Become a strategic networker

“Amazing that a person in such a short time can change so much. I now understand why Soulaima has success with what she can: Learn people to develop.” – Johnny K. Schäffer, erhvervsFORUM Roskilde

The Art Of Networking In 2020

Back in 2001, nobody was talking about networking. Soulaima Gourani shares her impressive 17 years of knowledge and research on professional relationships. Since 2001 she has talked at numerous courses, lectures, and workshops. Read one of her many public contributions on the topic here.

Relationships and networking are a lot about today’s business. But many believe they can not – or will not. “Because it is on the border of being unethical and cynical,” is often said.

But networking is all about helping others. To give before you take. It is warm, personal, and all about trust.

Today, the most important resource is an individual’s knowledge and competences, which at the same time constitute the most important commodity and source of income.

The idea that knowledge is best exchanged between people who trust one another makes networking competencies essential in connection to knowledge “trading.” Soulaima Gourani sees networking as a way for companies to take a shortcut to information, inspiration, and influence. Regardless of your age or position, you must know how to map, nurture, and expand your network.

Soulaima Gourani offers a lecture in which you will learn how to map out your professional network. You will get concrete tools to help you nurture your internal and external networks and relationships. You will get tools to help you expand your networks to make them match your individual needs and goals. The lecture motivates and inspires everybody to think of “networking, relationships, and alliances” as a natural way to work and as a way to grow as an employee and colleague.

Soulaima can provide concrete help in establishing physical networking groups. Companies such as Danish IT, Codan, City of Copenhagen, DONG Energy, and many others have already taken advantage of Soulaima Gourani in her role as a designer, coordinator, and consultant on networking group projects.

Want to be inspired? Read her Forbes column here.  

Books on the topic!

Reignite your career 

How To Turn Customers into fans

Booking

Please contact Soulaima if you wish to register for a specific lecture or a combination of topics tailored to your needs.

You can also use the contact form on the right side or at the bottom of this page to send an inquiry to Soulaima.

Further reading

Do you know if people like you or not?


Blog by Soulaima Gourani
Do you know if you are someone people warn others about or someone they recommend to others? You meet people that you either know or do not know every day. You are networking all the time even if you are not aware of it. This blog is about slow networking and how t build strong relationsships.
Read here

“Fast Track Career and Networking”


A good foundation is a career that makes you feel good and makes you burn through and not burn out. If you are bursting with energy, you stand out and people will notice you. Energy is the most precious and desired trait in a business world where everyone fights to stand apart from the masses.
Read here

Hand-outs

How leaders create and use networks


How to Use and Create Strategic Networks


Networking: Why?


Testimonials

“Absolutely authentic!
Soulaima is one of the most authentic and dynamic speakers I have ever met. With standing applause Soulaima finished her presentation as a strategic networker. Almost 250 business people from business forum Roskilde had a very inspiring and thought-provoking experience that I’m sure will leave its marks in Roskilde.
With a completely honest story about her life and career Soulaima told how became successful with her passion. She speaks fast – because she really has a lot to say. But do not worry – the language is straight out and everyone can keep up – and learn from her messages. Simple messages, which can make a huge difference to the individual participant’s path to success. Simple messages, which can make a huge difference to the individual participant’s path to success.
Amazing that a person in such a short time can change so much. I now understand why Soulaima have success with what she can: Learn people to develop.”
Johnny K. Schäffer
erhvervsFORUM Roskilde

“Thank you. You are/were fantastic. I have received some feedback from the managers, and all of them are positive. You get a 14 on a scale of up to 10.”
Poul Jensen
Business director, Kalundborgegnen’s Business Council

“Soulaima, you were absolutely outstanding—all of the participants really got something to think about. After your great lecture, “all” of the 200 participants only talked about you . . . Now, we are receiving loads of thank-you e-mails from the participants! Thanks a lot for a great day. It was probably the best fair of the 10 that we have organized so far!”
Carsten Andersen
Vejle Boldklub Kolding A/S

“You were exactly the injection that our members needed. I am quite certain that we made the right choice when we chose you. :-) Everybody gave positive feedback after your presentation. Well done.”
Michael Schoer
Chr. Hansen A/S

“Thank you for an incredibly inspiring presentation. We could have used some more time, but that will have to be some other time. We had a good afternoon, and you kick-started some things, so that was great.”
Charlotte Ellemose Sonne
Cand.ling.merc., Language and Translation, DONG Energy

“It was very inspiring. I have referred to your words of wisdom and observations on human behavior and ethics in connection to networking, but even more essential for me personally, your arguments on why it is that we live in a network economy and all of its implications! I already have a dream that you will visit my universe to give a lecture to the potential young entrepreneurs and let them have the unique opportunity in life to meet someone like you—with so much integrity and hope about a future for a society that I for one would like to be a part of.”
Pernille Berg
Development manager, Niels Brock

“As usual, I got something out of being close to Soulaima Gourani. Extremely good lecture that touched many of the people in my network—I had 25 participants together with me. High-class performance! My network thinks that you “kick ass.” It is a combination of the wonderful speed when you talk (your commitment and self-ignition) and the input about whether everyone knows where people in their network are heading on their personal life journey. I love your practical exercises. They blow dust and ancient habits away and put the spotlight on how Danish people typically network or don’t network. Furthermore, the listeners make some changes afterwards, and that is ultimately what I feel from the people whom I brought with me to experience you!
The first time I met you in Odense last year (2008), you presented a wonderful practical challenge and asked the audience of 200 new entrepreneurs whom they would like to meet. Someone wanted to meet the musician Sting, and we succeeded in getting the person backstage at the upcoming concert in Aarhus!”.
Martin Holtoug
Koege Jobcenter

The most important tips that I got from Soulaima Gourani’s very inspiring and lively lecture were about “knowing your inner circle” and “knowing your sparring partners” as well as the fact that things takes time. Personally, I am good at making contact, but I can definitely learn something by “taking a step back.””
Jane Lykke Luxhøj
HR-supporter, Hjem-Is A/S

“Soulaima Gourani’s presentation on Networking takes the ‘hot air’ out of the subject and turns it into a pragmatic and usable tool to use when developing and maintaining your own or your company’s network. Soulaima presents the subject in a very dynamic and enthusiastic way that makes you want to, and able to, begin developing your own network immediately.”
Lars S. Christensen
Giritech

“I have been lucky enough to participate in one of Soulaima Gourani’s lectures on networking. Lucky because Soulaima made me focus on the importance of the inner network, the network that is of the highest importance for my company, and where I wasn’t focused enough on discovering what is important to them personally and not just professionally. As Soulaima correctly says, a network is both a challenge and a gift, a balancing act with regard to offering help and receiving help, and that was food for thought because I don’t think that asking for help is something that I am very good at. The lecture included some personal active exercises that really helped me gain an insight into the challenges that I am facing in connection to expanding and maintaining the network that I have, and therefore, I found the lecture to be complete and of a character that I will never forget. Soulaima Gourani said, “Build a personal relationship with your customers, invite them to your house, take them out to dinner, and they will remember you for something very positive and on a personal level.” When I returned to Denmark after several years abroad, I asked around regarding that practice since I was used to doing that in other countries. However, the response was that it wouldn’t be received positively, but now I will try it out and see how it will be received.”
Else Christensen
CEO, Relocare

“The association Betterboards (network of board members) had the great pleasure to have Soulaima Gourani as a guest speaker at one of our member events. Soulaima Gourani’s lecture was very inspiring both for Betterboards as an association and for the individual members. Soulaima offered some very specific recommendations to Betterboards that Betterboards is already taking advantage of. And to the individual members, Soulaima threw light on many important aspects of building, maintaining, and adjusting your network. This was supported with some exercises that we did during the presentation. The exercises offered each member something to take home—and much wiser on what, who, and how they should work with their network. All in all, a fantastic lecture delivered very professionally and with lots of energy by Soulaima Gourani.”
Frank B. Schou-Jensen
Betterboards

“Thank you for a super inspiring Friday morning. It was awesome, and Soulaima was fantastic. I was in a really good mood the rest of the day and got so many things to think about. Thank you for a super experience.”
Maria Hamm
Head of HR, DHL Denmark

“Thank you very much for your great contribution to the success of our networking day last Thursday at the Danish Architecture Centre. The participants were very satisfied with your two presentations combined with the possibility to put networking into practice, and to find your book in the goodie bag was just the icing on the cake.”
Dorthe Simonsen
Senior project manager, Inspiring Denmark