Since social networking sites have changed the way people interact with each other, as most of the times, they are a comfortable option for those who have a problem with speaking in front of groups at events. However, the popularity of an individual is not determined by his friend list or contacts on Facebook or Twitter, but by the efforts he puts into improving his relations with the people on his list, Andy Lopata, one of the most renowned figures in business networking, told Wall-Street in an interview.

Labeled ‘Mr Network’ by The Sun and one of Europe’s leading business networking strategists in Europe, Andy Lopata is the co-author of two books on business networking, namely: “Building a Business on Bacon and Eggs” and “Death Came Third!”. For eight years, Andy was Managing Director of Business Referral Exchange, one of the UK's leading referral-focused networking groups with over 2,000 member companies. Andy now works with companies from one-man bands to global names such as NatWest Bank, Merrill Lynch and Capita to help them realize the full potential from their networking. He is also a former vice-president of the Professional Speakers Association. Andy Lopata was guest speaker at Entrepreneur2010 seminar event organized by Money Express magazine and together with the Post-Privatization Foundation.

Wall-Street: How did networking look when you have started in this field and how does it look now? What changes can be noticed?

Andy Lopata: I started networking in the UK in 1999. Networking was less well known then although organizations like Chambers of Commerce had been around for a long time. Most events typically saw people trying to sell to one another, with attendees at events trying to meet as many people as possible and collect business cards from everyone they could.

Networking was also something that almost exclusively in