Networking is more than a buzzword. It’s key to growing your career.
People often think of networking as a difficult job or something you only do once a year during happy hour at a conference.
But making and keeping connections is important, even if it’s not part of your full-time job.
Networking can help us see things differently, find new opportunities, and meet people who can support us.
Think about it: many of the greatest success stories in business start with a chance or planned encounter. Someone talks to someone, finds something in common, or knows the same person. A relationship is formed. And lives are changed forever.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the most inspiring, motivational, and famous quotes about networking and making connections to motivate you to meet more people.
Take a look below, and think about them next time you need to get hyped up before a networking event.
35 Famous Networking Quotes That Will Motivate You to Build Stronger Connections
1. “Succeeding in business is all about making the right connections.” – Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group
2. “The richest people in the world look for and build networks; everyone else looks for work.” – Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad
3. “Your network is the people who want to help you, and you want to help them, and that’s really powerful.” – Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn
4. “Starting and growing a business is as much about the innovation, drive, and determination of the people behind it as the product they sell.” — Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX and CEO of Tesla
5. “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” – Dale Carnegie, writer and lecturer
6. “Connection is why we’re here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.” – Brené Brown, research professor and author
7. “Treat everyone like they’re important, because they are. You’re not only making yourself look bad by shrugging off a non-recognizable person at a networking event in an attempt to speak to a celebrity, but you’re risking offending someone who may be much more connected than you realized.” – Tim Ferriss, author, investor, and podcast host
8. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou, poet and civil rights activist
9. “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson, philosopher and poet
10. “The currency of networking is not greed but generosity.” – Keith Ferrazzi, author of Never Eat Alone
11. “My Golden Rule of Networking is simple: Don’t keep score.” – Harvey Mackay, author and businessman
12. “Networking is more about ’farming’ than it is about ’hunting’. It’s about cultivating relationships.” – Dr. Ivan Misner, founder of BNI
13. “The successful networkers I know, the ones receiving tons of referrals and feeling truly happy about themselves, continually put the other person’s needs ahead of their own.” – Bob Burg, author and speaker
14. “Networking is not about just connecting people. It’s about connecting people with people, people with ideas, and people with opportunities.” – Michele Jennae, author and networking expert
15. “Your network is your net worth.” – Porter Gale, author and former VP of Marketing at Virgin America
16. “Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.” – Tennessee Williams, playwright
17. “The language of friendship is not words but meanings.” – Henry David Thoreau, philosopher and author
18. “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ’What! You too? I thought I was the only one.” – C.S. Lewis, author and scholar
19. “The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” – Dorothy Nevill, writer and socialite
20. “Be genuinely interested in everyone you meet and everyone you meet will be genuinely interested in you.” – Rasheed Ogunlaru, life coach and speaker
21. “I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” – Ernest Hemingway, author and journalist
22. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know that makes the difference.” – Anonymous
23. “Success isn’t about how much money you make; it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.” – Michelle Obama, former First Lady of the USA
24. “The way to achieve your own success is to be willing to help somebody else get it first.” – Iyanla Vanzant, inspirational speaker and lawyer
25. “Pulling a good network together takes effort, sincerity and time.“ – Alan Collins, author of Unwritten HR Rules
26. “Success in management requires learning as fast as the world is changing.” – Warren Bennis, scholar and organizational consultant
27. “There is little success where there is little laughter.” – Andrew Carnegie, industrialist and philanthropist
28. “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” – Steve Martin, comedian and actor
29. “Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.” – Oprah Winfrey, media executive and actress
30. “Networking is a lot like nutrition and fitness: we know what to do, the hard part is making it a top priority.” – Herminia Ibarra, organizational behavior professor
31. “Effective networking is not a result of luck – it’s a methodical process of building mutually beneficial relationships.” – Sallie Krawcheck, CEO and Co-Founder of Ellevest
32. “The most successful networkers build genuine relationships and give more than they take.” – Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
33. “In networking, the important thing is not how many people you meet, but how many people you introduce.” – Mark Suster, entrepreneur and venture capitalist
34. “Each contact with a human being is so rare, so precious, one should preserve it.” – Anais Nin, author
