I have been telling my son to develop a network for as long as I can remember. Today I am telling you that too. It’s just good advice.
What do I mean when I say develop a network?
Well, I’ve been in this industry for 35 years professionally and I’ve been doing business in the same geographic area for that long too. It seems I know everyone. As you should.
I have also been fortunate enough to be a part of Team EliteFTS for decades. This alone has exposed me to some of the best minds in our industry.
And, being involved in Strength Sports broadened my network of people that I am acquainted with and can go to for advice or help.
Over the past 35 years I have developed a massive network of some of the best people in the strength training/business world. And I can and do go to them often for advice and to see what they are doing that may work for us here at TPS.
I began to develop a network from day one because I knew the value of having a support system.
In the strength world my network of peers is second to none. That is a statement on them, not me. I am fortunate enough to have each of them.
In my other business, TPS Method Tactical: Boston’s Premiere Firearms Training, I knew from the outset that I needed to leverage my network in that arena to build a new network as good as my primary one.
Again, I am fortunate enough to know through work, training or friends, some absolute beasts in the firearms training industry. Many of them are retired Special Forces. This is an important aspect later in the article.
I bring this up to illustrate my story of why you should Develop A Network, and then use it.
A week or two ago I got a text from a local business owner I am friendly with. His friend, a retired Navy SEAL was in a horrific car accident and needed a specific piece of medical equipment for his recovery. The family was wiling to pay for it, they didn’t want charity, they needed the equipment.
The problem is that they could get one but it would take 4-6 weeks and that was just too long. He got in touch with me because he knows I got a guy for everything. So, I dropped what I was doing and made some calls.
I called people I knew in the medical industry, but I was more hopeful for friends in the firearms/Special Ops community to come through. Not just because he was one of their own, but because they tend to have massive networks and can get shit done. They got a guy for shit you can't imagine!
I spoke to a friend, no, a brother who is retired Spec Ops and he got to work.
He put me in touch with a member of his current civilian work team who also dropped what he was doing to help.
This is fucking amazing.
Pay attention here.
And I am not writing this to tell you how fucking awesome I am or how awesome my friends are. They are, but.... I’m just a guy who knows a lot of people and tries to do the right thing. I’m summing up what happened.
- I developed a network.
- Then, I put my network to work.
- I had no idea who the person needing the help was but my buddy did. That’s good enough for me.
- I leveraged the right people in my network
- Once I made the calls to my network, they got steppin’ and gave 100% to help someone they didn’t know.
Why did we all do this?
Simple.
It was the right thing to do.
If we can use our powers for good we need to.
As they say on Letterkenny, when a friend needs help, you help. Having a strong and diverse network will make your life easier.
Trust me.
In the end one of my contacts had a line on the equipment and it looked good, BUT, the family got in touch and let us know they got one. All reports say that the SEAL is recovering nicely thanks to all involved.
Develop A Network that you can use and start young.
It will help you in many ways, from getting something repaired right away to business or training advice, and it could even save someone’s life.
To everyone in my network that stopped what they were doing to help someone we don’t know, I love you. America, no the world needs more people like you.
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Vincere vel mori
C.J. Murphy
December 5, 2024
