Catching a tiger by the tail

Catching a tiger by the tail Cover Image

I hope we all spend a lot of time networking. (To paraphrase René Descartes, the famous French philosopher: I network, therefore I am.)So you have been hard at it. The FENG Member Directory Search feature is causing smoke to rise from your computer from over use, but incredible as it may s...


Jun 13, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Extending the hand of friendship

Extending the hand of friendship Cover Image

The name of Rodney Eaton may or may not be familiar to you. Or, you may be saying to yourself that you recall seeing that name, but you don’t know where. Rodney has been a member of The FENG since 2013. And, during that time he has sponsored 184 new members. The reason you know the name is...


Jul 19, 2020

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Bestowing the gift of friendship

Bestowing the gift of friendship Cover Image

As all of you are out and about networking, I hope you are aware that one of your most important member responsibilities is to invite your new and old friends who are Senior Financial Officers to join The FENG.While it is certainly true that The FENG dominates our space. And, it may even b...


Aug 28, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Things to do this week

Things to do this week Cover Image

Top of the list is, of course, to vote if you have not already done so. My second suggestion is to NOT call anyone until at least Thursday. Everyone is “deer in the headlights” over the election. Hopefully it will be decided by end of day Wednesday so we can all get back to doing whatever ...


Nov 01, 2020

By Matt Bud, The FENG

A lifetime commitment

A lifetime commitment Cover Image

It is in some ways a shame that the idea of networking has gotten itself so tightly connected to job search.One of the reasons that I call members who have found new jobs is to remind them to continue networking. Sad to say that many people allow themselves to get so absorbed in their new ...


Oct 31, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Networking, networking and more networking

Networking, networking and more networking Cover Image

For those of you who are new to networking and for those of you who think you know everything about networking, I thought I would take tonight’s editorial space to distinguish for you the 3 kinds of networking.The first kind of networking is identifying new networking contacts. The recomme...


Nov 01, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Staying close to home

Staying close to home Cover Image

With the holiday season coming up fast, it is perhaps the time to repeat the simple advice that now is the time to be making phone calls and trying to schedule meetings.One of the great misunderstandings about networking is that things slow down during the holidays. Nothing could be furthe...


Nov 15, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Networking by brute force

Networking by brute force Cover Image

From time to time, someone tells me that networking as an approach is falling into disfavor. (If it does, we will have to change the name of our networking group, and I am at a loss as to how to come up with another name!)When people talk about networking in this way, the networking that t...


Dec 07, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Making small talk

Making small talk Cover Image

I have never considered myself a social butterfly, but I guess for many of us financial types it is difficult to start a conversation with someone we don’t know.If you give a little thought to conversations you have had over your life with people not known to you, you will fondly remember ...


Sep 21, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The illusion of trust

The illusion of trust Cover Image

It is always difficult to explain why you trust someone.In our daily encounters out in the world we come across all kinds of folks. Most of the individuals we do business with on a daily basis don’t have to be our friends, and the nature of the exchanges we have with them don’t even requir...


Nov 26, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Unsolicited advice

Unsolicited advice Cover Image

It is a sad fact that most men don’t appreciate getting unsolicited advice. That said, there are even those among us who reject advice they have asked for out of hand and in a dismissive way.The giving and receiving of advice is always a delicate balance. Even though probably 75% of my mai...


Jan 04, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

An over reliance on job leads

An over reliance on job leads Cover Image

Part of the lecture I deliver to new members who call me is that The FENG is a networking group, not a job listing service. I then add that they shouldn’t allow the fact that we are publishing lots of job leads each month confuse them about our true purpose.In the beginning (when God creat...


May 11, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Welcome to 2023!

Welcome to 2023! Cover Image

One of my observations is that everyone seems to be shutting down earlier and earlier around holiday periods and returning later and later. Last week was especially quiet. Today was deadly quiet as well.Well, we’re going to be off to a flying start tomorrow. My advice is wait until Wednesd...


Jan 02, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Silver bullets

Silver bullets Cover Image

Except for the Lone Ranger, none of us actually has silver bullets in our gun.I am frequently taken to task by members on the topic of networking. I suppose that to a very large degree I am guilty of touting networking as the ultimate silver bullet to the exclusion of all other methods.I g...


Mar 02, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The golden rule

The golden rule Cover Image

If there is any complaint I hear more than any other, it is that those we send messages to about jobs opportunities are not responsive. Sometimes even when a company or recruiter has taken the time to interview one of our members, weeks and weeks later all that is heard is silence.If this ...


Mar 15, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The golden rule – revisited

The golden rule – revisited Cover Image

As you all know, I get a lot of email. Most of it is actually pretty routine.There are the inevitable members asking me to reset their password for our website or to have their email address changed. Each week I also get a few good news announcements. (I always enjoy being the first to kno...


Jul 02, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The sounds of silence

The sounds of silence Cover Image

If losing your job wasn’t bad enough, the reluctance of business associates at your former company, as well as those who serviced your company as attorneys, accountants or recruiters to return your phone calls can be particularly disheartening.Actually, if you gave it some thought, you wou...


Sep 19, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Accepting help

Accepting help Cover Image

One of the less well recognized phobias in this world is the fear of accepting help from others.Perhaps it is primarily a guy thing and it explains why we never used to ask for directions at the gas station, but when it comes to job search it is another one of the many things that “get in ...


Oct 22, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Putting it behind you-NOT

Putting it behind you-NOT Cover Image

Since much of what we do in The FENG is about job search, I thought it might be appropriate to make a few suggestions to everyone about what to do when you do actually find a new job.I’ll be blunt. Job search is primarily filled with uncertainty, highs and lows and activities like making n...


Dec 10, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Unbelievable!

Unbelievable! Cover Image

When asked how your job search is going or your job, the best answer is “unbelievable.”Unbelievable can of course mean in reality good or bad. If things are really really bad, they are certainly unbelievable. And if you are pinching yourself to make sure you are awake, they could also be u...


Jan 09, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Birds of a feather

Birds of a feather Cover Image

We are fortunate in the financial professions to be blessed with a very high degree of transferable skills.Still, the next job for most of us isn’t going to be all that much different from our last one. While it is certainly possible that we will change industries, it is less likely that w...


Jun 29, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG