Using The Power of Linkedin to Connect

Question: What does a blog written to educate small business owners about employee leasing, human resource services and PEOs have to do with the social networking website Linkedin?

Answer  : Nothing … , and everything. 

The Reach of the Linkedin Network 

Linkedin.com is the popular social networking site which claims to have of over 50 million users worldwide, and is visited daily by millions of members who network by posting comments and “connecting” with people across the globe.

Members establish a profile page which includes a short bio of your education, background, and work history. An online resume. The site allows registered users to maintain a list of contact details of people they know and trust in business. Users can invite anyone to become a connection.

Linkedin can be used in several different ways:

• To build a network of connections. Members can gain an introduction through a group or a mutual trusted contact.

• To find jobs, people or business opportunities in one’s contact network.

• Employers and Recruiters can list jobs and search for potential candidates.

• Job seekers can review hiring manager profiles and research potential employers.

• To market products and services to diverse groups.
  

Erik Vonk’s Intriguing New Venture

One morning, I came across the profile of Erik Vonk, the former CEO of Gevity HR. I noticed that Erik had started a new company called BOTH USA, LLC. He and his partners were launching an innovative new service for freelancers and solo practitioners called Back of the House. An exciting new platform for the solopreneur looking for a Fortune 500 solutions partner. It sounded very interesting, however, our focus is helping business owners with 5 to 500 employees. Why should I care about a service for independent contractors? After all, most of our clients have 50 employees and more. Why indeed?

Erik is one of the most accomplished and successful executives in the HR industry today. From  1992 - 2001, he built the North American division of Randstad Holdings, a Dutch staffing company.  Under his leadership, in 6 years, revenue grew from 0 - $1.5 billion dollars, creating a division that became larger and more profitable than it’s parent.

In 2002, Erik took over the helm of Gevity HR (formerly called Staffing Leasing), the nations largest professional employer organization at the time. He had boarded a ship that was taking on water and sinking fast. Erik quickly fashioned a capable crew who turned the ship around, and in 2006, Gevity HR earned the distinction of being named to the Business Week” List of 500 Top Growth Companies”. During his tenure at Gevity, Erik steered the company out of rocky waters into calmer seas.

He bid the company farewell in 2007, but like most restless entrepreneurs, Erik and his partners A. D. Frazier and Joey Reiman are at it again. This time, they are launching a new venture with the intriguing name of “BOTH” - Back of the House.

Nothing _ _  _ _ _ _, and Everything _ _  _ _ _ _

What are the odds of my starting a dialogue with Erik Vonk, captain of the HR industry, entrepreneur, and widely respected corporate advisor? On Sunday morning, January 3rd, 2010, I decided to send Erik an invitation to “Link up”. I had extended him New Years wishes, and asked if BOTH was similar to oDesk, another visionary platform for freelance artists, developers, and writers. To my surprise, not only had Erik accepted my invitation, but he responded back with a brief description of Back of the House, and the time saving benefits for professionals who operate their business on their own.

My reply was “It sounds like a one person PEO on steroids”. Something I “said” must have hit a cord, because before I knew it Erik was on the phone. Being a man of action, what else would you expect? Over the course of the following week, we made arrangements to meet and discuss his exciting new venture. I can’t say for certain what the future will bring, but my advice to you is this.

If your trying to find a job, seeking new opportunities, or trying to make a connection. Use Linkedin to reach out.

You have nothing to lose, …. and everything to gain.