Our CEO Hillary Spreizer contributed to an article at Twin Cities Business Journal. Six business leaders contributed to the article. Here is what Hillary shared:

Hillary Spreizer, CEO and Owner of The Latitude Group, learned that even strong networks can fall short without honesty. “When I first took over Latitude, I had a network of great leaders, but I didn’t think I could be vulnerable because they were also clients,” Spreizer says. “We’d met because we worked together, and I thought I had to be perfect.”

That belief eventually shifted. “When I eventually opened up, I realized the point of a network is that you’re supporting them as they support you,” she says. “I wasn’t letting anyone support me.”

Today, Spreizer is far more intentional about who she includes in her circle. “I want my network to be full of people that I’m aspiring to be more like or from whom I can learn,” she says. “That’s motivating.”

When she meets someone she finds inspiring, she is direct: “I tell them that,” Spreizer says.

“I ask for time, do my homework and go in with the intent of learning more.” She adds, “More often than not, I’m met with an equal level of interest and engagement. Be intentional, vulnerable and just reach out.”

Read the full article, with insights from all six business leaders, here.