5 Reasons the Right Networking Can Create Genuine Work and Business Friendships

Some people have negative networking experiences and think that you’d make friendships at networking only when you do it socially but not for business.

This seems to have led many in business to embrace ‘speed networking’ and the short time they get to spend with people at such events is just enough to let loads of people know about who you are and what you do.

The fun and meeting the same people over and over might feel like you’re forming friendships but for many, after a while, this can create the negative feeling that ‘networking does not work’!

Even though they feel they’ve gained ‘friends’ there is no business outcome and the time spent on networking starts to be questioned if it’s worth it, even though, no outcome was initially set to be achieved.

In my experience, when you start with being clear on what networking is to achieve for you, then any type of networking can be right for you and you can gain genuine friendships.
(I’ve described 3 main types of networking in this post, click here to read)

For example, if you chose to network to socialize, then expect a lot of fun when you like the people in the room and disappointment when you don’t like them.

So, if you set yourself the expectation and outcome to have fun, to be away from ‘just business’ and simply interact with others in business, you may see most, if not all, people you socialise with as nice people and are happy to network and feel you’re forming friendships.

But here is what I’d like you to consider:

Networking, implemented as part of your marketing strategy, is one of the most powerful client attracting and converting ways to grow your business, even if you chose to network in a more social rather than business setting, and it can create genuine friendships that last.

Before I now share my five reasons the right networking can create genuine work and business friendships — and why it matters more than ever, let me say this about networking as your marketing strategy.

Unlike cold calling or digital ads, networking generates leads through trusted, personal recommendations.

It fosters genuine relationships, high-quality referrals, and brand trust in a way that traditional, impersonal advertising, even social media, cannot.

And it is the trust that it creates, that matters most in a world where AI pops up everywhere and we can’t tell a genuine human being from an AI in many cases.

And here are my 5 Reasons the Right Networking Can Create Genuine Work and Business Friendships

1. Genuine friendships don’t form through one-off interactions

One of the biggest misconceptions about networking is that a single great conversation, such as at a speed networking event, is enough.
It isn’t.

Friendship — in any context — forms through repeated interaction, shared experience, and familiarity.

Yet many in business experience networking designed around quick introductions, brief encounters, and then moving on to the next person.

There is no overall introduction to what is to happen and how you can make the most of the networking, it is assumed that you know.

That was different for me, when I first started in business, one networking conversation brought people into my shop. Those people referred their friends. Trust formed far more quickly than any advertising had ever achieved.

What surprised me wasn’t just the business impact.

It was how naturally those professional relationships evolved into real friendships — simply because we stayed connected.

And the principle around what my part in the process needed to be, was shared before I attended that event.

That’s why my Global Business Networking LIVE Online starts with sending you details of what to expect and how to prepare so you can make the most of your time with us.

And you’ll hear that it is consistency, not intensity, that builds trust.

2. Trust is the foundation of both friendship and business
Work and business friendships are not created by proximity alone. They’re created by trust.

Trust comes from:
• Seeing how someone shows up over time
• Hearing how they think, not just what they sell
• Observing values in action

When trust is present, collaboration becomes easy. Referrals feel natural. Conversations deepen.

In my own journey, that trust often outlived the business itself.

Even after selling one business and relocating to buy another, some of those friendships continued — and often helped establish the new business faster than expected through warm introductions.

That’s the power of relationships built on trust rather than transactions.

With Global Business Networking LIVE Online trust in each other is encouraged by sharing personal and business experiences during our guided discussions.

Those discussions are live-streamed and everyone watching and listening, even later the replay, can gain trust in you when you authentically share when it is your turn.

3. Business friendships positively impact teams and culture
Here’s something that often goes unnoticed.

When leadership operates within genuine, trusted relationships, it influences the entire team dynamic.

In every business I’ve owned, when strong relationships existed at the top:
• Teams bonded faster
• Productivity increased noticeably
• Job satisfaction improved
• People felt proud to contribute

There was a shared energy — a willingness to go the extra step, not just for the business, but for each other and for customers.

Every participant at Global Business Networking LIVE Online can take away this experience from exposure to our members.
Within the Global Business Networking member community friendship is encouraged as part of the client attracting visibility system we are there to build.

Work and networking friendships are not a distraction.

They’re a cultural asset.

People don’t perform better because of policies alone.

They perform better when they feel connected.

4. Not all business friendships last — and that’s normal
One misunderstanding is that if a friendship fades, it somehow “failed”.

In reality, most business friendships run their natural course as roles, industries and locations change. That doesn’t make them any less genuine.

Some relationships become dormant rather than ending completely.

For me personally, even today, former team members occasionally reach out, years later, simply to check in and former networking members still send invites to events.

That’s the mark of a real connection.

Networking isn’t about forcing permanence.

It’s about allowing meaningful relationships to form without pressure and some of our members may stay for only the initial 6months commitment while many renew and stay for another 6 or 12 months because of the friendship community they’ve created.

5. The environment determines whether friendship can grow
This is where most networking falls short.

Friendship doesn’t grow well in environments that are:

• Rushed
• Transactional
• Competitive
• Inconsistent

It grows in spaces designed for:

• Repeated, guided conversation
• Mutual visibility
• Respect for expertise
• Collaboration over competition

That’s why trusted relationships and collaboration are a core focus inside Global Business Networking LIVE Online.

When professionals meet consistently in the right environment, something shifts:

• People are seen in context
• Conversations go beyond surface level
• Recognition builds naturally
• Friendships form without being forced

Networking stops feeling like an activity — and starts feeling like a community.

So, can networking create genuine friendships?

Yes — when networking is intentional, structured and human.

Work and business friendships:

• Make day-to-day work more enjoyable
• Reduce isolation, especially for business owners
• Increase engagement and contribution
• Strengthen collaboration and long-term opportunity

The problem isn’t that business friendships aren’t possible.

The problem is that most networking environments aren’t focused to support individual but to grow the networking group in size.

When you experience networking that allows trust to build over time, everything changes — how you work, how you lead, and how business feels.

And once you’ve experienced that level of connection, it becomes clear:

Business doesn’t have to be lonely.

And networking doesn’t have to be superficial.

You can stand out as a human LIVE online in Global Business Networking LIVE Online.