In the side hustle world, your Rolodex (okay, your Contacts app) is worth more than gold. The mom who gets her calligraphy supplier to bump her order to the front of the queue? The virtual assistant whose clients fight over her calendar slots? That’s not luck – that’s relationship magic. Here’s how to work it.
Communication That Actually Works (No Corporate Jargon)
Forget “synergy” and “circle backs.” Try these instead:
- The 24-hour rule: When a vendor emails, respond within a day – even if it’s just “Got this! Checking details and will revert by Thursday.” Instant credibility booster.
- Client cheat sheets: Create a one-pager for new clients with:
- Your texting hours (because 10pm “quick question” pings are the devil)
- How you prefer feedback (“Send me a voice note vs. 17 bullet points”)
- Their love language (Starbucks gift cards? Public shoutouts?)
- The pre-problem check-in: Message floral suppliers before Valentine’s crunch week: “Just wanted to confirm our Feb 10 delivery – should I warn my brides about rose shortages?”
Appreciation That Doesn’t Feel Like a Hallmark Afterthought
The trick? Make it personal and slightly unexpected:
- For the printer who always delivers early: Tape a $5 coffee gift card to your next order with “For the real MVP who makes me look good”
- When a client pays early: Send a 15-second Loom video saying “You just made my daycare payment day 100x easier – thank you!”
- Holiday gifts that don’t suck: Skip the fruit basket. For your SEO guy who loves gaming? A Steam gift card with “For when you need a break from my endless emails”
Networking That Doesn’t Make You Want to Hide in the Bathroom
Pro tips from an introvert who built a 6-figure biz:
- The 2×2 Follow-Up: After meeting someone, message within 2 days with 2 specific things:
- “Loved your tip about Instagram Reels hooks”
- “Here’s that vegan baker I mentioned – her croissants will change your life”
- Be the Connector: When you introduce two people who could help each other, you become indispensable. Example email:
“Sarah – meet Jake. He’s killing it with Pinterest for handmade soaps. Jake – Sarah’s looking to expand beyond Etsy. Thought you two should chat!” - The Lazy Person’s Networking: Comment meaningfully on 3 LinkedIn posts/week. Not “Great post!” but “This reminded me of [specific example] – have you found X works better than Y?”
Real-World Example: How Lisa’s Cake Biz Scaled Through Relationships
Lisa started baking in her kitchen. Two years later, she’s supplying 12 cafes. Her secret sauce?
- Vendor hack: Paid her flour supplier 2 days early every month. Guess who got deliveries during 2020’s shortages?
- Client magic: Sent birthday cakes to cafe owners’ kids. Now they refuse to work with competitors.
- Peer power: Started a private FB group for local bakers to share wholesale pricing intel. Became the industry go-to.
Your Action Plan This Week
- Pick one “underrated” vendor (your packaging supplier, the VA who helps occasionally) and send a genuine thank you.
- Create a “relationship tracker” (Google Sheets is fine) with:
- Last contact date
- Personal notes (“Jason’s daughter started soccer”)
- Next touchpoint idea
- Make one introduction between two people in your network who should know each other.
Remember This
In the gig economy, your network isn’t just who you know – it’s who knows you. The mom who remembers her client’s divorce and sends a “You got this” note with invoices? The Etsy seller who knows her silk supplier’s cat’s name? That’s the stuff that builds empires between naptimes a