One thing we have been able to establish in our weekly newsletters is the love Nigerians have for proverbs. I also have one of my own. Let your network do the work for you.
The influence of your friends will always rub off on you. If you are not familiar with my quote, you are familiar with the saying that your network is your net worth.
Simply, a tribe is a group of related people. It could be a group of writers, a group of traders, or a group of tech bros, biochemists, lawyers etc. Whatever tribe you are, you all have something in common. You speak the same language, have the same goals, and pursue the same objectives. Whether as an individual or a collective.
In one of my blog posts, I talked about the divide we are experiencing in the tech space and the creative world. Today, there is this rich kid vs middle-class kid vs the rest of us groups. Rich kids privileged to attend private universities have become gatekeepers of industries. If we are to see it the way Nigerians paint it.
It's no fault of theirs. The thing is, they had a good headstart in life. Beyond their affluence or privilege, they have been able to do one thing, which many people seem to ignore while dwelling on the fact that they have rich parents. These Gen Z rich kids know how to build valuable connections and make them work.
I mean, about 80% of the employees at a top fintech company graduated from the same private university. The hiring manager and interview panel also did so. If you were them, who would you employ? So, the network grows, and because they have learnt how to do excellent work, the company grows. The Gen Z rich kid gang become the experts and gatekeepers of the industry. Meanwhile, you are dragging them every other day.
We have seen this script over and over again in Nollywood movies. The rich flow with the rich. Their circle is well protected. The questions you should ask yourself are: Where is my tribe? Where are my people? How do I find them? How do we grow together? Unless you want to deceive yourself, connections, networking, and collaboration are a faster way to move and grow. It’s not every time you push for competition.
That's why Nigerian politicians are never enemies except online.
So, how do you find your tribe?
Join communities like HoneyDrops
Always talk about what you do.
Be ready to help. Communities are more about giving than receiving.
Stop hoarding value.
Be ready to learn.
I have one more thing for you before I go. We have talked about tribes, right? There is one I’ll love you to join. It is a tribe of Gen Z Creatives. So, whether you are a Tech Bro or Sisi Nerd, a content creator or you want to enter the creative world. This community of Gen Z Creatives is for you.
We talk about, share and document Gen Z experiences in the creative space, 9-5s, freelancing, managing funds, getting into tech and lots more.
Join us here.
Till I come your way again, have a beautiful, nice ending to August and I will see you in September.
A drop of honey for your day
xoxo
- Doyin