Blog: Unselfish Networking

Jon Henderson, SNAP Newspaper Group COO

While preparing materials to pitch SNAP Newspaper Group to CBC's "Dragons' Den", I was faced with the challenge of having to quickly explain what we "do" here at SNAP.  Hmm... SNAP Newspapers in 10-seconds or less? Therein lies the challenge.

Mentally distilling all key areas of our operations, I went through the obvious - publishing, photography, marketing, advertising, as well as collecting and promoting local content. However, after much deliberation it came down to one critical element: unselfish social networking. Not strictly in the digital sense of the word, but more directly on a personal level.

We are all social creatures and each and every one of us longs to feel like we’re a part of something bigger than ourselves. We exist as part of our super-network known as society, within which we create sub-networks to suit our particular needs, goals and aspirations. While it is true that some "networkers" are self-serving, we at SNAP pride ourselves on being anything but. Truly, one need not be selfish to network effectively. SNAP has proven this to be the case.

Rather than network for purely selfish motives, rather than seek to meet and know people to advance our own agenda, SNAP Newspaper owners truly network on behalf of their clients and their community.  Each and every day they connect with and build ties within the communities they serve.  True, the business prospers, but only as a result of the effectiveness of social networking itself. 

SNAP for all its complexities, technological sophistication and subtle nuances really is a simple model: Know more people, help more people.

Now what will the "Dragons" think?