They say that you often find love “right under your nose”. The same can be said for business partners, clients and affiliates. Networking events can be effective, but sometimes it feels forced and hard to make a connection.

However, when you chat up a person at a social event, a yoga class or a clothing swap, you may gain an opportunity for selling your product or services, or just promote yourself. Forbes asks several professional how do they network, and the article is very interesting.

Ladies Who Launch founder Beth Schoenfeldt says, “I think creativity and real breakthrough ideas come from unusual places, and not just from hanging out with people just like you,”.

I personally hang out with different groups of people and it is nice to expand my network in creative ways. Networking may sound impersonal, so think of it as connecting instead. You will connect the dots and have fun doing it!