We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jojo Trumbly a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jojo, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

When I first started The NET…I had only a narrow understanding of the vast majority of networking companies out there. Looking back now, that was probably to my advantage because I wasn’t too busy comparing myself to others…I just saw a space in the market and a need for something like The NET. I contribute my success with the collaboration of my peers and colleagues. Originally I was apart of a new networking group and was helping others as the president of a chapter. During the start of the pandemic in 2020, the founders of that company switched directions and the network that I was apart of was dissolved. During that time, I rallied my team of 24 business owners and we persisted forward. We together came up with our own name “The NET – Level Up Networking” and started to create the brand in which everyone knows today.

Jojo, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Jojo Trumbly. I am the founder and CEO of The Net Level Up Networking. I am responsible for organizing and facilitating networking events, promoting the group to the community and potential members, and managing The NET’s individual memberships. The NET is a networking organization that aims to help individuals and businesses level up their networking skills and connections. Members are organized into teams, with each team representing a geographical area and each member an industry. At monthly meetings, they work on interpersonal skills, business skills and creating relationships in their community. These meetings are designed for members and visitors to share information about their businesses and engage in networking activities to generate leads. I am proud to help create this network. Being a member of The NET is a privilege that is earned through commitment, integrity and professionalism.

Any advice for managing a team?

There is no “one size fits all” to managing any size team or company, but I have a few generic pieces of advice on how to maintain high morale within a team. The first one being: always celebrate successes (no matter the size) with your team members. This helps foster a positive work environment and people thrive on recognition. “Lead By Example” is the management style that I use. My actions and attitude set the tone for the rest of the team, so it is imperative that I maintain composure in any circumstance and be a supportive role model. Regular communication is key to building trust and maintaining morale in a team. Everyone should be aware of their roles and responsibilities, what is going on in the company and how that contributes to the larger picture. A great way to maintain morale is by providing opportunities for growth and development of their skills, either by training or mentorship. The last “tool of the trade” that I utilize is team building activities. Anytime you can get a group of people to work towards a common goal (even in a silly game), the shared experience and comradery strengthens the team.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Having a social media page for your business is a great way to connect with your audience, grow your business and promote your brand. The first thing I did when I created my pages was I researched my target audience. Know who your customer base is, know their age range, their likes/dislikes, geographical locations etc. This will help you decide which social media platforms you should focus on. The most basic thing you can do is to make sure all of your profile is filled out completely and with correct and current information. Your profile is the first impression on someone deciding if they want to contact you or not. How I have expanded my reach is by consistently posting content that was either entertaining, informative or community based. I use an app on my phone called Business Suite that has all my platforms connected under one app so that I can batch content and schedule it out. The algorithms favor pages who post consistently and have high engagement. Make sure that you are posting things for people to comment, like, or share. Respond to people’s comments, make sure that you always respond to messages in a timely manner. The best pages personify their brand in a way that captures their target audience. The most important thing anyone can do is to analyze their KPIs (key performance indicators). If you don’t know your social media metrics…you won’t know what to keep putting your energy into. Watch your data and pivot accordingly when necessary to keep up with the ever changing trends of social media.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.TheNetLevelUpNetworking.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/TheNetLevelUpNetworking
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NET.LevelUpNetwork
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-net-level-up-networking/?viewAsMember=true

Image Credits
All images credit to: Brittany Martino Photography