We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cyndee Sparre a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Cyndee, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I found my purpose in the midst of leaving a 20 year career in HR with a Top 500 company and starting a new career in a totally different industry. Business networking was CRITICAL with the new company I was working for, which I had no experience in. I was like a fish out of water with no mentorship, other than to pickup on what other people were doing.
As I continued to sharpen my skillset in EFFECTIVE business networking, people at networking events began introducing me to others as being the “ultimate connector” of people in the networking world. I began to take an inner look at myself and my career and asked God, “What is my purpose? What are my gifts? How can I use my gifts to bless others?”. That’s when I felt the calling to owning (2) business networking companies and continuing down the road of the “ultimate connector” of people.
Don’t get me wrong. It still took (2) years for me to listen to that calling, as the money I could potentially make in the career I had was quite enticing! Anyone else would have said to stick to where the guaranteed money was at, although I trusted that God would lead me along the way, so that I would walk in my purpose. Proverbs 3: 5-6
I am glad that I listened to God’s calling on my life to start the business networking companies. We just celebrated our 1-Year anniversary and as of September 20, 2023 have moved into running both businesses full time.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am the founder of (2) business networking companies known as My Collective Network and My Christian Business Network. These companies were birthed from a desire to overall CONNECT people. Business networking is about having a strong desire to help someone else succeed just as much as yourself. The thought that expresses this desire is the Golden Rule, “Treat Others the Way You Want to Be Treated.”
My inspiration to make an impact in the business networking community began when I started networking in November 2019. I invested a significant amount of time seeking small networking groups that had an opening for the particular industry I represented, which was insurance at that time.
As a result, I was driven to create my own grassroots business networking group, known as “The Collective.”
After successfully building the business networking group, I then had a vision to create a website that would allow individuals to easily CONNECT with other networking individuals. Even better, the platform would also allow them to create their own grassroot networking group, just as I had done with The Collective. In the summer of 2022, we then launched the website www.mycollectivenetwork.com.
It’s exciting to see that we now have members not only starting their own independent business network groups but also posting their networking events on the website. The website has now become a funnel of subscribers/followers that allows our members to have a farther reach in building their:
1.) Clientele
2.) Networking relationships
3.) Networking group visibility
4.) Networking event attendance
If I had to choose my favorite thing about what we offer, it would have to be that we offer unique types of networking events that you would have on your bucket list, such as: horseback riding, pedal boat, building flower arrangements on a flower farm, pedal bike bar, cider mill apple picking, and much MORE! For those readers that would like to receive notifications of new networking events coming up, subscribe through www.mycollectivenetwork.com/
A new service we are offering our members is to advertise their business in our weekly email blast that goes out to 500+ followers AT NO ADDITIONAL COST.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three most impactful skills in my journey were communiction skills, time management skills and creativity skills. There are so many fantastic tools I could reference such as the book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, to help with time management. The key is to execute on what the book teaches versus just reading it and calling it a day. As far as developing a skillset on creativity, surround yourself with people that are gifted in thinking outside of the box. Often times these are the entrepreneurs in the world. Attach your wagon to theirs and it will inspire you to put on your creative hat. To improve on communication skills, I invested in a local sales training program, known as Sandler Training in Troy, Michigan. I also practiced a LOT of presentations in front of the mirror and sought out networking friends that were very strong at presenting in front of people to get their feedback on my presentation skills.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am looking to collaborate with influencers in Oakland County, Michigan as we are looking to expand. These are the people that come top of mind as being “the connector of people” in this county. These invidivuals may (1) lead independent networking groups (2) be dedicated to volunteering for non-profits (3) volunteer or have an administrative role at the church (4) lead community and/or networking events.
Please email [email protected] and/or info@
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mycollectivenetwork.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mycollectivenetwork
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyCollectiveNetwork/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-collective-network/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MyCollectiveNetwork
