Don’t build a network that looks just like you.

The power is in diversity, , so diversify-starting with age.  When you’re just starting out, the older members of your network are likely to be in much better positions to give you a leg up than your peers.

When you get to be a geezer, you need the younger members to give you a sense of what’s “in” and what’s “out.”  You’re sure not going to get it from the Guy Lombardo (“Who’s he?” you ask) crowd.

The same goes for the benefits you’ll receive by adding different gender/religion/education/race/income level interests to your network.

You’re not going to have much of a reach if your networks consist of nothing but clones.

If everyone in your network is the same as you, it isn’t a network, it’s an anthill.