Exploring Life & Business with Chris Borja of CONNECTED Networking Group

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Borja. 

Hi Chris, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was a shy introvert for most of my life, avoiding social gatherings and events at all costs. I was the kid who wouldn’t raise his hand in class even if I knew the answer to the question. In my work life, I was the competent worker who didn’t live up to his potential because I feared speaking in front of people. 

I was extremely self-conscious and feared being the center of attention. Unfortunately, this negatively affected me in both my personal and professional life. 

I would “play small” to avoid being anywhere near the limelight. I was passed up for promotions, I subconsciously self-sabotaged great sales opportunities, and missed out on many true connections because of my introversion and shyness. 

In 2012, I discovered “networking events” for the first time in my life. That first event was so intimidating! I’m glad I went through, because it would change my life forever! I saw a way to grow business without cold-calling and spamming people to “work through the numbers.” 

I made a decision to stop avoiding my fears and instead ran towards them. It took lots of trial and error along with observing those who were seeing immense success through networking, but over time, I learned the right way to network! 

In 2013 I started the Dublin Area Networking Group to make networking fun and comfortable for people like me. We ended up attracting people from all over the state! Some would even drive 2 hours to get to our events! 

In 2014, I started a training company called Become a Better Networker to help business leaders, job seekers, and entrepreneurs thrive by making real connections with people instead of just seeing them as “prospects.” While everyone knew that networking was an important skill, most never had any training whatsoever! 

I discovered some interactive ways to help people “get it” through my workshops and presentations. 

In 2019 we expanded our networking group to all of central Ohio and rebranded under the name CONNECTED Networking Group. Our mission is to create a space for the business community to meet, collaborate, and grow. This group is currently in the process of expanding across the country and across the world. Our belief is the we are all connected, diversity is our strength, and that we are better together! 

During pandemic at the beginning of 2020, we shifted our in-person events to an engaging virtual format and started helping other organizations learn how to continue generating revenue and impact through their events…virtually! This was the beginning of our newest company Borja Virtual, where we provide the guidance, strategy, and full-production of virtual and hybrid events for non-profit fundraising events, summits, workshops, and multi-day conferences. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road is rarely smooth in the business world. My biggest challenges go back to the real estate market crash in 2008 where I was heavily invested. I lost everything except my family. I had to close the business, filed for bankruptcy, and faced serious legal issues as well. 

My legal issues resulted in me serving a 1-year sentence from 2011 to 2012 in a federal prison for conspiracy to commit mortgage fraud. That was the toughest challenge I’ve ever faced. 

After that experience, the things that would’ve stressed me out in the past paled in comparison. 

While I was serving time, I wanted to make a difference. So, I learned to teach GED class and helped several inmates earn their degrees while I was there. I discovered that I had the ability to help people understand things in a way that makes sense to them. 

This allows me to serve so many others through my ability to teach. 

When I got out, the new challenge I faced was “imposter syndrome” where I was worried about what people would think of me if they found out about my past. 

Today, I embrace the whole experience as a part of who I am, and I encourage others to embrace their own pasts and failures in order to become the person they are called to be. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Our networking group is unlike any that I have experienced before. We view “networking” as being much bigger than a transaction or sale. 

When I first started networking, I wasn’t really “networking.” In reality, I was “prospecting” in a networking environment. 

I wanted to meet new people, gather their contact info and business cards so that I could follow up in order to get a sales appointment. 

This strategy did not work at all! Instead of building relationships, I was damaging them. I don’t think people hated me or anything like that, but if they ghosted me on all the voicemails and emails I sent them, they probably weren’t going to run up to me and give me a big hug the next time they saw me at an event. Instead, they would probably pretend they didn’t see me. 

In order to avoid others falling into this trap, we design every component of our events intentionally. This allows even a first-time networker to immediately understand what proper networking is, and how they can create greater results through networking. 

Our belief is that we are all connected, diversity is our strength, and that we are better together! This shows up in everything we do. 

We live in a world that is divided in so many ways. People are divided over political parties, religion, gender, socio-economic status, vaccine or no vaccine, mask or no mask, and so much more. 

We believe that we are making the world a better place, one connection and once community at a time. 

We host several in-person, hybrid, and virtual events every month to allow the community to meet, collaborate, and grow! 

There is no fee to become a member because we don’t want anything to prevent someone from joining. 

As a result of our growth to over 8,000 members, we’ve in essence developed a platform or “stage” where our members can be featured and seen through our visibility programs. These programs support our group financially where we are able to continue our work hosting productive high-quality events. 

We also have a new growth track to provide the skills training that most never received. This is launching in June 2020 under the name Networking Breakthrough Academy. We will provide proven a step-by-step process to help people overcome their fears, gain clarity on their goals, understand the different paths to get there, and the skills to achieve their goals faster than they ever thought possible. 

To further help our community members grow, I have a book coming out in August 2022 titled, “Networking Essentials for Success: A 7 Step Journey to Accomplishing Your Goals Through Authentic Relationships and Connected Communities. 

As far as the thing I am most proud of with our group, I’ll have to say it’s is the lifelong friendships, the business partnerships, and even marriages that resulted from connections within the group. 

We are a group composed of members who genuinely care about people, want to make a difference, and realize that by adding value to one another, we all benefit. 

Regardless of what your goal is, it probably involves other people. And if people are involved in achieving your goal, networking will help you accomplish it faster than any other method. 

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lessons I’ve learned: 

Just get started, Planning is good, but getting started is better. 

Evaluate often, and make adjustments along the way. 

Find the opportunity in every challenge or crisis. 

Be yourself and embrace every part of you, flaws and all. 

Surround yourself with good people. 

Look at everything as an experiment. This way you never “fail,” you just discovered what worked in didn’t work. 

Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Growth is always on the other side of comfort. 

Build genuine relationships and show compassion for everyone you encounter, you don’t know what they may be going through, and you don’t know who they may connect you with. 

Pricing:

• Membership = Free
• Premium Membership = $30/month or $300/year
• Ambassador Membership = $60/month or $600/year
• Networking Breakthrough Academy = Starts at $99/month or $1,000/year
• Private One on One Coaching = Packages start at $2,500

Contact Info:

• Email: chris@chrisborja.com
• Website: www.chrisborja.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/connectedwithchrisborja
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/chris.j.borja
• Other: www.calendly.com/chrisborja