Lessons From my Father the King Networker

Some people collect business cards. My dad collected connections. And he did it in the most genuine way possible.

My dad was the king networker.

 Every time he got on the phone, whether he called someone or they called him, the first words he’d say were, “Hi! Ken Baker here!”. He had strategically designed his networking so that it fit into every aspect of his life. His theory was that you never know when you’re going to want to connect with somebody, so he always interacted happily and genuinely.

He started his adult life after graduating college with a major in Math & Science. His first adult job was teaching High School science. However, he was raised running his family’s deep sea fishing boat, where his duties included waiting on customers all day. He would familiarize them with the area as they rode the boat thru the gulf and out to Lovers Key. He shared stories of being raised on the beach and his knowledge of all the local plants, islands and fish.

When he shifted careers and became a salesman for Sprint, he used those same friendly, happy go lucky mannerisms to win the hearts of those he came in contact with. Weekends and holidays were still spent on the “Island Belle”, but now he was Captain Kenny and we, his children, were his deckhands. I learned firsthand that everyone had a unique story and every connection mattered.

Friday, August 18, 2006,

I sat in the front pew of the church. The Florida humidity had seeped into the chapel and everything was sticky. My tears burned down my cheeks, much to the dismay of my ever-proper mother who had insisted no one cry.

It was 1 pm. I was wrestling a 3-year-old whom I had somehow in the hustle of dressing a family of 6 and gathering my broken hearted mother, all while trying to make it to my fathers funeral, forgotten to feed.

If there was anything more inappropriate than my tears,

it was my sweet curly headed daughter wailing for food. I gathered her in my arms, and not wanting to miss my fathers funeral while simultaneously knowing I had to find her something to eat, swirled around to take her out. As I dried my tears and lifted my head to face the audience as I walked out, I was shocked. Stopped dead in my tracks in disbelief.

The chapel that held over 1000 people

was standing room only. As my eyes scanned the crowd, for familiar faces, I saw my friends, standing in the lobby, watching thru the open door. As my eyes met my friends and she motioned for me to send her my baby, the speakers voice broke the silence with as much cheerfulness as he could muster.

He proclaimed, “Hi! Dave Stewart here! For years I have wanted to have the confidence and courage to present myself as Ken did. Watching the impact he had on everyone he came in contact with was awe inspiring. Thank you, Ken, for this great opportunity to speak to the world as your friend.”

That my friends, is networking.

To my siblings and me, he was “Daddy”—the heartbeat of our world. At 36 years old, I had no idea just how many lives my father had touched. I never imagined that so many people would show up to honor him at his funeral.

He never drove a new car. He was home by 5:15 every day. His nights and weekends were spent loving and playing with his family. He never held public office. But what he did hold—what he built—was something far greater: the trust and admiration of everyone he met.

Successful networking is built through genuine connections.

Hear me when I say, “Hey there! I’m Coleen!”

 The next time you meet someone new, think of Ken Baker. Introduce yourself boldly. Make the connection count. Because in the end, that’s what truly matters.

Find step by step networking tips here.

“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