Andrea Nierenberg, our New Yorker of the Month for March 2008

I met Andrea at The Brasserie on 53rd street off of Park Ave.

Ask a New Yorker: What do you do?

Andrea: I provide training in speaker skills, media training and selling skills under the auspices of what I call networking. I’ve written three books on business networking, relationship building and communication skills. As I say, it is both strategic and serendipitous. Be prepared for both. You never know when someone may walk into your life that you can help or they can help you. http://www.selfmarketing.com/

Ask a New Yorker: What’s the least likely place that you’ve had a networking experience?

Andrea: On top of the Tokyo Tower. I was there several years ago and I remember being on a tour and just looking around and everything. I just started talking to someone and complemented them on their handbag. We started talking and then walking together. This person then introduced me to her husband who was the president of a company. I followed up as I always do, and they became a client of mine.

Ask a New Yorker: Do you remember your first networking experience as a child?

Andrea: It’s such an interesting thing. Because I always say, as you probably know, that networking is really a misunderstood word. And we’ve been doing it since we been kids. It’s really relationship building. That’s really what it is. But people get like, ’oh my goodness, what is it?’. Like I say, just be open minded and you never know what will happen. Probably my very first incident, when I think about it, is when I went to camp in Wisconsin. I grew up in the mid- west. I went to camp at nine years old. I was very shy. I remember my mom took me up on the train and I had to go meet the other kids. Again, I was shy. I realized something--that in order to make friends you have to be open and smile and ask questions. So I basically would ask people, ‘Where are you from’? I would explain that I was from a little town. I was so shy at that time. I remember telling people, ‘ my name is Andrea and I’m from a little town and my dad is the town doctor’ and that this is my first experience at camp. It pushed me out of my shell. And I made friends.

Ask a New Yorker: Your self esteem was raised and voila!, your career as a relationship builder began.

Andrea: Yes. I always say the opposite of networking is not working. When you meet people you can learn from them. So I always try to find ways that I can make connections.

Ask a New Yorker: What are some of the misperceptions that people have regarding your networking and their desires?

Andrea: Well when people hear that I’m in networking. They think, ‘Oh my God, she knows everybody, she’ll put me in touch with everyone.’ That’s not what it is. It’s about building strong relationships. They’re about give and take. They’re back and forth.

Ask a New Yorker: Do you have a dancing partner, are you married?

Andrea: I’m not. I am with somebody for a long time. It’s hard. I usually meet three different types of men: married, involved or very, very young. I’m always open because I like to meet new people, nice people.

Ask a New Yorker: So how do you stay looking so vibrant?

Andrea: Well, one of the things is I’ve gotten into is yoga in the last year. It’s relaxing. It’s vigorous. I love it.

Ask a New Yorker: What’s the best fatherly advice your dad gave you?

Andrea: Be nice and be kind to people. If you think everybody is going to love you it’s not going to happen. And you can’t be everything to all people.
Ask a New Yorker: You must travel quite a bit for your business?

Andrea: Well I can tell you in the last two years I’ve been to Russia, China, India, which is amazing. I just recently came back from the Middle East. I was in Israel, Egypt and Jordon. Three years back I was in Africa.

Ask a New Yorker: I love your new book. Savvy Networking, 118 Fast and effective Tips for Business Success.

Andrea: It’s my third book. It’s really a simple easy book. You can pick it up and just open it up like whatever you fortune is for the day. What do I want to think about today? What do I want to focus on? It might say, get in touch with someone you have not been in touch with for a while or call. Write a letter to someone. There’s a vignette, a story, a tip, and a call back.

Ask a New Yorker: What’s the first newspaper you read in the morning?

Andrea: That’s simple. I read two papers religiously every day. I read the Wall Street Journal and I read the New York Times. I also read the New York Post.

By the Way: The Wall Street Journal calls Andrea Nierenberg “a networking success story.” She is a master at helping individuals and companies build their businesses by improving relationships.

Ask a New Yorker: Do you have a favorite restaurant in the city?

Andrea: There are so many favorite restaurants. You know what? I’ll tell you something: I’m a Friar. I’m a member of the Friars Club. So I like the Friars Club and I also like The Lotos Club, two very different clubs but very fun. Tonight I’m going to a very nice restaurant called La Grenouille .

Ask a New Yorker: What do you think of the concept, Ask a New Yorker?

Andrea: I think it’s wonderful. I just like the whole idea Ask a New Yorker because New Yorkers have their finger on the pulse of what’s going on nationally and internationally. If you want to get a straight good answer about anything. Ask a New Yorker.

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