The office used to handle much of our networking for us.

A conversation in the hallway could lead to an introduction. You might sit beside someone new at lunch or run into a former colleague near the elevator. Grabbing coffee near work required little planning.

Those encounters felt casual, but they helped us find advice, job opportunities, clients and collaborators.

Working alone removes much of that everyday contact. If you want a strong professional community, you need to create regular opportunities to meet people and give promising relationships somewhere to go.

I learned this the hard way during the COVID lockdowns. As a small business owner, I had relied on introductions and referrals for most of my work. Then the coffee shops closed, events disappeared and optional get-togethers fell away.

I needed a new approach. The system I developed has helped Inflectiv grow 4x since 2020, and I still use it today.

Most people have more of a network than they realize. Make a list of former colleagues, clients and other people you like but have lost touch with.

Choose two each week and send a short note. Ask how they are doing and suggest coffee, a walk or a video call. There is no need to manufacture a business reason for reconnecting.

Pick activities you would be willing to attend more than once. Familiarity makes it easier to start conversations and see the same people again.

Professional networking groups like Success Champions Network or H7 can be useful when referrals are important to your work. Industry events can introduce you to people in your field. In Toronto, TechTO gives me a reason to meet people in the technology community while staying up on industry topics and trends.

Lower-pressure activities work too. Startup karaoke, sports leagues, volunteer groups and community events give people something to do while they talk. Luma and Eventbrite are good places to look.

Online groups and LinkedIn can support this work, especially when they lead to conversations with people you can eventually meet. Boardy is also an excellent way to get connected to others

Lastly, consider a co-working space every so often to increase your chances of accidental networking.

A business relationship develops through an exchange of value. That could mean sharing advice, making an introduction or helping someone think through a problem.

Ask what the other person is working on and where they could use help. If you offer to do something, follow through. Reliability leaves a stronger impression than a polished networking pitch.

Following someone on LinkedIn is only a starting point. Within a couple of days, contact the few people you genuinely want to know better.

Suggest a short coffee and mention something specific from your conversation. If that goes well, invite them to another event, introduce them to someone useful, or find a specific topic you can explore together.

Relationships grow through repeated, useful contact.

Memory and sticky notes were not enough for me. We use HubSpot to categorize contacts and schedule follow-ups.

Record when you met, what you discussed and the next reason to reconnect. Keep your messages personal and specific. Templates can save time, but they should never make the recipient feel processed.

My current rhythm is simple: reconnect with two people each week, attend at least one recurring local event each month, follow up within two days and make at least one helpful introduction.

The office once supplied these encounters without much effort. Now I create them deliberately. A modest routine, followed consistently, can turn an occasional conversation into a lasting working relationship.