The importance of surrounding yourself with those with similar technical skills, finding your niche, and designing a professional network. The concept of a professional network might be intimidating, why not start with those with similar interests and skills to create a core network. A core network prioritizes those with similar technical skills to build a strong foundation. You can expect to come away with a) the why of designing a core network, b) ways to identify people with similar skills, and c) steps you can take to design a strategic professional network.