Networking solo adventure at an influencer's event
I recently took a weekend off to hit up an influencer's event, who I mentioned in a previous post. I've been on a mission to up my networking game, especially since the pandemic hit.
I've been in the remote work game for almost four years now, and my main company during the day has been my trusty dog, the occasional family member, my partner, when he's off work, and at one point, a roommate.
This whole situation pushed me into the world of online networking, and while I can't claim to be a pro, I've definitely made some headway.
Thanks to my blog, LinkedIn, and a friend's tip, I stumbled upon an influencer who had this WhatsApp group full of like-minded folks talking about anything and everything under the sun. We're talking about relationships, college, work, family, mental health, Netflix recommendations, and even the best local ice cream spots.
This influencer, Toni, decided to organize a debate-sort-of-event about women's careers, burnout, and everything in between. As I was not sure I would be in the city on the event's weekend, I missed out on the main event tickets, but I decided to reach out to Toni and ask her if there was anything happening afterward, like some drinks or a casual hangout.
To my surprise, there was! So, I hopped on a six-hour bus ride to stay with my in-laws for the weekend and join the post-event festivities.
Even though I missed the main chat, I got to meet a bunch of awesome women from all over the place. We talked about work, burnout, and life goals, sipped on some tasty drinks, and I ended up with a great story to tell.
The value of networking and making connections
What I took away from this short and sweet adventure was to step out of my comfort zone, share my own story, and be okay with exploring new social scenes on my own. I realized that I have a lot to bring to the table in any conversation.
Many of the women I met were in the same boat as me, so it was pretty cool to hear their perspectives on a bunch of stuff. Just like I've been saying in my earlier blog posts about networking, it doesn't have to be a big, scary deal.
Just take the plunge, go out there solo, meet new folks, and focus on building connections!
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