Networking Skills Top Performers Wish They Knew Earlier — Brent Edwards | CGN
Brent Edwards spent 30 years watching people network badly. In this Canada Growth Network Power Hour session, he shares the portfolio mindset and practical habits that actually make professional relationships compound.
Hosts Percy Barr, Bernie Franzgrote & Wayne Pratt
GROWTH CATEGORY: Networking & Community
Brent Edwards shares networking skills for SMB owners and newcomers to Canada — portfolio thinking, follow-up tactics, and the right way to make an ask. Canada Growth Network.
Most people network when they're desperate.
Brent Edwards has spent 30 years watching that play out — and helping people do the opposite.
In this Canada Growth Network Power Hour session, Brent shares the mindset and tactics behind professional relationships that actually compound. Before you need them.
Watch the full conversation here:
WHO THIS IS FOR
- SMB owners tired of transactional networking
- Solopreneurs building long-term referral pipelines
- Newcomers to Canada navigating a new professional landscape
- Leaders building systems around relationships, not just contacts
KEY LESSONS
Treat Your Network Like a Portfolio
Your professional network is an asset. It needs to be diversified, invested in consistently, and protected from overconcentration. Brent used the March 2020 market crash as his entry point — if your financial portfolio had been concentrated in hospitality, you know what happened. The same risk applies to your professional relationships. Build across industries, communities, and geographies before you ever need to make a withdrawal.
Generosity Is a Strategy
The best networkers Brent observed at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce weren't the loudest voices in the room. They were the most consistent and the most generous. They showed up. They followed up within 24 hours. They made small deposits — an introduction, a referral, a relevant article — long before they made an ask. Generosity isn't soft. It's compounding.
Match the Ask to the Relationship
The 5-cent ask vs. the $5,000 ask is one of the most practical frameworks in this session. Early in a relationship, keep the ask small and low-risk. A question about a moving company is a 5-cent ask. Asking to borrow someone's truck is not. Most professionals make the equivalent mistake without realizing it — and it stalls the relationship before it ever gets started.
PRACTICAL STEPS
- This week: Attend one event and sit with someone you don't know. Make it a rule — no defaulting to familiar faces.
- Within 24 hours of any new connection: Send a follow-up message that references something specific from your conversation. Not a pitch. A deposit.
- This month: Map your current network. Identify where it's overconcentrated. Find one new room — a chamber, a trade association, a co-working space — and show up consistently for 90 days.
ABOUT THE GUEST
Brent Edwards is the founder of BrentCanada Experiences — a consultancy helping newcomers and established Canadians build meaningful business connections across Canada.
He spent seven years as Key Account Manager at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. He has mentored with the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, volunteered with the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, and appeared on New Canadians TV. He is the author of The Ultimate Guide to Professional Networking for Newcomers to Canada.
Brent helps people who know networking matters but aren't sure how to make it actually work — for their business, their career, and their community.
LISTEN ON AUDIO
- Listen now
- Comment on the LinkedIn page
- Knack 4 Business
- Try Web Indexer — find K4B episodes faster and book a meeting
- Join Canada Growth Network — full GHL CRM + community. $1 CAD first month. $47 CAD/month. No lock-in.
- Gentry Learning — real estate investing platform
- Property Wizard podcast by Gentry Learning
- Attend the Monday Power Hour free
FAQ
What is the most important networking skill for newcomers to Canada? Consistency. Show up to the same rooms repeatedly. People do business with people they recognize and trust — and trust is built through repeated, low-pressure contact over time.
How do you follow up after a networking event without seeming pushy? Reference something specific from your conversation. Send it within 24 hours. Don't pitch. Just reconnect with something useful — an article, an introduction, a relevant event. That's a deposit, not a withdrawal.
How do you know when your network is strong enough to make a big ask? When you've made enough small deposits that the relationship feels mutual. A good rule of thumb: if you haven't spoken to someone in six months and you're only reaching out because you need something — that's not a strong enough foundation. Build first.
