Growing Your Network: The Secret to Leadership and Personal Branding

Author: Dr. Gina Wilt

September 26, 2025

Sophomore year of college can feel like being stuck in the middle - you are not a wide-eyed freshman anymore, but still a long way from graduation. 

That’s where Jordan, a business student, found herself: balancing classes, club meetings, and a part-time job, yet still wondering, ‘How do I actually stand out?’ The answer hit her fast. Grades and skills matter, but they’re not enough. As LinkedIn’s co-founder Reid Hoffman put it, ‘Opportunities do not float like clouds in the sky. They’re attached to people’ (as cited in Fernandez, 2024a).

Why Networking Is Leadership in Action

Networking is not about collecting business cards or racking up LinkedIn connections, that’s just surface-level stuff. Real networking is about building genuine relationships that actually matter, where people remember you for your curiosity, generosity, and the value you bring.

It’s about building real connections that open doors and shape who you are as a leader. And the data backs it: people with diverse networks move up faster (Fernandez, 2024b).

Networking also builds your personal brand - the mix of skills, values, and vibes people remember you for (Montañez, 2023). For a sophomore like Jordan, every convo is a chance to reinforce their story: maybe it’s ‘I’m curious about consulting,’ ‘I love solving problems with data,’ or ‘I’m all about entrepreneurship.’ Keep telling that story and, over time, it becomes your brand (Fernandez, 2024c).

A Simple Framework: G.R.O.W.

Leadership coach Jenny Fernandez (2024b) offers a practical way to approach networking: G.R.O.W.

• G – Get out of your comfort zone. Jordan attended a design-thinking workshop outside the business school, meeting students in engineering and design.

• R – Refresh your toolkit. They stayed up-to-date on industry trends in AI and analytics so they could add value in conversations.

• O – Offer value. After meeting a visiting alum, Jordan sent along a relevant article with a short note of thanks.

• W – Work at it. Jordan made a habit of checking in with three contacts each month, sometimes just by sharing an interesting podcast episode.

This approach reflects what networking really is: not asking, but giving, learning, and staying engaged (Fernandez, 2024a).

Building a Personal Brand Alongside Networking

A strong brand requires clarity and authenticity. Experts note that your brand should be compelling, authentic, consistent, and visible (Corkindale, 2008; Montañez, 2023). Asking yourself questions like “What do I want to be known for?” and “What sets me apart?” can crystallize your message (Ashkenas, 2010).

For introverts, networking can feel daunting. But Dorie Clark (2013) emphasizes that introverts can thrive by building one-on-one connections, writing thoughtful posts, or leveraging social media to share their ideas. Authenticity—not extroversion—is what builds trust.

An Easy Entry Point

Networking may sound big, but here’s a simple starter plan:

1. Attend one event. A business club meeting, an alumni talk, or a campus mixer.

2. Ask one genuine question. Instead of “Can you help me get a job?” try: “What skills helped you the most early in your career?”

3. Follow up within 48 hours. Send a short thank-you email or LinkedIn message.

That’s it. One event, one question, one follow-up. Repeat this monthly, and by graduation, you’ll have not only skills but a trusted network — and a personal brand that speaks for you.

The Long Game

For Jordan, these small steps led to a mentor, a summer internship, and clarity about future career paths. For you, the outcomes may differ, but the principle is the same: networking is leadership in motion. 

Start now. Be authentic. Be generous. And watch your brand — and opportunities — grow.

References

Ashkenas, R. (2010, January 22). Define your personal brand with simple questions. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2010/01/define-your-personal-brand-wit

Clark, D. (2013, September 17). Personal branding for introverts. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2013/09/personal-branding-for-introverts

Corkindale, G. (2008, March 5). 11 ways to build your personal brand. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2008/03/11-ways-to-build-your-personal

Fernandez, J. (2024a, April 2). Build your leadership toolkit: To G.R.O.W. your network. Leadership for Maximum Impact [Newsletter]. https://jennyfernandez.substack.com/p/build-your-leadership-toolkit

Fernandez, J. (2024b, March 15). G.R.O.W. your network: The simple acronym for professional success. Leadership for Maximum Impact [Newsletter]. https://jennyfernandez.substack.com/p/grow-your-network

Fernandez, J. (2024c, March 5). Crafting your professional brand: Unlocking opportunities through authenticity and storytelling. Leadership for Maximum Impact [Newsletter]. https://jennyfernandez.substack.com/p/crafting-your-professional-brand

Montañez, R. (2023, September 4). How to define, develop, and communicate your personal brand. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2023/09/how-to-define-develop-and-communicate-your-personal-brand

I’m Gina—a lifelong educator, leadership coach, and solopreneur behind NextReady Studio. By day I lead professional learning in the Mary Lou Fulton College at Arizona State University, and by night I’m usually swapping Marvel, Star Wars, or Lord of the Rings references with my husband Walter (an engineer who humors my fandoms). I’m also mom to two fabulous college kids, Bella and Nik, and dog-mom to Doug and Sky.

I write about college to career success, leadership, personal branding, and building the kind of network that actually opens doors. 💡 Let’s connect—find me on LinkedIn or follow along here for more tips to fuel your leadership journey.