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A boss of mine once publicly referred to me as “the king of schmooze”. Yuck If I had to wish for an epitaph on my business headstone it would be “the King of cards” – they have been a business and networking secret of mine for my whole career. A secret I hope you find value in as I share today. Many peers pat me on the head saying “oh that’s cute, you are a nice guy Paul and it’s sweet you like to send out cards to our donors ( as a fundraiser ), clients ( as a service professional ) and peers ( as a human professional ). Let me be clear, these people always need a selfish reason to do the right thing. So let’s talk selfish, ROI, WIIFM, whatever: Cards = Cash. And if Cash is King then Cards are the King of Cash. In a digital world, sending cards is SO rare, even the Harvard Business Review agrees! Besides showing that you took more time than an email, a Tweet, or even the post conference/ networking event dreaded cold-call style LinkedIn invitation. Most of all it’s a way to actually increase the return on investment for the time you spend networking. If you entertain ( or if you eat ), you’ll know that making good food isn’t enough, it’s how you present and plate it that matters too! Well if you spent an evening at a networking event, or a whole week at a conference sending a card to show someone they stood out, that you value them, what you talked about, what you do and where to find you is HOW you ensure your time there was well spent. So here are my four tips to conquor card writing: 1. Stay stocked . I have 50+ cards in my office at all times. A few for sympathy ( I work in legacy philanthropy which intersects with the estate planning world ), many ‘thank you’ cars but the vast bulk are blank cards. Buy in bulk at art or discount stores ( if you’re in Toronto like me, here is a list of some great places to buy cards ). 2. Be ready and make the time. Before a conference I prepare, self-address and hand-stamp over 100 cards. I complete them and mail them before I leave the hotel ( or if I include a picture from the conference, the day I return to the office ). Read this great article on how to write a great note ( I love that it includes making a habit out of writing them and quotes my favourite author on sales skills Michael Port ). If you use a CRM or keep donor/client files remember to photocopy/scan it, code, and keep it on file. This IS a move in your moves-management strategy! 3. Include a business card, every time. Yes, even if someone knows you what if they just moved jobs ( or if you moved jobs ). Yes even if you came back from a conference, they have 100 other cards in their luggage! My secret is these double sided photo stickers. But if you reminded them about business you should be doing in the card, shouldn’t they know how to find you? Right now! 4. Be a Real Human Being ( like Dave says ) – those 1000 cards your department sends out at the holiday season with illegible first names of people your donor/client don’t event know is so 1980’s and impersonal. Business IS personal, so make it specific and yes, authentic. Because as much as I love Jimmy Fallon you don’t want to use his card philosophy! I hope this has been of value, please, share your suggestions in the comments below or with me on Twitter!     Paul Nazareth   Ps. When watching the video. Replace “job” with anything else you want in life.

Everyone has that buddy who is a super-fan and sometimes goes overboard. That’s LinkedIn for me. 1,300 “Endorsements” – Thanks buddy, I don’t know what that means but I’m grateful for the support. A couple days back LinkedIn told my entire 1,900+ person network “Congratulate Paul on his new job!” But, I don’t have a new job. Kind of…. A few months back, with the support of my current team, already one of the coolest jobs in philanthropy in Canada… I achieved step one of a career dream, a life dream of mine. I became an instructor for with my professional association, the Canadian Association of Gift Planners. Most people who know me, know that I love my profession, I love what I do so much when anyone else wants to do it too I’m there to help, always. I’ve given over 500 presentations through jobs and on my own time about legacy philanthropy, planned giving, bequestification whatever you want to call it. This is me in 2001, a year after I started in the sector. Standing on a mountain in Banff. I was actually thinking “man I am so out of shape, I may die here” I was also thinking “after a lot of floating, this is what I’m meant to do, I feel it in my gut, in my soul” and just then our leader Brian Shea snapped this shot. This is me, almost exactly 10 years later in 2011. At the summit of that same mountain taking the Advanced Course in Gift Planning. I have worked on over 100 million dollars in philanthropic plans, have helped launch dozens of powerful careers in my community and am still madly in love with what I do. And although I started teaching the Planned Giving Course at the Georgian College Online Fundraising Program in 2010, teaching with the Gift Planning Association is a dream I dreamed all those years ago on that mountain. One more thing we both know I couldn’t have achieved without YOU dear network. Every mentor, every coworker, every boss, peer, fellow volunteer has got me to this place. I’m humbled and grateful but also this is why I fight so hard for the happiness and professional success of others. Because you’ve helped make my dreams come true. Like Jiro dreams of sushi ( below ) I dream of Gift Planning. Thank you for dreaming with me! Paul

While I was putting together my first netwalking event ( networking while walking ) a few peers in the Barrie, Orillia and Collingwood area reached out to me suggesting we run one in Simcoe. Yeah, I’m a Toronto guy, but I’ve always had a strong connection with the Simcoe area, covered it for years as a fundraiser and the Planned Giving Counsel of Simcoe County ( a philanthropic bizdev org ) has always been supportive in my work and career as have the great folks at the Barrie Public Library. So! Thanks to fellow business networking enthusiast Rebecca Palmer who reached out and is co-hosting #NetwalkingBarrie on August 11! Why netwalking?! Check out my original premise for the idea, or how it turned out – it was a great way to talk business in the fresh air! Target attendee is the same, fundraisers, entrepreneurs and people who care about career development. Cost is the same – nothing! We’ll start off at the always awesome Casa Cappuccino, my business go-to in Barrrie and we’ll walk the waterline and end up back in town for an optional lunch. Meet around 8:30am, we’ll leave by 9am and be eating lunch around noon! Business-Tweeters we’ll use the hashtag #NetwalkingBarrie Everyone not using it, consider joining Twitter! Here’s a couple tips Are you ready to take a walk to build your career, your business? RSVP HERE < I’ll introduce us all before the day of. Hope so, Rebecca and I will see you there! Paul Nazareth

This is a Paul Nazareth original : Today I hosted my first “networking while walking” or “netwalking” event and it was for me, a roaring success. I had hoped to get 8 to 12, we had about 25 even with the threat of thunderstorms. And not a drop of rain fell on us all day, until the very moment we were done the walk – a testament to the power of positive networking! A big thanks to those who came ( here’s a list so you can stay in touch with each other ) for investing your day with me. And as I mentioned, for investing your day in yourself, something I am always proud to facilitate. After all, that’s what my twitter handle “U invited U” is all about! I had some great discussions and truly learned from the those I talked to. I  met some new peers who are going to help me with my work and career. I hope you did too. Thanks Nizam and tweeters for some great pictures too! We walked through the beautiful University of Toronto campus, down the floral unexpected oasis of University Avenue, popped in on the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition and ended up for lunch at SkyDragon in Chinatown! Networking is about human connection, today many of us learned more about the human side of each other. It will allow us to engage in better business too – hope to see you at one of my events one day soon! Thanks for reading, I’ll always be walking with you dear reader. Supporting you as you seek success,     Paul Nazareth

This is NOT a blog post. It’s going to be long…. It’s not meant to be readable, it’s just for the 37 people coming to my first #netwalkingTO event tomorrow July 7. You’ll learn more about each other obviously on the walk, which is why you WILL bring business cards ( um, and umbrellas it seems ). My events are usually anti-RSVP so if you want to bring a friend, if you’re reading this from Twitter – hey, just show up. But come to walk, come to talk, come to network, we mean business! So I’ve randomly sorted you into categories only because I don’t know all of you THAT well but those whose superpowers I know, I want to share so folks can discuss them with you!! Now, you may not know that I created a personal Networking MVP Award called the Golden Crab. And we have TWO of those folks with us.. THE GOLDEN Lisa Taylor is seriously, changing the face of Canadian business for the better. As Baby Boomers decide not to retire but instead repurpose their skills and refocus their passions, Lisa is leading the way. Check out this board I created of her media content. Thinking about changing jobs, your career path? Talk to Lisa. Ann Rosenfield is someone I’ve known in my fundraising career for a long time. She has held many roles in leadership, volunteerism, mentoring – someone who has walked alongside me with great wisdom but also great debate and dialogue. Janice Cunning is someone I started playing more with because of a networking introduction ( of Liz Rejman, who is with us too! ) and has just rocked my business world since. A coach for professional fundraisers Janice is part of the reclaiming of my professional community’s soul. For all the fundraisers with us, Janice is someone you HAVE to meet. Ahmed Nizam is an odd guy. His ‘day job’ is a professional with one of Canada’s best financial institutions. But I know him as the head-shot photographer who helped transform my personal career and those of dozens in my network. He is a young man of vibrancy and vision that is uncommon, but his humility allows him to be a seeker of knowledge. When people ask me about investing in the next generation, this guy is my personal networking lottery ticket. One day I’m going to see his work on an international stage and say, I knew that guy when…. THE TRAVELLERS One of the big reasons this event is happening is Liz Rejman! Who is driving to join us from London Ontario! Liz is a fellow instructor with me as part of the Georgian College Fundraising program and one of the first peers I really connected with on Twitter. Since then she has brought so much value into my professional life! Blair DeMarco-Wettlaufer coming in from Kitchener is someone I met a few years ago at my first big talk about LinkedIn for business. Since then we’ve kept in touch and he continues to thrill me at how he is on the front lines of both social-business and adapting his century-old profession to a new interconnected digital world! Business folks, seek Blair out. Linda Leja is a peer in philanthropy I don’t know too well and is coming in from London with Liz – but I recently saw her host the LRFRE conference and was wowed by her skills as part of her business “the Auctionista”. For several of the young women walking tomorrow, Linda displays some of the most fearless presentation skills I’ve ever seen. Ask her how she built those skills ( then tell me please ). THE SUITREPRENEURS I truly believe fundraisers and entrepreneurs need to hang out more – it’s ironic to call these three the suits, they are professional business people but they are truly uncommon and unsuitishly dynamic each in their own way. Rona Birenbaum is a financial planner. There are hundreds of thousands of people in this profession in Canada and yet she stands apart. I spend so much time wishing for the residents of Bay St. to get the power of social business – Rona gets it. Take a look at this awesome video. Andy Kovacks is one of my oldest friends from University – it’s not his friendship that keeps us in touch. It’s the fact that he is THE most successful person I know from University because he goes to work and works smart every single damn day. I have huge admiration for how he’s built his business, I have enough friends. I don’t have enough friends with a career. Also, um, ask Andy about Karate.  Don’t let his freaky icon scare you but yes Ryan Coelho is a human brand! An entrepreneur of crazy energy, this TEDx speaker is someone who helps hundreds reach their goals each year. When you meet him, it’s indeed #GameOn Stewart Lewis was the leader of an international professional association in Estate Planning, a former journalist and is thinking about a hop into the social-profit sector. Afsheen Malik is a telecommunications professional but I know her as an aspiring financial educator at heart. In a few years she will be teaching Canadians how to improve their financial health, ask her about it. THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUNDTABLE – FUNDRAISERS Fundraising is at the core of my personal career path, and at the core of my business network. Some fantastic fundraisers are joining us, here they are. Rickesh Lakhani (the King in the North! ) is a running-mate in my life. Besides our profession, we read many of the same books, we are dads, we drive the same car! We’re also trying to figure out the future of fundraising, social media, management – and because we’re of the same generation one day we’ll need to step into leadership. Together we’ll be ready, I’m grateful for him driving down to be with us! David Kravinchuk is a Fundraising Pharmacist?! Well that’s the name of his consulting firm and I’ve seen his work, he has the cure for what ails you. Several of you are fundraising executives, talk to David he can cure some of the things that rot your shop and erode your social-profit. By no means a diss but although I know these fundraisers I don’t get enough time with them to write a snappy intro so we need to talk on our walk Adam Stewart , Holly Hewitt , Amy Coulterman ! DISRUPTORS – THE FUTURE OF PHILANTHROPY One secret of professional fundraising is that most people working in the sector “fell into it” like a trapdoor in a Saw movie or something ( “I woke up at Golf tournament covered in pledge forms! The Horror!” ). Well, Canada’s largest postgraduate fundraising program at Humber College ( which, full disclosure I am a fan and Advisory Committee member of ) is creating the next generation of leaders from scratch – who are these crosstrained warriors of social-profit? Meet three of them on this walk Laura Champion, JJ Sandler ( of bartending for good ) and Richard “Dickey” DeLisle. NEW FACES (MOSTLY) So, meeting with people you know is the dumbest networking strategy in the world. It’s like trying to meet new people at a family-reunion. So although I’ve met some of you before most of you are total strangers and that’s awesome. I hope you find value in this day and it’s my highest priority to meet and speak with you as we walk!  Who are these folks? (I didn’t want to mix up your profiles so I took some guesses on the links) Niwah Visser
Neetika Chohan
Fide Hung
Sowad Al-Mughni
Cora Xiao
Vaughn Berkeley
Paul Laffin
Zuheda Gulmohamed
Farah Jamil
Heather Wing
Juniper Locilento
Abeera Shahid Apologies if I missed anyone, again, just show up if you want to come. And if you can’t come, don’t worry I won’t be insulted. That’s what “ YOU invited YOU” my networking philosophy is all about. Ok so! Remember if you’re tweeting to use the hashtag #NetwalkingTO Dress appropriately (character casual, I’m wearing loud colours so, there’s that ), bring water, bring money for transit and lunch if you’re joining us ( optional ) for Dim Sum at the awesome Sky Dragon or in Kensington market. You have my mobile number in the reminder email I sent, see you at 9am at Starbucks on Bedford! Let’s get walking! Paul

Yes, I’m being cheeky.

But in a world where fundraising permeates ALL of life, I will confess my distaste for the unpleasant parts of the machine…. July 7, we will gather and… You will not get a T-shirt, you will not sell chocolate almonds, you will not wear a number a ribbon or a pink feather boa, there will be no growing moustaches, there will be no shaving hair, there will be no medals, I will not play 2-unlimited to pump you up, no celebrity will give a heartfelt testimonial – there will be no pledges, there will be no golf, this is an anti-fundraising zone.

Fundraisers and entrepreneurs are my target, mostly my network, strangers with purpose are always welcome. Bring a friend? You bet. Come to consider your future, your career, your business. To build skills, to meet mentors or be a mentor, to share ideas, to be curious, and above all – to network.

Now, recently you may have read that sitting is the new smoking, well networking indoors is a leading cause of boredom so let’s bust out of that mold and bust-a-move! Like a previous event I held, I’ll be breaking out of my comfort zone. This is on a Sunday, it will probably be warm, civvies only folks. Hawaiian shirts and character-wear is encouraged, judgements are discouraged. My suits are my armour and true entrepreneurs play without that safety net, this is training for me too!
For details and RSVP click here. We start, where else, at Starbucks at Bedford and Bloor outside St. George subway station next to a green p parking lot. We’ll do some pretty beautiful urban walking downtown and over to Chinatown/ Kensington where we’ll end with lunch. The group is already over 20 so there will be different options for lunch, cost for the event is only for what you eat. We meet at 9am, we eat at noon.

See you July 7,  Paul Nazareth

Nice to get a shout-out on one of Canada’s most listened to morning shows – CBC Metro morning last week. Dozens of peers, emailed, phoned and tweeted – Paul why are you baking cookies for the hosts of a radio show?! It all started on my one annual clothes shopping road trip, when I buy ALL my business clothing accessories for the year in one shot. I saw this bow-tie set and thought of Matt Galloway the host of my favourite CBC radio show. Now Matt rocks the bow-tie, not as much as Mr. Enright but he’s a champion of being a man whose life doesn’t revolve around just beer and sports, he’s curious, he loves his city, and he inspires me. My buddy who was with me quipped “that’s weird man, buying a bowtie for another dude. That’s something you pretty much only do for family”. Then I realized, CBC has a spot on my personal board of directors, I grew up on Metro Morning for breakfast and As it Happens for dinner thanks to my father. Matt and the huge crew of Metro morning are indeed part of my family, I’m addicted to CBC Podcasts – I’m so grateful for all of them. So I got baking, cookies for business family ( past co-workers of mine will know about this ) and I dropped them off Friday. Thanks gang, you make this city, this country, a better place to live.   Paul Nazareth Ps. For the 1000th time, I’m not directly related to Errol Nazareth but I did reach out to him on LinkedIn years ago and recently was part of the push convincing him to join Twitter! So welcome and follow him here if you’re a fan of the show!

Working for charities for more than a decade and having a family means that every dollar I spend on something, could have been donated to good causes or spent making my kids happy. Also, being a man, I hate the anxiety of clothes shopping. So I ruthlessly put together a budget, a small one. And make just two purchases for the whole year. Yes. Two. The first, I rely on the advice, teaching and good value of my guys, Tom and Tom Jr. in Toronto’s Kensington Market for suits. I never go over budget, I always walk away feeling more confident. The second, I research all year ( thus my pinterest board ) and take ONE road trip to purchase all accessories. The man road-trip I call it, pocket-squares and ponderosa steaks – I get all I need for less than most guys spend on one suit, and a $9 steak for dinner. This year, I took a couple buddies of mine. One who was self-admittedly brand obsessed. Hugo Boss, Hugo Boss is all I heard the whole day. We argued and argued, a discussion I have often with other young up and coming men about brand Vs. value. On one side, is the idea that you can buy class. That a Hugo Boss suit ( which are exquisite no question ) makes anyone look successful.  On the other, I believe that with research and creativity even on a budget, you can look as good as you want to and have the confidence you desire. In the end, I came back spending less and having more than my friend’s couple items purchased from dear Hugo. The suit and tie is still the prison-uniform of the business sector, but if the warden lets you choose what to wear, why not have a little fun yes? Life is short, express yourself. So to those young men, the up and coming, if you want to look good on a budget watch these video’s, take a look at this board, series of articles, get this app, style is part of your success – no matter where you find yourself in this debate, get on it. You don’t want to be shabby suit guy on the left, right? If you’re on Twitter, here’s a list to follow. I leave you with one of the leaders of Canadian menstyle, Melissa of GotStyle! Thanks for reading, weight in on the debate below!    Paul

Buzzword alert!  Innovation  Like so many things, people say it and have no idea what it really means. I love reading what my network is reading, so when an innovator in the social-profit sector Lee Rose, co-founder of the MESH Network in Ottawa, formerly of CharityVillage and now of the Community Foundations of Canada tweeted he loved this book, I picked it up. And I’m glad I did. See I have a business disability, I was born and raised in offices. Where meetings are sit-down affairs, thinking is over-ruled by doing and white boards are for fancy consultants. Thanks goodness for my network, an army of entrepreneurs, disruptors, thinkers, convenors – all who live and die by what they produce. When I look at the successful among them, at my own successes I see the theories of this book but neither of us had put the method to paper – little bets! Great ideas are not born complete. Great service professionals walk with the client and react, I work with someone like this. To see them create solutions sometimes borders on art, to work on small steps to evolve our business is the joy of my professional life – but I’d like to do it better. Now I can. Steve Jobs, Pixar, Frank Gehry, Chris Rock are just some of the examples Peter Sims uses in the book. Like Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers taught us about brilliance through experience, but how do the brilliant build their business from scratch! This book is truly worth the read and as we head into the summer, it’s a light fast read that gets into your head and into your work and makes you think then adds to your actions. I love this book because you will see yourself and your actions in a more strategic light after reading it and you’ll get tips on how to amplify past success.  Often I find myself trying to help my network get more active in the social business sector, but they always think they have to have all the marketing and strategy done before they launch. As Seth Godin says, “ship it”. Getting caught up in perfection is the illusion that will keep you from finishing. So, let’s get to work. Let’s make more little bets. As Lee gets to work changing the philanthropic face of Canada with his team here’s a quick video, I hope it helps you take that last step to pick up the book! Enjoy,         Paul

And if you’re the hard-core learner, here’s Peter at Google giving a longer lecture. Leave it on as you wash the dishes or fold the clothes…

It’s not often that I quote rappers. But Mr. Worldwide has quite the opening line in his song “Feel this moment” ( video below ) “Ask for money, get advice. Ask for advice, get money twice” Indeed Pitbull, indeed. So many of you know I’m co-hosting an event on May 27 called “Director School” to help my network and other future leaders in fundraising reach their potential. I’m directing this post at 500 leaders in my network, who have held or currently hold a position at the Director level or above. Could you answer just 3 questions and give advice to those who attend this event? Click here to take the survey I won’t share your name, so please be critical. You’ve got beefs with this generation, tell them what problems they need to overcome to reach their goals. Believe me they’ll appreciate it. I have personally achieved every job I ever wanted, every professional goal I have ever made because of this network. I am eternally grateful and work hard to host events like this out of gratitude and to be the change I want to see in this profession and world. As always, thank you dear network for sharing news of this event with people you’re mentoring and for all your support. Please always consider me a resource in all you do! With great gratitude and humility,   Paul