Founders open up about how personal connections helped them build lasting businesses.

BY BRIT MORSE, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, INC.@BRITNMORSE

For Inc.

Photo: Getty Images

When it comes to raising funds or getting new clients for your business, every person you meet could offer you a future opportunity. So it’s crucial to never stop networking.

That’s exactly what LaToya Bass, owner and CEO of Alignment Business Solutions, and Andy Rieger, founder and president of J. Rieger & Co, emphasized during a panel discussion in Kansas City in September. At a Meta Small Business Studio event, co-hosted by Inc., the two opened up about how unexpected connections helped grow their businesses.

“You never have any idea who the people are that you are talking to. And if you burn a bridge, you are only going to shoot yourself in the foot,” said Rieger, who runs a distillery in the historic Electric Park district of Kansas City.

After building a retail location and a production facility for his distillery, Rieger needed a way to expand his product and get it in more locations. He spent four days a week grabbing coffee and drinks with whomever he could find in the area; as a recent Dallas transplant, he was looking for local connections. During a New Year’s Eve party in 2019, he met an investor who seemed interested in his whiskey. Instead of playing host and enjoying his night off, he took 20 minutes to show him around the facility. When the pandemic hit and Rieger needed emergency capital to keep the business running, that one conversation led to a $2 million investment.

“When it comes to raising money, the number one thing that you can do, whether you’re a coffee person or happy hour person, is get a drink with someone, no matter who they are,” says Rieger. “They might not be your financier right away, but you never know how they could be there in the future.”

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