time and resources to put toward this while pursuing your education can help open doors and create better opportunities.