The Business School team was out in force at Venturefest last week (with the exception of me, due to illness). I hear it was another fantastic celebration of science, technology and creative enterprise, and I was sorry to miss it.

At the event, in the spirit of networking, one of my colleagues began a conversation with the usual opener: “What do you do?” She was completely unprepared for the barrage that followed.

Without asking who my colleague was or what she did, she found herself on the receiving end of a sales barrage, barely pausing for breath before eventually being asked: “So what is it that you do, then?”, and bringing the conversation to a very rapid close when they realised my colleague wasn’t in the market for what they were selling.

As this scenario unfolded in the event area, it was mirrored in the virtual world in one of the seminar rooms, where York firm Crowdbait was talking to delegates about getting their businesses noticed online. The session included tips on social media etiquette.

“Social networking is not for you if all you want to do it sell, sell, sell,” was one of the golden rules. Surely this applies just as much in the “real” world as it does online?

Nobody wants to be sold at. People want to make connections with people who they can help, and who can help them – both on and offline. Understanding how you can help people – and not just how they can help you – is fundamental to successful networking, and that’s what events like Venturefest are all about.

It may mean that some of the people you meet may never buy directly from you, but they may send hundreds of customers or clients your way. A timely reminder of another golden rule: networking is as much about listening as it is about talking.

Which leads me on to say thank you for “listening” to my columns over the last two years. This is to be my last as Dean of the Business School, as I move on to pastures new.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the experience of establishing the Business School at York St John University, working with a brilliant team and some of the many fantastic businesses in the city and beyond who have all helped the Business School grow to where it is today.

Thank you all for your tremendous support – we simply couldn’t have got this far without you – and this is not goodbye, as I very much hope to be seeing many of you again soon.

Until then,

Jackie Mathers