It’s not so often that you connect with people in life. I don’t mean in the superficial, “hi, how are you doing?” type of the way. I’m talking about type of connection that makes you feel instantly related to someone when you meet. And making connections online just makes this challenge that much more difficult.
But since I’ve seriously started blogging online, I made it a point to connect with other bloggers and online business owners. But there had been a few from the very beginning that I connected with. And amidst all the “stuff” we do to try to market out blogs and work our business, we’ve managed to stay connected and continue to support each other.
Why am I telling you this?
…because from connections follows collaborations. Sure you can join forces with someone you barely know and cross your fingers and hope for the best. But the true gems are going to come from already established relationships with people you’ve come to know, like and most of all trust!
A Story
Soon after meeting DiTesco from IBlogZone, I knew that I wanted to work with him; it just came down to a matter of ‘how’. But soon enough we joined forces and started a new website that will not only help a whole community of people with their online ventures, but will prove to be a worthwhile business venture for us both.
Because of our mutual respect and continued support, I decided to reach out to Francisco and ask him if he would be interested in this new business venture I wanted to pursue. I wanted to start a new social network much like BlogEngage and BizSugar, but one solely focused on WordPress.
Thankful DiTesco responded with a resounding yes; and we quickly focused and got to work. Soon enough WordPress Junkies, the WordPress Social Network was born! Now I won’t go into details about it because DiTesco did such a wonderful job getting into the nitty griddy details of WordPress Junkies. So please head over and learn more about this new site and what it can do for you.
This post is about the birth of collaborations… so getting back to the story.
You may be wondering why did I seek out DiTesco to join forces with me on this? Why didn’t I go at it alone?
There are several reasons:
One, I am already so engrossed in writing for NewBizBlogger, guest posting on other sites and working on my online business training program (coming soon 
), that taking on another venture of this magnitude alone would just be a bit much. A partner would allow me to share the sweat equity, costs and broaden my reach.
Second, I’ve always believed that no man is an island. In business, as in life, we need other human beings to move forward. As children, it started with our parents, care-takers and teachers. As we grow older and became adults it continued with our peers, bosses and mentors. We rely on others; and it should be that way.
Third, I knew in my gut that a joint venture with DiTesco would be win-win for both of us. We already had similar work ethics, our desire to help others, our passion to succeed with our business(s) and most importantly our addiction to All Things WordPress!
And last but not least, the power of the many always outweighs the power of the one. It is why I’ve always “preached” about the power of collaboration; it is why I whole-heartedly believe Mastermind groups are invaluable.
Two brains are really better than one…
So do me a favor? Head over and read all about WordPress Junkies and become part of community that I know with out a doubt will soon be the place to go for all your WordPress needs.
Image credit
Michele, you lay out very important reasons to collaborate with others. I’ve done several collaborations in my life, including co-authoring one mainstream book, and your advice is right on.
Best of luck with your new project with DiTesco. It sounds fascinating.
Hi John,
Yeah, we’re both very excited about it! It’s only the beginning, but I predict it will go well … if either one of us have anything to do with it. LOL.
Great to see you. Talk soon and thanks for stopping by.
P.S. you are one of the those early on “contacts” I’ve mentioned in the post. Shhh… don’t tell anyone.
This whole marketing things is about networking and shaking hands..its called piggy back marketing..once you have master that..then the rest is easy..
BTW..I found you from my friend DiTesco..so you see how networking connects us.
“Black Seo Guy “Signing Off”
Love that networking thing! LOL Piggyback marketing? That’s exactly how I describe my site, funny enough.
Great of you to stop by and a real pleasure to meet you. Happy Networking!
Michele: I found you via my ‘day job’ where I help on the marketing end of an online project mgt tool (might need to ping you about it!)… but am so happy to have run across you, since I am a wordpress blogger with piles and piles to learn!
Good luck with your many ventures!
Hi Janelle,
Pleasure meeting you. Online project management tool? Hmmm… sounds interesting.
Good luck to you as well. There’s always new thing to learn with WordPress.
That’s great news, congrats on the great idea and it’s great to see two fellow bloggers come together with something cool.
Thanks John! As I said, you never know where a connection can lead.
Lovely hearing from you. All the best!
I have learned to be patient with new introductions and let relationships evolve without expecting immediate return. Out of friendship and trust grow the real desire to collaborate on exciting ventures, like the one you describe above.
Hi Billy,
Yup, letting things happen naturally is the way to go; some things can’t be rushed, but as you said, evolve. As I said, I knew I wanted to work with Francisco b/c the know, like and trust was there, but only when opportunity presented itself (in this case, an idea on a site) did I approach him.
The great thing is that when it happens naturally, magic happens.
Pleasure meeting you and look forward to chatting some more!
Hi Michele
Great story and a wonderful way to do business.
A win, win situation is the way to go forward with business networking where all parties concerned will at some point in the relationship get a result to reward their input in waht ever form.
I have just been checking out the new site and joined and posted my first comment regarding the random Ads WP plugin, really great little plugin. I had been looking around for a while for just this sort of plugin.
The site looks great and its so easy to navigate and find stuff,will be checking it out on a regular basis.
Great work Michele
Regards
Zahid
Hi Zahid,
Great to have you on board at WPJ!! Yeah, there are really good ones already and it’s just the beginning.
It’s still in beta, so please be sure to give me a shout out if you find any hiccups.
P.S. Just went to tweet out your last article and twitter id @addtoany was attached. Do you have your own Twitter ID?
Hi Michele
Hi Michele
It was really great checking out WPJ and I think it is a really great idea.
I will be putting your article on my site towards the end of April but will send you a e-mail with the exact date.
My twitter ID zahidyk
Regards
Zahid
Hi Zahid,
Can’t wait to read it… thanks for the support!
As for your Twitter account, just followed you. If I can add my two cents here, you are such a personable guy and have a lot to offer, I would recommend you up your Twitter activity. I get a large portion (I believe it’s the # 5 or #6 position according to GA) of visits from this tool, and we are in somewhat similar fields, I think it can really do wonders for you.
Like I said, just my two cents.
Hi Michele
Thank you for the tip.
I will follow up on that.
Thanks
Zahid
Hey Michele,
Just commented in DiTesco’s post. What a wonderful collaboration. I am pretty sure this project will be a success. It is targeted on a single topic WordPress. Man, how many blogs are using WordPress? There are just too many. Have just created an account over at WPJ.
I wish both of you success. Cheers.
Lye
Hi Lye,
I think it will be a success too!
We are both very excited about the project and you can never get enough info about WP, especially for us WordPress “junkies” …LOL.
Thanks for the warm wishes and welcome to WPJ!
All the best!
Well done Michele!! Wish you the best of luck!!
Thanks Catarina! Appreciate you stopping by.
I love seeing two of my favorite bloggers join forces! I signed up for WordPressJunkies already and I wish you nothing but the best!
Awww…that’s so cool of u to say that Ileane!
So glad you signed up. Wouldn’t be the same without you.
All the best!
My congrats, Michele. It’s good you and Francisco got connected so well and are working together on that new venture. I was very glad to receive the announcement of the WPJ launching. Of course I registered and I will be keeping in touch with you guys.
Hey Steven,
Thanks for the support! I hope you get a lot out of the site. It’s still a work in progress, but will will get there! As for DiTesco, couldn’t as for a better partner in crime.
Ciao!
You definitely have to be careful with who you choose to work with though. At one time, I partnered with the team behind Tim Ferris’s “4 Hour Body” website to do some work on a forum they were creating.
I was doing the work for free in hopes of receiving some personalized criticism in return. It sounded like a great deal, but I got left out in the cold in the end.
They ended up losing a lot of the work I did when they did a WordPress update and came back at me trying to get me to fix it. I wasn’t interested in helping.
Choose who you work with carefully! There are people out there that WILL take advantage of your skill set.
Hey Kyle,
For sure, you have to be careful. I think any time you go into a partnership, there are risks involved. You can know someone extremely well, partner with them and later deal with the partnership going sour… you just never know.
But ultimately follow your gut, reduce risk as much as possible and be clear with your communication; and then hope for the best.
Sorry to hear things did not turn out so well with you with that team. But don’t let it deter you from having possible future collaborations.
Talk soon.
Hi Michele
I’m a firm believer in collaboration. Even wrote a post about it awhile ago
Without collaboration I would not have got an upgrade of my blog. That was definitely a bonus for me. I wrote articles for my friend and my techie friend did the upgrade for me. Worked well for both of us.
Done some writing for another friend and get help with other aspects of my business too. And I really think sometimes just giving to others, not expecting anything in return brings its own rewards too
Over to check out ditesco’s post now. I visit there regularly so want to see what your JV is all about. All the best to you both and hope it’s a great success for you.
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Patricia,
Thanks for the wonderful comment! I remember your post on collaboration… it was a great one and very well received it I remember correctly.
Don’t you just love collaborations! It’s like playing in a school yard with your favorite buddies… full of ease and fun.
I liked what you said that “no man is an island”. Indeed we can’t live alone, but sometimes it takes a little courage to just go and approach people.
Hi Michel! How are you? It’s amazing when you can turn a simple connection into MONEY! It’s what I call “business mind person”. Wherever you are and whatever you do, networking is there but nobody thinks this way! The bigger your network of people is, the more chances you have to get closer to your million dollar deal!
Thank you for sharing with us, have a great day!
John
“The bigger your network of people is, the more chances you have to get closer to your million dollar deal!” I love that John! Like the way you think.
That is what is boils down to in business… your bottom line. And if you can find join forces to achieve your business and financial goals, than even better.
Thanks for your input John. Have a great week!
Gail @ GrowMap called 2011 the year of collaboration. It looks like she just might be right. I think we all too often overlook the potential in the contacts we meet so I loved your morale of the story summary.
These past 8 weeks that I have been offline have been as the result of an offline collaboration with someone I met at a seminar 7 years ago. Since that first meeting we have had numerous chances to help each other out.
I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, but I thought very little of our first meeting. It was he that saw the potential from that brief encounter. Imagine the opportunities I would have missed over the past seven years had he not.
Hi Brad,
I believe everything happens for a reason and for one reason or another 7 years ago the timing was right for a collaboration with you and him. But the point is that the time is right NOW and embrace the opportunity and not what may or may not have happened in the past.
Good luck with your collaboration. I’m sure it will be a wonderful thing … it’s definitely well deserved.
And I agree, this year will be more about working together with people to move our business forward. At the end of the day, I think that was always the best way to go, many of us were just too blind to see it.
Talk soon.