Jenise Fryatt Bio

I've recently been asked by several people how it is that I seem to easily find paid work that I love. While I'm not on the fast-track to wealth, I have been very fortunate in the last few years and I've been thinking about what made it all possible.

In all cases, I wasn't actively looking for work though I certainly had my ears perked up. Also, in all cases, I was offered jobs by friends or friends of friends that I had made online. I would say that the number one reason I made such a positive impression on these people was that I helped them without seeking anything in return.

Once I committed to a strategy of engaging, informing and retweeting on social media, helping others and building relationships with them became what I did.  I did it to help my audio visual company, Icon Presentations. Not only has my business improved as a result, but I have grown and reaped many rewards on a personal level. 

One of my online friends, Dennis Shiao, today pointed my attention to this article in Entrepreneur Magazine, about how it's much better to connect than to network.  It got me thinking about the habits that have been instrumental in improving my business "luck."  Here are a few.

1. Help Everyone

Seriously. Don't size them up before you lift your finger. No matter who you help you have to trust that the good you do will come back to you in some form or another. Adopt this as a habit and you will see what I mean in short order.

2. Don't Wait to Be Asked to Help
You have to train your brain to always ask, "how can I help?" And once you have the answer just do it! This doesn't usually come easy.  I watched others. For instance my friend Lindsay Fultz was always posting things on her Facebook wall promoting her online friends.  I learned from her and others like her.

3. When You Are Asked, Don't Miss That Opportunity
If someone actually asks for your help and you have the time and/or resources to comply, make sure that you do. It usually takes a lot for someone to ask for your help. Don't leave them hanging, if you can avoid it. They will remember you for it.

4. Compliment and Encourage
Compliments and words of encouragement cost nothing. Yet most people actually value this feedback more than money. Don't be stingy. When someone does something you admire, let them know!

5. Introduce People
You can actively introduce two people who you know will benefit by knowing each other.  Or you can invite several people to a get together such as a tweet up or a Google+ hangout.
 
6. Be Friendly
If someone you don't know tries to start a conversation online with you, don't ignore them. Answer them.  It's pretty easy to leave a conversation if you find the person is rude, too friendly or just trying to sell you something.  Don't be shy about initiating conversations with strangers.  I've found that doing so online is MUCH easier than it is face to face.

7. Take a Chance
Be bold and take risks.  Someone asked me to lead a session on improv at a peer driven conference last year. I said yes. As a result I now blog and speak about how improv concepts can help people. That's just one example of the many ways in which taking a chance has benefited me.

8. Be Open, Don't Limit Your Friendships
I've heard it said that you should only follow or friend people who are in your niche or who look like they might benefit you.  If I'd taken that advice, I never would have met Amit Verma, a 16 year old kid from India who has introduced me to some of the most influential people on Twitter.

9. Think the Best of People and Try Not to Judge
Spoken language itself is fraught with misinterpretation. When you limit visual cues the way that online communication does, you enter a virtual minefield of misunderstanding. It's always best to give people the benefit of the doubt.

10. Take Your Online Friendships Offline
Anytime you have the opportunity to meet an online friend offline, take it!! Online friendships that were strengthened in this way have become my A-team support for everything I do.

11. Be Grateful and Express It Often
Don't take your network for granted.  Whatever I've achieved wasn't my own individual accomplishment. Yes, I have a few skills that are useful to people. But lots of folks have that. It's my network of friends that has helped me to benefit from those skills. They've encouraged, supported, educated and promoted me. Not only is gratitude the appropriate response, but I know that expressing it keeps things moving in a positive direction.

(Photo by baddog_)