Ben Franklin understood networking better than most. Among his many accomplishments, he was a successful entrepreneur, an elected leader, ambassador to France. How did he accomplish so much? He knew how to build diverse, effective networks. But he networked very differently than we do now. For Franklin, networking wasn't about getting ... it was about giving to others.

Fast forward to 2011. Generation Y enters the workforce and things are changing dramatically. Facebook, Google+, Ning, Gowalla — this group is networked in ways the world has never seen. But in this connected environment, traditional marketing techniques are falling flat. As it turns out, Generation Y is more affected by the opinions of their network than traditional marketing. Their friends on Facebook and Twitter give them the news, help them choose clothes, find each other jobs, help choose where to live and assist in opening businesses. For them, networking is a form of giving, too.

With insights from Ben Franklin and generational data speaker Jeremy Broussard will connect the business past to the present. We'll see how the future of business growth will change, how networking will evolve into a giving exercise and how Franklin's oath delivers critical clues to the next generation of business.