The 7 most important steps of building a personal International Sports Network

In this episode of The Business of Football Network, David Chimbaza takes a deep dive into the pillars of networking and why building real relationships in football is about far more than sending messages or collecting contacts. Drawing from his own experience developing an international network across football, media and business, he reflects on how his perspective has changed over time, what he has learned from connecting with leaders around the world, and why networking should be rooted in authenticity, curiosity and value rather than agenda. David explains why so many people misunderstand networking, arguing that the strongest connections are not built by asking what someone can do for you, but by first understanding who they are, what they care about and where you can genuinely add value. He explores the importance of listening properly, asking thoughtful questions, observing how successful people communicate, and creating space for meaningful conversation rather than shallow outreach. BREAKING IN BOOK: https://amzn.eu/d/0ifGoYmo ACCESS OUR FREE FOOTBALL NETWORKING GUIDE: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSffMip0TFkgJOoo9ptbH9uZ67fTWvFai57QPBOy07J7D80J8A/viewform OUR SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-chimbaza-/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebusinessoffootballpodcast/ Tik Tok : https://www.tiktok.com/   Throughout the episode, he shares lessons from his own podcasting journey, his experience of speaking with executives and industry leaders, and the role that curiosity has played in opening doors that qualifications alone never could. He also unpacks why creating something valuable is often the best way to make relationships happen naturally, whether that is a podcast, a piece of content, a business, or a personal brand. From volunteering and internships to content creation and portfolio-building, David argues that opportunity tends to follow action, not the other way around. This episode is a practical and honest reflection on how to network with purpose, communicate with confidence and build a reputation that makes people want to work with you before you ever have to ask.