The 100 Years Club Installment #109: New Faces

Why is talking to strangers and embracing new people so important?

I’m not referencing creeping in dark alleys and dispensing awkward hugs.

1. Socializing with people you have never met can lead to significant business and personal relationships. After a couple of lockdown years (the pandemic and my mother’s death), I threw myself with abandon into the networking and socializing scene. Frustrated, I went on lockdown again. But now I’m back (selectively), and I’ve already met two terrific people. Then, of course, we have dating apps that most people love, hate, or fear (or some combo). They have not led to my finding my romantic partner (yet), but they have resulted in friendships and some great learning for this series (which will soon be rebranded and expanded to cover other titillating topics.

• Expanding your team by trusting new people is the only way you can scale a business and free up time for other things. It was a topic of conversation on my podcast this week, and two guests talked about taking that risk and profiting from the decision. Fear of letting go of total control, when overcome, can help you grow revenue and free up time to focus on other things. (See below for hiring tips.)

In other words, new people can enrich your life, teach you things, help you make money, and maybe even make you smarter and more “human.”

Let’s draw an analogy to other growth phases in our lives:

As babies, we used to scream when a stranger went to pick us up. In my case, I had a total meltdown on my first day of kindergarten. I still feel awkward and insecure when entering rooms full of strangers or sitting down alone in a restaurant, but I have overcome the screaming and crying part.

“Me do it!” is a typical toddler assertion. But when we let others change our metaphorical diapers, help us tie our shoes, or help pick up our toys, we learn to do it ourselves. And, as adults, having trusted people to help us at work and home can de-stress us and enable us to enjoy other aspects of our lives.

Making new friends and finding the right talent to scale our businesses is never easy.

It requires a certain level of boldness and trust. And, in business, we need to be patient in hiring, training, allowing people to come up a learning curve.

1. Join new groups and go to new places (physical and virtual), and don’t make snap judgments about the people you meet.
2. Before you expand your team (or look for a romantic partner or friends), get a VERY clear sense of who you’re looking for, interview against the criteria you set, and be open to new types of people. (I’m releasing a book about how to apply this methodology to dating, so subscribe now and you’ll be among the first to hear about it.)
3. Move on quickly if you spot behaviors inconsistent with your needs or values. Keeping your circle selective and small will ultimately make your life more pleasant. Time and energy are valuable.

The world contains 8B people.

Some of them may belong in your inner circle. You don’t have to talk to ALL of them, but keep an open mind and heart!

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New facts about new faces:

	The two events I attended: Time Left & Belong Center
	Overcoming social anxiety talking to new people
	25% of us feel lonely every day
	How to hire your first employee Top 10 hiring mistakes

And, check out my 5 ways to “DO THE NEW” in January (or any time!)