#crumbtrailapp

You already know about the value of networking. One minute you could be sitting at your favorite Java hut, drinking a cup of steamy fresh coffee, when suddenly you strike up a conversation with someone sitting near you. Turns out, they work for a company you've heard of and you have a common friend.  Meeting someone face-to-face gives you an extra boost in your networking cliques. If you swap information and stay in touch, these random connections can become even more important than you realize.

That one person that you met might know another, who knows another; and so forth. Before you know it, your coffee excursion could lead to a new position at your dream company, or an otherwise interesting endeavor. But in order to get there, you shouldn't be afraid of putting yourself out there, both online and offline.

We've all heard countless examples of how one random discussion turned into a side project which eventually resulted in the creation of a million-dollar idea. Some started in their small garage and then landed in Fortune 500 or Entrepreneur Magazine. Almost all of these successes were based on meeting the right people at the right time. 

We now have platforms dedicated to funding ideas, where people can come together to show patronage and support. Gamers, authors, inventors, holistic specialists, and college students all have a leveled playing field. 

Offline communities are also on the rise. For example, let's say you like tinkering with electronics and materials to make pieces of art when you're bored. None of your friends like industrial design or crafts and could care less to try it. You can still signup for a HackerSpace in your area to use their space and equipment for your projects, and more importantly to meet other people with similar interests. 

People are usually involved with different types of circles and networks, instead of being bound by one. You can have one network just for your video gaming buddies, another for your biking companions, and yet another for your nightlife and partying. Whether or not you meet these new friends in person is moot point. Even if you don't meet someone physically, you can totally interact as much or as little as you choose.  

Many of these niche-related communities go beyond just the typical Twitter, Facebook and larger social networks. Instead of being wide and shallow, they are narrow and deep, thus allowing you to learn from each other and feel more at home. Because of this niche-focus, new apps are launched every day, giving people a chance to play together, do business together, find jobs, take classes, get rides, or truly everything imaginable. Yet, this sea of networking must be sorted smartly, so we can have more control over our social lives.