Named one of the top 10 business speakers in North America in December 2023 by New York Tech, Marques Ogden provides NAIFA members an exclusive opportunity to connect with him each month. Join him for Wake Up Wednesdays on the first Wednesday of each month at 9 am eastern. Marques's sessions focus on being performance-driven, emotionally resilient, and leveraging discipline to accomplish more. He refers to this as the "pursuit of the unbreakable mindset." Through these sessions, Marques is committed to equipping participants with the knowledge they need to thrive.

During the July session, Marques outlined how to leverage strategic networking to grow your circle of influence.

Tips:
1. Build genuine relationships based on mutual trust and respect.
2. Identify key stakeholders and influencers in your industry.
3. Offer value to others before seeking favors.
Action Steps:
1. Attend industry events and conferences to meet new contacts.
2. Schedule one-on-one meetings to deepen connections.
3. Follow up with personalized messages or gestures of appreciation.
Takeaways:
1. Networking expands opportunities and insights.
2. Reciprocity strengthens professional relationships.
3. Authenticity fosters lasting connections.

If you have missed the first sessions, they are available on-demand. In addition, you can catch Marques as the closing keynote, Drop The Poker Face: Connecting Requires Authenticity, during Apex on September 21st.

 You can also catch him on his highly acclaimed podcast, “Get Authentic with Marques Ogden,” which ranks in the top 1% among the world’s most popular podcasts.