Community Reviews Showing 1-30 3.85 · ![[./resources/book-never-eat-alone-keith-ferrazzi-tahl-raz.resources/embedded.svg]] Rating details · 37,045 ratings · 1,334 reviews ![[./resources/book-never-eat-alone-keith-ferrazzi-tahl-raz.resources/loading-45f04d682f1e9151cf1e6fb18a1bde21.gif]] More filters | Sort order . Jan 27, 2013 Jaclyn rated it it was ok This book is a huge elitist bragging session for Keith Ferrazzi. I picked it up to get some tips on networking for a new business we’re starting and it eventually began grating on my nerves. I’m not sure how many times it’s necessary to congratulate yourself in your own book about how great you are, but the author went above and beyond that limit. A large network is great but I am not about to start proclaiming that having hundreds of people as contacts is what’s going to make me successful. Get a grip. He needs an ego check. Any valuable points made in this book could have been summed up in a small 5 page essay.2017 Edit: This review keeps popping up as people like it. I just looked at a book list my company has created on great books to improve yourself in business, life, etc. A sort of inspirational vitality book amalgamation. This was on it and I immediately assumed all the other books were trash - which shows how much my dislike of Ferrazzi must have infiltrated my brain over the years since reading this. (less) flag 181 likes · Like · 19 comments · see review Dec 15, 2012 Iris rated it did not like it Shelves: white-flag nothing authentic here. i need to stop picking up cheetos-colored books. flag 79 likes · Like · 6 comments · see review May 28, 2010 Chad Warner rated it really liked it Recommends it for: entrepreneurs, business owners Recommended to Chad by: The Simple Dollar (thesimpledollar.com) Shelves: self-help, non-fiction, marketing, business In my efforts to spread the word about OptimWise, my technology services company, I’ve been attending more local workshops, lectures, and networking events. After hearing a few people recommend this book for networking advice, I decided it’d be worth my time to check out.It’s too early to tell whether this book will improve my networking skills, but I’m definitely optimistic. Ferrazzi packs the book full of advice, tips, and anecdotes from his personal life. To add credibility, he also references a few studies and statistics.The book’s title comes from Ferrazzi’s recommendation that you never eat alone; he uses sharing meals as an example of one way to include others in whatever you’re doing. Ferrazzi’s main idea is that instead of cold, calculating, traditional networking, you should make genuine friends. First make friends, he says, then make them clients. The more people you know, the more opportunities will come your way, and the more help you’ll get. Your circle of influence will widen naturally.Early on, he says you must find your “blue flame”: the intersection of your passion and talent. This is where you can be most successful. Then, share your passions; invite people into your personal life by sharing meals, hobbies, and events. This will lead to the friendships required for his form of networking.Another point he hits several times is reciprocity; again, not in the traditional “I’ll scratch your back if you’ll scratch mine” way, but giving without keeping score, then benefiting from the inevitable return of favors. He says to give generously and ask for generosity from others.I agreed with most of Ferrazzi’s ideas, but not with one he presents at the very end. He proposes that there’s no such thing as a work/life balance, because if you like the people you work with and the work you do, there’s no need to distinguish between work and personal life. I don’t buy this, because although you can become friends with colleagues and business partners, it’s not always possible to work with your family and friends, the people that we most enjoy spending our time with.NotesAsk not what people can do for you, but what you can do for them._Create a Relationship Action Plan_1. Set goals for every 3 months and year, 3 years out.2. Identify the people, places, and things required to meet those goals.3. Reach out to the people who can help you achieve your goals.Create a board of advisors to act as cheerleaders and supervisors.Be bold and willing to ask; it never hurts to ask.Become an active member in clubs, and work up to being a leader.Meet 1 new person per week, no matter where or how.Research people before meeting them to find common interests._Warm calling_1. mention a familiar person or organization2. state your value proposition (what you can do for them)3. talk only enough to set up a face-to-face meeting4. aim high, then compromiseInvite people from different parts of your network to events so they get to know each other.The quality of time you spend with people is more important than the quantity._Follow up within 12-24 hours of meeting someone_1. cite something specific you talked about2. ask to meet again3. offer them something so they want to meet again_Make a connection quickly_1. look them in the eyes2. listen intently3. ask personal questions4. reveal your vulnerabilityConnect with “superconnectors” (well-connected people outside your profession).Avoid safe, boring talk. Talk about religion, romance, politics, and your passions.Listen attentively and use people’s names.Help people with the 3 most important things: health, wealth, and children.Become an indispensable power broker, helping others succeed.Ping your contacts at least a few times each year to stay in touch. Birthdays are the best time.Throw dinner parties with a mix of people.Use “anchor tenants” to bridge to others outside your social circle.Connect with the famous and powerful through organizations, clubs, conferences, fundraisers, nonprofit boards, sports, etc. If you can’t find a club, start one! (less) flag 48 likes · Like · comment · see review Oct 02, 2014 Thomas rated it liked it · review of another edition Shelves: nonfiction, read-for-college 3.5 starsAs someone who feels skeptical about business and networking and most things professional (i.e. elitist), I came into this book with low expectations. Never Eat Alone looks like another career-oriented self-help book aimed at elevating one’s wealth and making connections to get ahead. And while it does focus on both of those things - relationships, how to sell yourself and your brand - I appreciated Keith Ferrazzi’s emphasis on vulnerability and kindness. He advocates for caring about other people and using that concern for others as a platform for genuine, professional growth. His comments about vulnerability surprised me in a pleasant way, because they shattered the idea of of always maintaining a flawless image to get ahead in the working world. A few of the other highlights in this book include: the idea of finding your blue fame (where your passion and practical abilities intersect), Ferrazzi writing that we should introspect more about our values and that we should seek therapy if we want it, and his note to stay humble, even when you feel like a great success.I have a few critiques of Never Eat Alone, too. Ferrazzi states that networking gets a bad rep for being a shallow, non-authentic activity. While he urges us to view networking as an opportunity for genuine connection, which I loved, I still felt that throughout the book his conceptions of networking aligned with the negative stereotypes he aimed to avoid - a more thorough or refined analysis of connection-making may have helped him craft a unified message about the ethics of networking. He also could have allocated more attention to issues of privilege and disparity, as he himself comes from a disadvantaged background. Certain people in society (e.g., affluent white men) can benefit from his strategies with ease, while minorities will have to work so much harder to succeed; I wish he had included more tips on how to not feel encumbered by a less-privileged background. And, my last critique: I could not stand the title of this book. I have my bias; as an outgoing introvert, I like to eat alone as a break from interacting with people all the time (and I read this book while eating alone several times, too.) Either way, the title simplifies the book’s meaningful messages in a way that does not serve them justice.Overall, recommended to those who want to read a straightforward, well-written book about connection-building. I can see business and career-oriented folks getting a kick out of this one, though its ideas could help anyone who wants to expand their social circles. (less) flag 25 likes · Like · 2 comments · see review Jul 15, 2007 kareem rated it it was amazing original review:http://www.reemer.com/archives/2005/0…I forget how I first came across this book, but it seemed to be one of those (like Blink, The Tipping Point, The Wisdom of Crowds, etc.) that was getting a lot of press on blogs that I read frequently. Ferrazzi has an interesting blog for Never Eat Alone and Phil Terry of Creative Good suggested I give it a go to help connect with folks at the Gel conference this week.The book is about how to meet people and develop deeper relationships more quickly. Ferrazzi shares his philosophy on life–you can’t succeed without the help of others–and outlines strategies to make connecting easier.These strategies are a reinforcement of the Golden Rule, and they boil down to things like: Always looking to help or connect people, Have a story to tell, Show vulnerability first to make the conversation more intimate, Become indispensible in one specific area to become more valuable to your company, Ping your contacts at least once a quarter, Do your homework; make sure you know details about the people you will be meeting, Be bold; believe you have something to offer and others will treat you as such, and Speak at, or start a conference to develop your personal brand.The advice Ferrazzi presents is useful for managing one’s personal and professional lives (in his life, Ferrazzi does not make a distinction between the two) and really preaches that a different mindset is required in order to be always connecting. It’s a good read, and while Ferrazzi name-drops a lot, he’s ultimately a (smart, ambitious) kid from working class Pennsylvania who has networked his way to both success and what sounds like a fulfilling life. (less) flag 24 likes · Like · comment · see review Jan 14, 2018 ScienceOfSuccess rated it it was ok Shelves: waiting TL;DR It’s better to know everyone in the world than not know them. Great networking book. flag 21 likes · Like · comment · see review Nov 14, 2011 Bebe Burnside rated it it was ok It started out really good. Mr. Ferrazzi talked about the importance of treating others well and not just networking because of what you can get out of it. If you have read the secret it is the same idea. Then it turned into the story of why Kieth Ferrazzi totally rocks and is so successful. He went from talking about why you should treat people well and not look for the big sale to how to meet people who will land you the big sale. I would say he talks the talk but does not walk the walk. I could not even finish it. When he started blabbing about how people in first class are so special and people in coach are just not…well guess what Keithy Boy we will never meet cause I always fly coach. If someone can tell me it picks up and has a great ending, maybe I’ll try again..but really there are plenty of better written books with the same good advise and not page after page of why the author is so fabulous. (less) flag 21 likes · Like · comment · see review Apr 07, 2018 Amir Tesla rated it really liked it · review of another edition Filled with wisdom. Loved it. flag 13 likes · Like · comment · see review Sep 27, 2008 Chantal rated it really liked it I sat through a brilliant networking lecture a few months ago and I kept thinking about how much more good you can do in the world if you have built relationships with people. The lecture really got me thinking about the value of building relationships with others in order to better serve them. I taught a lesson about it at church…and got such a dead response. After the lesson, a friend suggested this book that he had previously read and brought it by for me to read. I spent the next week devouring it. It seemed to be a culmination of everything I’d been learning about and thinking about up to this point. It mentioned several characters (Benjamin Franklin) and books (How to Win Friends and Influence People) that I just love.I thought the author had many valid points. It seems to be human nature that if you help people, they will help you. Give, and you get, or so my life experience has taught me. The book seems to follow in a similar style to How to Win Friends and Influence People, which gives you a selfish reason to be nice, here he gives you a selfish reason to reach out, to give, to create and support communities. Ultimately, I think these principles are intrinsically good. They bear value even if there is nothing in it for the giver.Both books have manipulative undertones. I’ve come to realize, however, that saying ’look at all the good you’ll generate by living by these principles’ isn’t as persuasive as ’look at how much money you can make or how loved you can be by living these principles’. Humans are generally motivated by ‘how will this benefit me’. Thus, even though he often discussed the non-altruistic side of networking, I still think his book is effective in both persuading and teaching readers to network more, and more effectively.My take home lesson was - get more involved. And I will. (less) flag 11 likes · Like · 1 comment · see review Aug 30, 2017 Oana Sipos rated it liked it He’s an American. So as some of my friends said, you have the feeling of shallowness in relationships. Not all his pieces of advice would work in Europe, where I think it takes longer to build a relationship, but which will ultimately be much more meaningful and deep. Here are, however, some things that are worth to be noted:- if you never ask, the answer is always no- respect the goalkeeper’s role and make them your friend- the follow-up is the hammer and nails of your networking tool kit- the …more flag 10 likes · Like · 2 comments · see review Dec 19, 2008 Shane rated it liked it I read about this book some time back and finally taken the time to read it. My goal in reading this was to improve my own networking and relationship building skills while staying true to my own values and principles. Ferrazzi’s approach is aggressive and there are something’s that simply do not work well for me. I gained additional knowledge and ideas from this book and it also reinforced much of what I know. Not a page turner but overall this was worth the read. I appreciated Ferrazi’s rise from working class roots. I liked the fact that he points out it is about giving before receiving, developing trust, helping people and clearly points out that it is about relationships not your own personal success. This is also a practical how to book, with simple examples of how to do things, break the ice, and initiate conversations and relationships. (less) flag 10 likes · Like · 1 comment · see review May 24, 2011 Eric rated it it was ok Much of what the book talked about was what I already knew. I didn’t like how he talked about mostly cliche advice like “Find your passion and things like money will naturally follow”. Also, it seemed that Ferrazzi was trying to use the book as some kind of a biography to brag about his accomplishments. He seems really proud and full of himself, with a huge ego. He may be qualified to be like that because I do think what he achieved is impressive, and I have nothing against being proud of onesel …more flag 9 likes · Like · 2 comments · see review Oct 25, 2016 Nguyen Linh Chi rated it liked it This book provides me with some outstanding networking advices, such as categorizing your contacts, pinging, be a person of content and reciprocity. However, this book is a bit general (especially Section 5: Trading Up and Giving Back) because in my opinion, body language and small talk are more important to connect with people. This book is more about maintaining your contacts rather than recommending what you should say in the first place. If you are a newbie or a graduate student like I am, I highly recommend How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships which is more applicable in every life situation. (less) flag 7 likes · Like · 2 comments · see review May 24, 2013 Clint Hyden rated it really liked it Shelves: business-books, nonfiction This was a great book about what networking really is. It’s about sharing information with people, not just about managing transactions with people.Here are some quotes that I liked from the book.1. …being a connector is not about managing transactions, but about managing relationships. P82. I learned that real networking was about finding ways to make other people more successful. It was about working hard to give more than you get. P93. Every successful person I’ve met shared, in varying degrees, a zeal for goal setting. Successful athletes, CEOs, charismatic leaders, rainmaking salespeople, and accomplished managers all know what they want in life, and go after it. P234. A goal is a dream with a deadline. P255. Goal setting: 1) Find your passion 2) Putting goals to paper 3) Create a personal “Board of Advisors”6. Those that had built businesses and climbed the corporate ladder with amazing speed were those who could confidently make conversation with anyone in any situation. P 1457. In my initial conversation with someone I’m just getting to know, whether it’s a new mentee or simply a new business contact, I try to find out what motivations drive that person. It often comes down to one of three things: making money, finding love, or changing the world. P1618. … health, wealth, and children affect us in ways other acts of kindness do not. P1659. Real power comes from being indispensable… coming from being a switchboard, parceling out as much information, contacts, and good will to as many people – in as many different worlds – as possible. P17410. The ability to distribute knowledge in a network is fairly easy to skill to learn.a. ID some of the leading thinkers and writers in your industryb. For business bestsellers, check out the Wall Street Journal’s list in the Personal Journal section on Friday.c. Buy the book, read it, and take some notes summarizing the Big Idea, a few interesting studies or anecdotes, and why it’s relevant to the people you’re thinking aboutd. Now pick a few people, some of whom you know well and some you don’t, and email them your work.e. All you have to say is “Here are some cool ideas I think you’d like to be on top of.” P 17611. To paraphrase Dale Carnegie: You can be more successful in two months by becoming really interested in other people’s success than you can in two years trying to get other people interested in your own success. P17712. Even a Harvard MBA…is no substitute for personal initiative. If you can’t find an outfit to join that allows you to make a difference, then recognize what you do have to offer – your particular expertise, contacts, interests, or experience. Rally people behind them and make your own difference. p26313. Life is about work, work is about life, and both are about people. P293(less) flag 5 likes · Like · 1 comment · see review Jan 19, 2008 Ben Campopiano rated it it was ok Shelves: non-fiction, self-help Disciplined dreamers all have one thing in common: a mission. The mission is often risky, unconventional, and most likely tough as hell to achieve. But it is possible. The kind of discipline that turns a dream into a mission, and a mission into a reality, really just comes down to a process of setting goals.Throughout his career, Bill Clinton’s political aspirations and his ability to reach out to others have gone hand in hand. He made it a nightly habit to record, on index cards, the names and vital information of every person whom he’d met that day. After writing down the information about someone he just met, Clinton said, “I’m going into politics and plan to run for governor of Arkansas, and I’m keeping track of everyone I meet.Don’t wait until you’re out of a job, or on your own, to begin reaching out to others. You’ve got to create a community of colleagues and friends before you need it. Others around you are far more likely to help you if they already know and like you.Every time I make a call or introduce myself to people I don’t know, the fear that they might reject me is there. Then I remember the Big Wheel my father got me, and push ahead anyway.It’s not necessarily strong contacts, like family and close friends, that prove the most powerful; to the contrary, often the most important people in our network are those who are acquaintances.(less) flag 5 likes · Like · comment · see review May 28, 2012 Jamie rated it liked it Shelves: read-in-2012 2.5 stars. What I liked: The book has some helpful pointers for those who are shy or who are not inclined to engage with strangers. I would recommend it for new professionals. I think it is also helpful that the author emphasizes that it isn’t easy, or natural, even for extroverts to put themselves out there all the time. I also appreciated that he shared some of his rejections, showing that even the best networkers strike out sometimes.What I didn’t like: Sometimes the author is too braggy , which is off-putting. I thought I was going to relate to his blue collar background, but all of his bragging came across as trying too hard to prove himself. Some of his tactics sound highly obnoxious and I doubt he understands how they come across. Who, upon landing from a flight, calls an acquaintance to say “I’m in town but I don’t have time for you”. Really? I very much doubt his assertion that the friend will just be glad to hear from you at all. I would immediately delete this person from my contacts.I’m also not sure I agree with his claim that you should get personal quickly. Nothing screams “needy” like someone sitting next to me at a conference who wants to talk to me about a recent breakup. I guess “personal” is very relative. (less) flag 5 likes · Like · comment · see review Jul 22, 2008 Jacob rated it it was amazing Shelves: my-favorites, marketing This book goes into the Top 10 Must Reads that I recommend to everyone in every profession. The principles of “connecting” strike a nerve of truth that gives power to the actionable steps the author suggests. I love the new vocabulary that this book gives us in reference to networking.Essentially we learn in this book that relationships are our greatest assets and that our best relationships are those in which we create high value for people we care about. This is the skill that must be honed. …more flag 5 likes · Like · 2 comments · see review Oct 18, 2011 Alex Ristea rated it did not like it My god. This was too wishy-washy and self-helpy that I had to put it down after 40 pages. flag 5 likes · Like · 1 comment · see review Feb 13, 2012 Travis rated it did not like it Shelves: abandoned Typical Business 1.0 good-old-boy network “what can you do for me?” advice. If this guy asked me to lunch, I’d be immediately suspicious of his motives. flag 5 likes · Like · 1 comment · see review Jan 25, 2016 Phoebe Tran rated it really liked it Shelves: non-fiction Having read many books in the past about the art of networking and how to build connections for a successful life and career, I find Keith Ferrazzi’s “Never Eat Alone” to be an especially great book on this subject. Many of the ideas here are not revolutionary or new since the concept of networking has become, as the author puts it, a “lingua franca of our times”. Of course, you’ll find chapters on well-worn topics, such as “being interesting,” “follow your passion”, or “the art of small talk”. …more flag 4 likes · Like · 1 comment · see review May 13, 2017 Mallory rated it did not like it I honestly don’t get why people rave about this. I didn’t find anything insightful in it. Even before I got to the parts where he praises Donald Trump’s networking “skills,” I could tell he subscribes to that style of manipulation/inflated self worth. The advice is all trivial, nothing you haven’t heard a dozen times before. Skip it. flag 4 likes · Like · comment · see review Aug 26, 2018 Wyncy rated it it was ok Shelves: nope, self-help, business Omg Keith, stop bragging. flag 4 likes · Like · comment · see review May 11, 2015 Aaron Carpenter rated it liked it I’ve been doing it wrong! Up until reading this book, I thought conferences were all about listening to keynote speeches / sermons, and then I wondered when all the “conferring” was supposed to happen! Looking back, I can see how some of the best conference outcomes were the relationships built through them. And that’s the essence of Ferrazzi’s book - how to build and sustain relationships that create synergy and upward mobility. I can think of many applications of his principles and tactics, wh …more flag 3 likes · Like · comment · see review Jun 09, 2017 Craig Kissho rated it did not like it Shelves: did-not-finish Catchy title but this book bored me to tears. I stuck with it for a few months, reading bit by bit, hoping that somewhere i could discover some gem of a wisdom. But each passing day I got more and more nauseated and finally decided to just file it for good.Nothing new in here, just the same run of the mill advice on how to build contacts. Most of the book sounded insincere, cliched - and some parts just sounded like bs to me. The bragging n self congratulatory tone were rally tiring. flag 4 likes · Like · comment · see review Nov 15, 2011 Mariam added it Shelves: business, psychology, 1-up-next, career “Never Eat Lunch Alone” – On how to build relationships in all walks of life with depth and meaning. flag 3 likes · Like · comment · see review May 25, 2015 Theigbobandit rated it it was amazing The one book that could get me to see how networking ties in with my long term goals flag 3 likes · Like · comment · see review Sep 29, 2018 Kuncoro rated it really liked it This book is highly practical (on how to network), while at the same time also insightfull. The elaborations usually starts with a broader idea on networking, followed by stories based on Ferrazzi’s experience that we can follow. As any book that’s highly practical, some example from this book felt outdated, or not really suitable to me personally. So I take those as a different perspective which broaden my view. Also a reader for sure need to derive the examples to his/her own style to make the …more flag 2 likes · Like · comment · see review Apr 28, 2018 Christian Panadero rated it liked it · review of another edition 17 highlights I have mixed feelings with this book.The positives is that it gives you an overall idea of the mindset that you should have to create realtionships with others. Some people call it networking. The author emphasize the importance of beign well connected and have ’trivial conversations’ where you can aproach to people that at the begining you don’t have anything in common.The cons for me is that it goes against my way of thinking, maybe is my problem. I think that I want to share time with peopl …more flag 2 likes · Like · comment · see review Jun 06, 2019 Claire rated it did not like it · review of another edition Shelves: self-help The relevant and interesting portion of this book could be summed up in a three page article. The rest is Ferrazzi dropping names, coining ridiculous phrases, and bragging about all the amazing things he has accomplished. What a blowhard. flag 2 likes · Like · 3 comments · see review Jan 21, 2018 Anita P. rated it really liked it Quite good, had some practical suggestions relevant for me. Drawbacks: focused on American style of communication and thus not applicable in other settings & was self-aggrandizing at points, but this did not bother me much. Overall 9/10 flag 2 likes · Like · comment · see review « previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next » .