Social media may keep us digitally connected, but there’s still no substitute for face-to-face networking when it comes to growing your business. The problem is, most entrepreneurs make the same avoidable mistakes when they network, and it ends up costing them opportunities. Here are the top networking missteps to watch out for, so your next conversation actually turns into a customer or a connection.

With headlines full of spying allegations and talk of collusion, it’s easy to write off the news cycle as just ugly politics. But look past the drama and there’s a real business lesson hiding in plain sight: how to protect your company’s secrets when employees walk out the door. Here’s what the political spying saga can teach you about safeguarding what matters most.

Social media touches every part of your business, whether you like it or not, and it can build your brand just as easily as it can wreck it. One careless post from an employee is all it takes to create a real headache. Here’s how to strike the right balance between protecting your company and respecting your team’s freedom with a clear, effective social media policy.