5 ways to build genuine connections as an entrepreneur

Ever hear the saying, "it takes a village?"

That statement doesn't just ring true for parenting, but also when you're looking to build a business from scratch.

Marcus Damas, a former professional basketball player turned marketing maven, knows a thing or two about utilizing his meaningful connections to get a business off the ground.

Founder and creator of Fueled by Culture, a lifestyle-marketing agency that bridges the gap between culture and technology, Damas gave us a deeper look into what it takes to build genuine, long-term work relationships rather than generic surface-level networking skills.

Below, Damas shares five tips that bring the 'magic' to building genuine work relationships that will ultimately will take your business to a new level.

For the full interview and more discussion, check out the above episode of #BizChats. 

1. Add value

"Time is important, so when asking of people's time, it's important that you add value. [For example,] if you know a person is a Knicks fan, find a way to get them Knicks tickets. If you know someone might grow their business exponentially, then make that introduction. Add value."

2. Always be persistent

"When I say 'always be persistent,' use this very tastefully. Do this tactically. Don't be wavered by an unanswered email. Find a different route to get to that person. Get on their radar. If it's by way of social media, [or] if it's by way of a warm intro, just get on their radar and be persistent."

3. Come correct

"Know your information, know your history, know what value this person adds. If you're going to add value to this person, you really have to come correct and stay sharp as far as knowing what moves the needles for them, or how you can do that."

4. Support others through the highs and lows

"When you're supporting others through the highs and lows, don't only reach out [to them] when things are going really well, but also reach out when things are going really bad. Don't only reach out when you hear your friend raises $20 million dollars [for his or her startup], but also reach out when you hear their business isn't going so well."

5. Match people's energy

"Have that same energy always. When someone's asking you for a favor, do that favor [to the same degree if the roles were reversed.] Don't be that person that takes 10 days to make an introduction and expects someone to make an introduction for you in [less than] an hour. Have that same energy."