Last week was almost a mirror image of the week before, except for one thing… While undertaking more Calico research and screen printing trials for JEANBAG™, I thought about the old expression: It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. And you know what? I disagree, and here’s why…
For me, what you know encompasses all the practical stuff like knowledge, skills, experimentation, research and practice. What you know is ‘figure-out-able’. It’s learned. It’s information. It grows and evolves over time.
I see who you know as a kind of touchstone to the what you know. People help each other access information, teach each other new skills, make introductions, and most importantly share knowledge.
I believe what helps us progress and move forward can be found in a combination of what you know and who you know.
While I was planning a second screen printing test run, I talked to a friend about some of the issues I was having. He said, “You know I was a professional screen printer for six years?” I did know that and had completely forgotten! I asked if he’d show me how I should be printing, and he did. What I learned in one hour with him was more than I could have Googled and experimented in an entire week!
So, while I had some knowledge, some skill and had experimented and practiced a little, it was the who you know that brought it all together. Now what I know has expanded exponentially and I’m well on my way to producing high quality, economical print runs! Thank you Troy!
It really pays to talk to people, to reach out and ask for help, because it’s the people we know (or their people) that will be able to help us move forward. Our what you know will grow as a result and perhaps we will become a who you know for someone else!