Joe Nigro, who began building his network of professional contacts while a student at Suffolk University, has come full circle in his career as a young entrepreneur.
“I spent many years calling on people for advice, “and now those same people are calling on me,” says the 2008 Sawyer Business School graduate.
In his current role as “business evangelist” at Vsnap, a company that makes it easy to send short video messages as a more personal alternative to e-mail, Nigro has business contacts from Boston to California, including people he first met while pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
“I knew I wanted to become an entrepreneur, so I started building my network before I needed it– during my sophomore year in college,” he explains. “I did everything from interact with Suffolk business alumni to attend networking events and use LinkedIn as an online research tool. I figured the more people I had contact with, the better.”
People skills
Whether he’s making a presentation, administrating a webinar, or focusing on Vsnap partnerships, Nigro’s success can be attributed to his people skills,.
“When it comes to people and networking, I do my homework,” he says. “I try to build a relationship that is genuine and beneficial for both sides.”
Staying connected
Nigro is considered one of the most connected Suffolk graduates under the age of 30. Colleagues, alumni and students continually seek his advice, and he kindly obliges. It’s his way of giving back, similar to what Suffolk grads did for him while he was a student.
“I’m always working,” he says. “I love talking with people about entrepreneurial opportunities and helping startups on various levels.”
He said that there is a huge network of people at Suffolk “who embrace hardworking students who want something more than a nine-to-five job.”
Nigro enjoys connecting with current Suffolk students interested in starting their own companies through Suffolk Ventures, a new alumni group he helped to create.
“I tell them that networking is the most important thing you can do,” he says. “It’s incredibly crucial to meet and get to know people who can help you get your start.”
Nigro shared his story with other young alumni who were recognized for achieving success in the workplace at a recent “Think Big, Dream Big” event, the first in a series presented by the Suffolk Alumni Association in partnership with the University’s Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education.”