Many years ago, when I was but a young entrepreneur, I joined a local Chamber of Commerce Leads Group. After my first few meetings and getting to know the other members, a gentleman asked me if I’d like to go to coffee so he could learn more about what I did. “This is it!”, thought my naïve, innocent self. “He’s going to hire me for his marketing. Damn, this networking thing is paying off already!” … Read more
Networking for women can be scary. There, I said it. The thought walking into a room full of strangers, the associated burden of being bubbly and witty, and the pressure to succeed can make even the most confident of us weak in the knees with nerves. Fear of embarrassment, fear of strangers – everything that networking is can leave us feeling fragile and timid, and turning what could have been (maybe, possibly) an enjoyable opportunity … Read more
Full disclosure – until recently, I loathed networking. Loathed. It. The thought of walking into a room full of strangers filled me with all sorts of ickiness. Like most entrepreneurs, I could happily spend my days planning and plotting and scheming to take over the world with my business, without ever leaving my happy little solitary office. Networking? Blah! No thank you. This went on for years. YEARS. Until earlier this year, when I was … Read more