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Relationships + Revenue w/ The Oper8tor

Episode 6: Navigating Networking with Neurodiversity

Links mentioned in today’s show:

Owwll: Owwll.com/Referral Code: TheOper8tor

Lunchclub

Alignable

0:00:00

Hello, and welcome, everyone. How are we doing today? It is continues to be the season of mercury and the microwave. And we're all gonna cross our fingers that the tag works the way it's supposed to. Alright. Did I introduce myself? I can't even remember I didn't think so. I am Briar Harvey. This is the NeuroDiversity Media Network. Today, we are here with the operator. For relationships and revenue.

0:00:45

And if you've been hanging out with us live, yesterday, Cheryl Woodhouse and I were in episode two of neurodivergent networking. When I said, you should come and watch this episode. Because despite the fact that we have a whole show called neurodivergent networking, we're not actually getting into these specific nitty gritty of how to expand your network in technical terms. So today, we're gonna talk about the where and the how and the why. And really specifically, where do you go to build a network? What does it look like to find places where your people are And how do you, like, grow deliberately with a focus on making money? Because that's the revenue part of this show. And, truly, you're not working efforts should have some kind of milestones, checkpoints, it doesn't necessarily have to be that I don't network unless you're gonna buy from me. That's not productive. Nevertheless, What are the stages of moving someone through your personal relationship funnel, like you should know these things. And I realized that that's really a little overwhelming for some of you and for some of you perhaps feels a little calculated. And for others of you, that might all feel like a really big relief because, fuck, if I know what I'm supposed to be doing with these people, unless I've got, like, an itemized, oh, this is where we are now in this stage of our relationship. Those things help me a lot. So Welcome, Stacy. How are you today? I am pretty good, Briar. Thank you for the opportunity to talk about this.

0:03:08

This is one of my favorite topics in as a meetup Maximizer. The position that I take behind this, of course, is customized with everyone. And I think that you've already brought out the understanding that networking doesn't look the same for everyone. Where you go? How you go through it? What are the results that you want out of it? But positively moving through the process, as you said, setting up milestones, giving gratitude for each step that you did take and conquered, then it leads to a feeling of confidence and then repeating it over and over again is consistency, and then that leads us to the cash or the revenue. So I'm excited to talk about networking in general aspects as well as networking for neurodivergent. And some of the untraditional ways to network.

0:04:16

Alright. Well, let's do it. Let's start with the where? Where the fuck am I meeting people? You meet people. All the time everywhere. And then don't be don't have the misconception that networking means that I have to be in a room with forty five people. Because it doesn't.

0:04:38

So what are some of the reasons why it's good to network? Because some people are already saying, Like, I can't stand it. As soon as I see the word networking, I'm repulsed. So what are some of the reasons why you want to network job opportunities? Some of the job opportunities are found in networking. That means sometimes networking is having a one off conversation. In the hallway of a big event. Sometimes it is seeing some other people online and taking the conversation to the DM, that's networking. So it doesn't have to be the same. What's the benefits of that though? For a neurodivergent person, and we're gonna stay in that lane today because, you know, that's that's what we do on this network.

0:05:32

Applying for jobs may be nerve racking. When we went into the pandemic mode right before that, companies started interviewing, you know, via Zoom and then during the pandemic, definitely via Zoom or meat or some other format of online video conferencing. If you've met somebody in advance then you can have a conversation about what the expectations are to make you more comfortable when you actually have that meeting. So if you are at an event online whether you are attending a training, and someone expresses that they work in an industry that you are familiar with or that is your industry or you're looking to get into that chat conversation that you have before you get off of that zoom to connect with them already establishes a little warm and fuzzy If they don't respond there, then that's, you know, kind of an indication of what you're looking at I mean, not everybody responds to personal messages on Zoom because some people don't pay attention to the chat. But just saying, making that connection if there's a post that comes up on Facebook and you realize, hey, you know, this person works in this industry or they have access to PR, and I need that, then that is connecting in the DMs to introduce yourself. Allow them to introduce themselves. So you can get a feel for them. So you can check their energy. And then that way, you can continue the conversation there. So then looking at a job opportunity that they may be offering or someone that they know is or their company is, Now you have a connection person, somewhat of a grounding person to be able to if you need to ask questions about the interaction with the employees that are already currently working there. How do they treat their employees? How do they treat their consumers? You can get that inside because you've already networked prior to the actual event of applying for or interviewing for a job.

0:07:49

Support and resources is always huge because we know we can't operate and do things by ourselves. And for most of us, we need some type of accountability. We also have some trouble asking for help. So if you have a whole show about that, y'all? Absolutely. So if you're one of those people, then this is an opportunity for you to kind of sideline, to get information, within an environment where people are already asking questions, where there are resources already being given So if there is an online networking event, it says, come, introduce yourself, tell people, you know, what it is that you offer.

0:08:38

You're allowed to. Do that introduction, then allow yourself to do that. Do that through the chat initially. Most of the time, sometimes there are breakout rooms, which are may feel a little nerve racking again. But having the opportunity to introduce yourself, to a small group of people in a more intimate environment where you can actually get some feedback. On what it is or do they understand what you actually do? Were they able to you give a website and maybe there's a glitch going on but it's an opportunity to kinda get, you know, pull up your slip, get that toe tissue off your heel before going into a larger environment. So that is another thing about it.

0:09:27

Howard Bauchner: And I wanna highlight y'all that in none of this has Stacy mentioned getting hard pants on and going outside outside outside and hanging out with people that you don't know. So I would like you to relax and lean into that just a little bit. A lot of us make networking and the concept of it very hard because we associate it with going to a chamber of commerce meeting. Now listen, there's absolutely nothing wrong with going to a chamber of commerce meeting. And I have a local chamber buddy, shout out Sandy, and we go and we deal with the chamber people together. And it's amazing because I have a backup person there all the time. But again, none of that is required. You can meet people online everywhere you go. Just by being open to the opportunity? Absolutely. And I'm gonna say online is such a great way because you can control the environment.

0:10:56

It's usually easier to express in in making sure that you're reading, as Ryers said, what's the outcome that the person that's hosting the event is looking for. Is it to create connections between the people that are there? Commonly now, there are themed networking events or if this is a networking association, they'll have a theme on certain days. There's no obligation to show up all the time. There's no obligation to stay the whole time. You can leave relatively, quietly, which I like versus out of a physical space when you're leaving out of the room, then someone's asking you, oh, are you leaving? And, you know, you're like, sing in your head. I was, but now since you've pinned me out, you know, and pointed me out, I'll stay a while a little, you know, a little while longer.

0:11:51

The social skills that you get to build is another winner because as we were already touching on, It allows you to have small conversations in rooms. And to find a couple of people almost every networking event I go to, I find a couple of people that I'm excited about what they do, or that they've expressed a skill or a like a hobby that is one of mine but I'm not talking about it, but they are. Meanwhile, I will never speak to that 4x guy again or the woman who wants to sell me on her attorney services. So I can practice what I would like to say to the people who I would like to have further interactions with on the forex guy and the lawyer lady? Absolutely. And setting up the boundaries of that. As you said, understanding, I don't have to have additional conversation with these people.

0:13:02

Sometimes too, we've had experiences with people in industries that have been negative. And when we go into a networking event or an environment where there are other people that are sharing who they are, what they do, or who they serve, and how then we get to meet somebody from that industry that's not the creep. That's not meeting those expectations that we came into the meeting with. So it gives us an opportunity to see humans or to see that position. In a clear and brighter light as we go out into the big world again. And you may have never had a positive experience if you did not put yourself in a smaller environment where you can meet someone that's very intentional about needing others. Wow. So we'll acknowledge some of this is mindset. I really because you can go into a network meeting, put on I mean, and and you can find these almost anywhere. There's specific groups on a website called Alignable, and I will have all of this in show notes and shit. But there are places that you can go on link and my personal favorite is lunch club once a week.

0:14:26

I spend forty five minutes talking to an absolute stranger about god knows what. Last week's call was with this delightful man who was in his late seventies, and his shit was so good. I was fucking taking notes on this call. I I never would have met this man otherwise. He lived in Abu Dhabi. Like, never would have gotten a chance to meet this man or get to know him. Now we're gonna connected on LinkedIn. He knows what I do. I know what he does. And after forty five minutes, of just one on one conversation, I feel it like I know him enough, to be able to refer people to him.

0:15:11

So the ways in which you approach these meetings whether they're speed dating or longer one offs, really does matter. Howard Bauchner: It does. It does in for that reason, I am on an app called Al. And it is an individual conversation that you have. It's a, you know, you are on a platform with other people, but with the intention of having a coffee conversation. The default is ten minutes. There's not a lot of threat to ten minutes And so it gives you an opportunity to review somebody's profile, see if you wanna connect with them give them a call again. When you're ready to end the conversation, you can end the conversation. If you choose to, have more conversation, you can extend the time frame that you talk to them.

0:16:14

So it's a there are definitely a lot of opportunities to be able to put yourself in that place. If you're somebody that's on the clubhouse app, there are ways to wave at somebody in the back channel. And then to leave a comment, you can actually if you've seen somebody, you haven't seen in a while, then you can invite them to have a conversation, and you can go off into a one off room. Have that conversation and then leave it. I think there's a lot of safety and security in being able to control, leaving an environment without it being hostile, without other people, tagging you, noting that you're leaving the room, even sometimes just identifying that you're leaving the room. Even if it's to go to the restroom, So I think these type of things are an opportunity for us to have the individual conversations Also on that side of it, when you're looking at climbing the ladder for those people that are still in corporate, or for obtaining the contract.

0:17:29

Approaching people is sometime difficult. Like, on the corporate side, I don't think there's too many people that are gonna just say, well, I'm gonna look up an email address and a telephone number and call this person and see if I can get a job. But when you're in these types of environment, you can actually be referred by somebody else. I don't know how many times prior and I have had these conversations of that's not my industry, but there's a service that I offer. So if you can introduce me and this is a form of networking. If you can introduce me to the person, whether it's through a Facebook chat, And so Briar says, fine.

0:18:10

I'm gonna put the three of us in the conversation. I'm gonna introduce you and what you do. Let them know that I'm connected to you, so I'm giving you, learning you some of my credibility. And then it's up to you, and people some people stay in the conversations. Briar is the one who I'm gonna connect you and then I'm out. You know? But but It's true. I do. But it makes me feel good because now I've already had a true introduction and it's not just for me to go in the DM's and say, hey, I'm a friend and a partner of Briar Harvies. And she said, you you know, it's not as good as that warm transfer in that connectivity. And that's another thing.

0:18:56

So then community building happens out of the networking as well. When you start showing up to for associations that regularly do networking and you have these theme days and you can go on those theme days. You realize those people then are in other organizations associated with that topic that you can now get an invitation which puts you in another community. And we all know that social media is not the end all be all. For promoting that a website is not going to garner traffic all the time, especially if your SEO is whacked. So you need introductions into new communities where you can tell who you are, what you do, who you serve, and how. And so these are ways of doing it. And I really wanna highlight here y'all I think Clubhouse is a really good example of this. When I hear most people talk about Clubhouse right now, it is entirely dismissive of it as an app or a community or whatever, but then you go there and there's all these people here still.

0:20:15

I need you to set aside the medium from your ideal client. And I need for you to dig into where are your people? That is a question that you have to be able to answer for yourself in order to do things appropriately. And then you have to go and you hang out for a while. And you learn the social rules, and then you figure out how to have conversations with people. And none of this happens overnight -- Yeah. -- which is, I think, a big part of the problem that people have with networking.

0:21:16

So let's Let's talk a little bit about, like, process here. What are some of the milestones and way points? Sure. With the networking, we already know there is social anxiety. That happens. Some of it is just in the show up. If we talk about impostor syndrome for coaches and strategists and even for product creators in saying, I don't know if I really qualify So putting yourself in that environment already saying, oh, they're gonna be a bunch of experts in the room whether it's in physical or virtual space, sometimes is a little daunting or a lot of daunting feel like we're gonna be judged, that we're gonna be rejected. So what are some of the environments like what Briar mentioned the the lunch dates. The lunch dates are an opportunity for you to, and prior to had to take me through the process first, I was, like, so so adverse to the process because it I am better suited to go into a room where I can camouflage. For me, that's more comfortable because I can find that one person that feels energetically okay or that they're laughing or they're carrying a smile versus meeting somebody on that one and one on one. And I don't know what it's gonna be like when we get you know, across from each other.

0:23:01

But the process of did you download the app? Did you set up a profile? Like, each one of those is a win. Every time you set up your profile for one of these apps software tools is an opportunity for you to reevaluate. Is this truly me? Is this still what I do? Do I want to be promoted like this? So if someone was to take this and run with it, would they be representing the authentic genuine me now? If they refer me from the website that I have on here, does that represent the products and services that I am now currently selling and want to continue selling over the next ninety days. Go ahead, Briar. And go back if if you struggle with this one in particular.

0:23:58

Yesterday's episode was Sheryl, about creating and defining your category. All of this is who the fuck are you? I need wand, two words. Man. Like, don't make it hard. Please, please, please, when you put your stuff in your profile, Make it easy for people to refer you and refer people to you. Absolutely. Absolutely. So each one of those things is a win.

0:24:28

So if you get this profile set up and you read the profile and you go That's me. That that is me. And sometimes we go, die. That's me. Like, where we can be proud of Yes. This is what I do. This is how far I've come because this wasn't my profile a year ago. Sometimes it wasn't our profile three months ago. So we've now evolved and we need to give ourselves credit for that, pat on the back, kiss to ourselves in the mirror something to acknowledge that we're making progress just in itself. And, truly, this is part of the process.

0:25:08

Every time you create a new social media profile or update an old one, you really have to come face face with yourself in a mirror and talk about your best qualities. It's it's it it can be a challenge. And it's a requirement for going out and meeting the people. So really lean into this experience. What are you good at? How can you talk about it? What's your best form of contact? How do you show up best? Some people show up really well on video. Briar is a video person. Like, anybody that's doing, you know, six to ten shows a week is, you know, a video person. But this is where she shows up, that has the conversation. One on one with somebody, but really is talking to a large community. It's networking, to be honest. But In this same scenario, if you're talking to an individual or you're part of a group and we can talk about paper, business cards, we can talk about digital business cards. The question is, what's the best and most comfortable way for somebody to contact you. From there, some people wanna be called, some people prefer Zoom sessions some people want to be emailed. So make sure that when you are in a networking environment or when you're setting up these bios, that you're being contacted in the way that feels comfortable to you.

0:26:46

My calendar is set up that I have to manually approve the appointments. Why? Because I get anxiety behind appointments showing up on my schedule, me getting emailed in text to say, There's appointment in two days at this time that brings me anxiety. So how do I buffer that? I do that by manually approving, so I get a notification that there's an appointment that I need to approve. It also offers me the app opportunity to say, oh my gosh. ADHD made me not put two appointments on for two days out from now and there's a conflict. So now I have the opportunity to reach out to this person and to say, oh, I manually approve my appointments because sometimes there's a conflict and I want to make sure that when we connect that we have the best experience possible. And so two o'clock on Thursday that you selected is probably not the best time for me to have all of my attention given to you. So is there another time for us to be able to meet? Now, I have overcome the anxiety of on Thursday, when I get my hour notification about this appointment, I'm going, oh my gosh, I have two appointments scheduled. And so I don't know what to do. Am I gonna no show on them? Am I gonna text them? Am I gonna be considered flaking out? We'll have an opportunity again to talk to them.

0:28:23

Take away as many. Of those things as possible by allowing yourself the gatekeeping opportunities to cut the anxiety. It's like adding sprinking a little baking soda on top of something that's foaming. Just, you know, diffuse it a little bit the best way possible. And that's one of the ways of doing it. And if you don't want to, if there's an option to connect with somebody through a call or through a Zoom, and you don't want to do video. That's not your thing or it's the only time was an eight o'clock in the morning, and you're not a morning person, but you can pull your voice and your energy together for that versus wasting the energy on the anxiety of what am I gonna look like? What am I gonna wear? What am I doing with my hair? What about my lighting? All of that? Take it away. So that you can use that same energy and put into the experience that you're gonna have on the call instead.

0:29:26

And I think what's key here about so much of this is that you get to decide what your tolerances are you get to decide what the progress points are and you get to decide what the victory conditions are. So when I meet with new people, I want to be able to file them away in my filing cabinet. When I'm done with the call about what the next action is is the next action to refer work to them. Is the next action to try and pitch them something that I make? Is the next action to tag them as inactive and like I never met them in the first place. All of these are absolutely valid conditions but you gotta know what they are.

0:30:33

And so I think where we're at here with this is Figuring out the conditions for success in networking. Mhmm. And that requires a lot of experimentation. Right? That requires that you try new things and be briefly uncomfortable or a lot uncomfortable and determine what your level of tolerance is. Exactly. Sensory. Oh, yes. Some people have sensory overload. So preparedness for a physical networking experience. What are the things that you need to do in order to bring ease to your mindset maybe as far as what am I gonna wear knowing some things about the networking event? We'll take some of that away too. You you know, show up in jeans and a nice shirt and you find out that everybody has on business attire. You know Put on those hard pants for not even the right hard pants. Oh. But it but it is, you know.

0:31:49

So do your research prior to if you know someone that's already attended the event or this is a regular for them, as Briar said, accompanying the person, and it doesn't mean you have to carpool, but maybe you say, hey, is it okay if we meet five or ten minutes before the start of the meeting in the parking lot. You know, that'll ease me up and walking in with that person I learned terminology. I've been doing this for years, but terminology of the body doubling. So it's not that that person has to do anything for you, but they provide that grounding for you so that you're not having as much of that sensory overload going inside. If you know that noises of the banner a DJ or music going along with people talking, along with the clinging of glasses and silverware, creates sensory overload for you, that's probably not the best place for you to go and to talk about who you are and what you do. Because you're not going to come across at a hundred percent.

0:32:57

So make sure that as you are stepping into these scenarios of networking that you are looking at, what type is it? If it's online and you hate Zoom, and you're getting on Zoom and you hate breakout runs, then take heed of that. Maybe you can. If you see LinkedIn, and it's a LinkedIn networking event where you can see the participants that are registered, maybe your win is the fact that you go through that list and you say, I know the topic was something that interested me. I don't know if I am ready for the environment at full. But are there a couple of attendees on here that I might be able to connect with right on LinkedIn And you can still say, when you connect with them, then going into the DMs, you still have a connectivity point. Hey, Briar. I noticed that you signed up. For the nerve diversity summit that's happening on Thursday. I'm signing up too. I just wanted to connect. I'm hosting a summit. Before before, you know, the day of the event. And then if you never attend the event, Actually, somebody may say, hey, you know, I noticed that you said that you were going to the event, I didn't see you. Were you there? The next day or, you know, you can connect with them and say, hey, something came up. But I know did you were you able to attend?

0:34:26

This is the small talk that we find hard to start and create as well, but you have to find the commonalities to connect, but use the larger events for you to create your own network, and that's what it is. It's you creating a network, but it's where you do it from. So don't allow the standards or the format of what people consider to be networking determine what networking looks like for you. And I encourage you to lean into, like, the topical stuff because that gives you built in scripts. If you're going to an event, You don't have to talk about anything but your elevator pitch and the event if you don't wanna. Those those can be your two safe areas of conversation and everything else just gets ignored.

0:35:20

Again, this is about figuring out where your comfort zone is. And then applying specific techniques to make it more comfortable because it's never going to be fun or easy for most of you. It's always going to feel awkward and hard because it's networking and we're neurodivergent. And this is even even outgoing and extroverted neurodivergent folks still deal with RSD, still deal with all of the things that go along with. Was I weird? Was I too much in that situation? So knowing that it's going to feel like that all the time allows you to really structure safety and comfort. So let's talk about some of those things. Besides having a buddy, what else can we do, especially online? To cultivate that safety? Howard Bauchner: As you were talking about the topics, create the conversation starters that you wanna have before you get there.

0:36:36

What are the things that you are comfortable talking about, especially within your business? Are there any topics that you are focused on right now to generate revenue. So those things because then that is being intentional. That conversation starter leads to further conversation, which means that if this person is interested they may then be in the circle of becoming a prospect for you or a referral for you. So that's being intention. Focus on the questions that are asked of you sometimes too in answering those questions because sometimes we go off on talking about what we like to talk about, and that's not what they asked about. So make sure that we're staying within the flow of it, And if it's something that you're not familiar with to be okay with saying that you're not familiar instead of coming out with bullshit answers, that are going to create a worse experience.

0:37:40

Two, for the family for physical or for virtual events. Make sure that the rest of the family is aware of you doing this experience, going to this event, doing these things because that is then another scenario. You decide to go to a happy hour networking experience outside of the house. But who's cooking dinner? Who's putting the kids in bed? Who's going over the homework? Do you have prep time to prepare yourself hygienically to be able to go to this event and show up the way that you want to show up. If it's virtual, then Do they have an understanding of boundaries of time in your space that this is not the time to come ask for a snack? This is not a time to play with the dogs for them to all be barking, you know, in the background. It's not a time for everybody to get on and start gaining and doing other things that are going to, you know, tear up your bandwidth. So just setting that up, and those are things that we need to do on a regular basis. That's the boundary setting. For most of the things we do, it just needs to be applied to this as well.

0:39:02

Sometimes we don't take the networking seriously because we don't understand the power of relationships and how it leads to the revenue. And it may not be the person that you talk to in the room but it's the person that hears you, say who you are, who you serve, what you do, and how, that then hits you up in the DM and says, hey, I've got a friend that's looking for somebody to project manage this project, but it's definitely unique And just listening to what you say you do, I think you might be a good fit or might be able to make a referral. Is it okay if I connect the two of you? Or a one off group. You know, here is, I know that you are a nerd, but I also know that you like Leonardo da Vinci. So I actually know of a small group that is called exactly that. Would you like me to share the link with you And of course, there's no obligation to join it, but I just thought you might be interested in that.

0:40:10

That's where those referrals come from that when you allow yourself to not have all of the anxiety around it where you can relax and you can call in and draw in those things you really want that are in your subconscious that are going on that you feel like, well, if I was to show up in my best sense. This is what may happen, but it's really knowing what the potential is whether it is, I need more names and numbers. So now somebody invites you to another networking unit. The one you went to had forty five people show up. This networking event is a statewide networking event where during the time the breakout rooms are in specializations. I'd love to invite you to that. But everybody gets the names, email addresses, and telephone numbers for everybody that shows up. So now that increases. That's the list. That's the CSVI upload now into my database under networking. So that I can little by little, right, on my own time with my own guidelines be able to set up to connect with some of these people.

0:41:23

So knowing and expecting the best, setting the boundaries so that you are comfortable going into the scenario, as comfortable as possible, that the people around you are of expectation and not pulling on you. And sometimes again, as Brian said, it may take some work. If they're not used to you leaving the house and doing things, then you know how children are. They start creating the problems exactly three hours before. And all of a sudden, the toilet has stopped up or the microwave doesn't work or something's going on. So, you know, but each time it'll be less and less of a distraction in less anxiety. But you have to set that up in that consistency again Being confident about, yes, this is what I'm doing. I have the goal of this.

0:42:17

I went through all of these milestones to actually get here, pat myself on the back, I connected with it, I put my information in, I added it to my calendar, I allow myself a thirty minute buffer to prepare for it or to travel time because sometimes we forget about travel time when we are scheduling to be at a physical brick and mortar networking event. And we block time out on our calendar as a neurodivergent, but we forgot to block out that we are going to an event at five o'clock, and we didn't have a shower all day long. And so we need to add that time in that we have to one car in the household, and there may be a delay of that person getting home. And so I have to buffer that time to be able to get the car to be able to leave. So just thinking about those things, but on a regular basis, so this becomes part of your regular routine. And not that this is an isolated incident where it starts to feel internally like a crisis.

0:43:16

And it's the heuristics here that are really important. Like, I have goals about the number of new people I wanna meet in a week. I have goals about the number of potential advertisers that I wanna outreach to every week. I have actual structural I wanna go to one physical networking event once a month. It doesn't matter what those are. You get to decide what they are. But the more that you build in actual goals and numbers around these things the more likely that you are to write them down somewhere and then potentially accomplish them. So in my monthly planner in Notion, I have a place where I write down. These are the people that I wanna network with, or this has done event that I'm going to this month, whatever it is, figure out what those numbers are structurally for yourself and then look at your networking efforts as checking boxes. It makes it easier and it removes some of the anxiety and the stress around it when it's I am meeting the the agreed upon goal here that I said I'd do with myself Now, fucking checking the box. Yay. Yeah. And that's in a really good point.

0:45:06

And when we talk about being able to speak one on one or speak to one to many, networking many times is one to many. You are getting the potential knows for those people, you're like, oh, no. I absolutely don't wanna connect with them or I had no use for this service. But then remember, what you may not have used for today, you may have used for in the future. So at least you have that information or the potential to get that information And if you have goals set up for the week, would you prefer to do twenty individual calls, or would you prefer to go to a networking event that have thirty people in it where you could spend the time one by one or have the list at least to go back and make contact with. In using the format that's best for you. I believe that it goes down in the DMs for me. So I do very well with with DM ing.

0:46:07

Some people prefer emails because they like that track and they can see it. They can see see it. They can have it redirect did. When it comes back in, they could put it in categories. And then others prefer to get on somebody else's calendar. So I'm going to get on their calendar. So that they're not approaching me, but now I'm controlling the scenario. So just looking at that, setting those goals up first, right, having them So what's the intention here? And then can networking is one of the questions? Can networking help you get to those goals quicker than the current methods that you're using now. We just like to invite you to choose that as an option.

0:46:50

Whether it's reaching out to someone in the DMs, after you hear about this, whether it is going through your email list and saying, yeah, I got all of these leads in from some lead magnet somewhere but I've never really communicated with these people. Maybe I'll take five a day and go check out their profiles on the platform where like Briar said, where I know that my clients may be and see if they have a profile there and reach out to them there, reconnect Let them know they're already on my email list. We're already connected. And you may even say, I'm not sure where. We came across each other, but I just want to reach out now and see if we can connect. Maybe a virtual coffee. Maybe it's just leaving it at that. And allowing them to come back and connect, but then you know. And guess what else? When you send out that next email, they'll see that name or that brand or that company and then go, oh, that's right. That's the one that just deemed me. Let me see either what the email is or me, I'll go back to the DM now that I didn't read and check that out first and then check it out. So A lot of opportunity.

0:48:05

The question is, is there a way that networking can help fast track you to get to the goals that you set up? But did you set them up and then set yourself up for success each and every time and give yourself credit for every step of it that you took and each time that you take a step farther, eventually you'll realize that you've mastered networking. And again, there are no right answers here. It's the way that you wanna do it on the platforms that you wanna do it on with the approach that feels best to you. So really lean into the fact that you have choices here. Absolutely. And experiment have fun if you hate it. Don't do it that way again. It's really that simple.

0:49:08

There are so many ways to connect and network with people that if there is something that, like if you don't like email, if you've never made money with your email list, I don't think you should feel obligated to send another email in your goddamn life. Like, I understand that it is the business gold standard, and let me tell you how many business owners I know hate email and don't even have a fucking list. Like, it's not their game. Figure out what works for you. Figure out how to make it tolerable. Figure out how to make it measurable. And then you might have a system that makes networking worth your time. And if you want a list of ten untraditional ways to network and why or how to do them, then put networking down in the comments and we'll make sure that we get you that list. Alright. This has been amazing.

0:50:23

Stacey, what are we talking about next time? Are we closing out the season, the official season? I think that that's where we're at. That we were getting that we wanted that we had one more after this one. So I guess it's the wrap up on this season, and then we'll have another arc in a month or two maybe. Goes, spend summer with your grandbabies, perhaps? We'll see. We'll see. Okay.

0:50:54

Because there are a lot of event things that leads out of the same stream. So that I'd like to talk about the next go round is events and what kinds of events, what's good, what's not, what works, what maybe doesn't. And to see if we can really get some input from the audience on those things so we can get some stats together. We'll start crowdsourcing that with polls and things. If you have opinions, if there's questions that you have specifically about event or event management, please do let me know either reply here on sub stack. Hit me up in the DMs. Whatever you wanna do. We have some room to really grow.

0:51:42

This next series and make it exactly what you need it to be. So if you need to connect with me. You can find me on the neurodiversity media network dot com. Right now, subscription is twenty five dollars a month. Subscribers get access to some private streams as well as we're building out, I should have the first two full fledged curriculum starting next week, which I'm pretty excited about.

0:52:17

So we've put together the whole series. There's some additional notes. There is learning prompts and potentially workbooks. Depends on what we build for you. It's course specific. But truly all. I'm very excited about what we are building out for you here at the NMM.

0:52:40

And if you would like to join us, you can come and subscribe at the neurodiversity media network dot com. Stacey where are they connecting with you if they need assistance specifically for finding networking opportunities. Absolutely. So you can find me at the operator, t h e o p e are the number eight TOR on almost any platform. And then for future, as we look at this new series, when is still going to be relationships and revenue, but driven by events.

0:53:20

If you'd like to be a sponsor of any of the episodes, make sure you drop sponsored below or connect with one of us because we are looking for those opportunities. And of course, because of these events, if you have a product or service that supports events, especially for females. Make sure that you tap into us and find out so we can show you the opportunities that are available and get your voice heard in your information across on I don't know how many platforms it is because it's absolutely ridiculous And then this will also be showing live on my homepage as well. Alright y'all. Thank you so much for being here. We will see you soon. Talk to you later.

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