The Introvert's Guide to Networking...or at least surviving it!

No one talks about how networking can feel absolutely awful.

In this episode of Brains Gone Bold, Maria and Jeanine get brutally honest about the pressure of meeting new people, making small talk, and pretending networking doesn’t drain the life out of you.

Jeanine shares that she’s literally driven to networking events, sat in the parking lot, and left without ever going inside. More than once. And honestly? A lot of us probably get it.

The conversation dives into why networking can feel fake, awkward, exhausting, and weirdly performative, especially for introverts or people who overthink every conversation. They also talk about the pressure behind the question, “So… what do you do?” and why that question can feel a little too personal, a little too loaded, and a little too much like being sized up.

There are also plenty of funny moments along the way, including:

“I evaluated all my operating systems, and they said no.”
An accidental debate about Planet Fitness
A failed attempt to join a laughing group at an event
And the idea of creating a “no BS” networking group where nobody asks what you do for a living
If networking makes you want to hide in your car, this episode is probably for you.

Tune in, laugh with us, and maybe send us your best “how to survive networking” tips. We clearly need them.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome back to Brains Gone Fold. We're happy to have you joining us again today for yet another conversation of who knows what.

SPEAKER_02 0:13

We start knowing what and then it just goes somewhere.

SPEAKER_00 0:16

We'll figure it out. We always figure it out somehow. And that's okay. We do. We find a way to land the plane. We do. We do.

SPEAKER_02 0:24

Yeah. Without any training whatsoever.

SPEAKER_00 0:26

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We'll see. We'll see. One of these things may just crash, but hopefully not today. Hopefully not today. Uh happy to be back with you as always, Janine.

SPEAKER_02 0:36

Same. And we're still not in the same room, which we acknowledge feels weird. Okay. Yes. Yeah, the distance is too much for me. It's too much. Well, we're gonna see each other next month. So we've got um some work together that we get to do in person, which is really exciting.

SPEAKER_01 0:55

So at least that's something.

SPEAKER_00 0:59

Yes. Yes, I agree. I agree. Cool. So today, today. Um, yeah, today, I think what are we talking about? You had mentioned something that you're not particularly fond of, you would like us to discuss today. What is that?

SPEAKER_02 1:19

Networking.

SPEAKER_00 1:23

Bad word. It may as well be a four-letter word. It may as well be.

SPEAKER_02 1:27

And it's it's so uh draining and it's one of those, you know, when you hear that phrase, it's a necessary evil. That's what I feel about it. That's what I feel about networking. It is a necessary evil. And I'm sorry to say that out loud because I do recommend it for so many people for so many reasons. Oh, you need to network more. You need to do this more. And I hate doing it myself. I have gone to a networking event that I have paid for. I've gotten to the parking lot and then left. I've done it more than once.

SPEAKER_00 2:03

Walk me through what happened for you in that moment. What occurred when you got to the parking lot that made you say, oops, never mind.

SPEAKER_02 2:12

I wish I could say that there was a catalyst, meaning, you know, I saw this crowd of people going in that were, you know, punching each other or abusing dogs, like something that would make me go, well, I'm just not leaving. But literally, I can tell you like the most recent time, I got to the parking lot and I was sitting there and I just couldn't make myself get out of the car. I didn't see anybody. I didn't, you know, experience anything that was bad. It was just, I could not make myself get out of the car and then sat there long enough where I finally went, just go. Just go.

SPEAKER_00 2:50

So, oh, this is so interesting. First of all, you can totally relate. I will tell you, I don't believe I've ever done that though. So you're maybe at a different level, which is totally cool.

SPEAKER_02 3:02

Um thank you for not judging me. It's totally fine. It's totally fine. There's nothing wrong with you. It's totally fine. All right.

SPEAKER_00 3:10

Um wow, but and um, so you're saying that you're not experiencing anything negative in that moment. I just really want to know why couldn't you get yourself out of the car? What was it about going into that environment that was so terrifying or unsavory for you that you could not get out of your car?

SPEAKER_02 3:30

Yeah. You know, again, I'm not gonna have a good answer at this because I went to the trouble of, you know, I work from home and so, you know, I may be wearing like pajama pants with a top since someone calls all day so I could be comfortable, whatever. Um, a lot of times I don't put a lot of makeup on, and I just don't wear a lot of makeup in general. And so I've taken the time to put real pants on, real shoes on, put pants as hard pants, some more makeup, made me make sure I have earrings that match. I've fit brushed my hair at least. And so I've done all of the things, gotten in the car and driven to the place. Now, there's a there's a meme that goes around that whatever whatever um thing I committed to three months ago, I no longer have the energy for, right? And so that happens to me a lot where I'll commit to something and then a time comes and it's like I don't want to go. But so I've gone through the trouble of doing all the stuff, getting in the car, driving to the place. And then I get there and I am just overwhelmed by the I don't want to meet new people. I don't want to go into this situation. I don't know anybody there. It's so uncomfortable. I just don't want to do this. And I give myself permission. It's kind of like that quitting thing that we talked about. I give myself permission to not do it. And I'm it's I it's maddening. It really is, it's maddening. Because number one, you should have just stayed home then. Like why get in the car? Like for a lot of effort. Yeah, yeah. I did. Why do this to yourself?

SPEAKER_00 5:09

Now, now did you pay for it?

SPEAKER_02 5:11

Like, had you paid for there's to get there's a couple that I've paid for and then others that are free. And the reason I choose to go to paid for events is so that I won't do that. But, you know, they're not like super expensive, like $15, $10, um, that kind of thing. And I think, I mean, just like you know, I went to this networking thing and then I actually got out of the car. I did sit in the car probably longer than I should have, going, You have to go inside. You have to go inside, you gotta go inside. You're here, go inside. And then I get inside and I'm immediately with, oh God, these people. Yeah. And, you know, again, I went through the whole networking thing. It was kind of the most recent one I went to, as you know, was a speed dating for networking, basically. And so small business owners, um, you go, one person stays at the table and then the other person moves. I happen to draw a short short straw. So I was a mover and had to, you know, go. And then each time you have the and you know, immediately, um, you know, the hope is that you're gonna find a business that somehow supports your business or that you need a service from that business. Like that's the goal. And none of them were. There was somebody there doing crypto, there was another one there doing like some pyramid thing. And, you know, I get it. Everybody it has their own rights and their own reasons to be in those places. But, you know, I come away going, what a waste of time. And so I think that also plays in my head that I haven't been to a networking event like that, that has really paid off, however you want to say it. And so when I'm sitting in the parking lot, it's it's my energy for bullshit. It's my energy for the ridiculous, right? And so, like, do I really have it? Do I really have the energy today to do this? And when I evaluate all of my operating systems, it comes back with a big fat no. And that's why I leave.

SPEAKER_00 7:11

Okay, okay. I'm like evaluating my operating systems, they simply said no. So, okay, all right. You can't argue with that, right? Red flag. Red flag.

SPEAKER_02 7:22

Data. It's simply it is it is data, but I should know by now that that's not my that's that's just not my people. And I don't mean the people. I just mean that's not my thing. And so I need to find what is my thing because I could very easily find myself never going in public.

SPEAKER_00 7:46

Well, and and that's what I was going to say next, which is are there different types of events that you could go to that don't result or don't require you to walk into a sea of unknown people that you then need to make connections with? Like can you do smaller groups that I don't know, it's more intimate and you're sharing things that are important to your business. And I don't know what exists where you are located, that would be an option. I will tell you, um, you and I have spoken a lot about this, and we've talked about it on our podcast as well. The, you know, we both consider ourselves relatively introverts. Um and I think that a lot of times that comes into play for me when it comes to I hate networking. I am the same as you. I despise it. I know it's important. I force myself to do it. And it is absolutely, utterly exhausting. Exhausting. Um the the small talk aspect of it for me is the big challenge.

SPEAKER_01 8:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:57

Where it's like you have to go up to someone that you don't know, and oh, what do you do? Oh, what do you do? Oh, what, you know, and get to know them in a way that is so surface level that for me it's just, oh my gosh, I yeah, it takes everything I have. So I can relate to that. I really can. Um I had someone tell me, this was uh quite a few years ago now, where I was trying to decide like what my next career move was going to be. And um he was giving me advice. At that point, I had done very, very little networking. I did not want to be a part of any of these things. And he said to me, Maria, as an HR person, are you more likely to hire the person whose resume was walk down the hall to you or the person whose resume you received as one of a thousand randomly? And it's sad, but so true. And it really stuck with me. I think I've shared that with you before, because what he was saying to me is the value of connections and who you know cannot be overstated. Like you have to know people to do whatever you want to do, especially from a work standpoint. Um, and I know for my business, like so far, and not knock on wood anywhere you will, every single one of the clients that I've had since my business has been in business has been through referrals. And I wouldn't have referrals if people didn't know who I was. Yeah. I mean, it's that simple. If I didn't get out of the car, you know, and I'm not saying that even that that my business has come from networking events, I don't even know if that's true.

unknown 10:43

Right.

SPEAKER_00 10:44

My point is that, you know, oh, it's so tough. I get it. I get it.

SPEAKER_02 10:50

It is. And, you know, it's interesting. I I love that example of the HR resume walk down the hill because it is, I mean, the reality is for those of you that are looking for a job, your resume does get lost in a sea of other resumes. And so if you have somebody that can hand walk that resume, it makes a difference. And so, you know, for those of us that are running small businesses or um, you know, that what we do is dependent upon who we know and to not like networking is challenging. And so for me, you know, it comes down to, and I I I'd love for you to answer this question too, Maria. What is it about networking? So you mentioned the small talk thing. And so for me, it goes beyond small talk. Like I don't necessarily uh dislike small talk. What happens is uh I get into my own head about certain things and start not necessarily arguing, but I start feeling like I'm not making any sense because I'm trying to cover so much all at once. I don't have my elevator pitch, I guess, you know, really tightened up. And so I start thinking, I sound so silly, you sound so dumb, just shut up.

unknown 12:07

Right.

SPEAKER_02 12:07

And so that that negative self-talk, you know, for me gets in the way. And, you know, the other part of the not liking network networking is, and it's something that we've talked about before, is it feels so false. You know, there's there's an ulterior motive in all of it. It's not just for the sake of having a conversation and getting to know somebody, it's for an end goal. And that always, you know, faults or like just really gets in my head too. Even meeting the other person and thinking, I can't use them. Right. And so that kind of stops me from being open to and curious just about, you know, whatever it is that they do. So that that's where my beef is.

SPEAKER_00 12:54

Yeah. On that one. No, that's uh that's such a good point where it's like, you know, there's an ulterior motive, so it almost feels like those people don't really care. Right. What do they want from me? And the same is true on the other side. Absolutely. It's a reciprocal. There are exceptions, though. There are exceptions where people like genuinely do appreciate getting to meet new people and learn about them and that sort of thing. Those are the extroverts, maybe. I don't know. I don't know. Um, you know, one of the things that I will say to you, and I've told others this from time to time as well, which is for me, I always, as far back as I can remember, have had a problem with and a discomfort with talking about what I do for a living. So going into a networking event where that's the focus, what do you do? What do you do? Like I would prefer, and this is crazy as a business owner, obviously, I get that. I would prefer if no one ever asked me again what I do. Which is hard. It'd be hard for me to stay in business, right? Yeah. Well, yeah. To me, it feels like an effort to size them up in terms of where they f in in the ladder of society. Yeah. And how do I compare myself to that? Am I, you know, do I make more money? Do they make more money? Like all of these things that you can see from asking that question, yeah, it makes me very uncomfortable. And so I am actually, you know, again, being a business owner, I've had to kind of switch things up a little bit more than I used to, but um, I will tell you that I have been very intentional about not asking that question of others.

SPEAKER_02 15:16

What do you so when you meet somebody for the first time, what are you saying?

SPEAKER_00 15:20

Um, that's a great question. And it depends on the situation. So, what brings you here? You know, um, how long have you been a member of this organization? Whatever it is. Right, right. Um, they'll they'll get they'll get to tell you because most people aren't as com uncomfortable with it as I am. Right. They're most comfortable with that comfort. It's the standard. Yeah. Yeah. And and and so um that has been something I've had to wrestle with a lot. And I still do and probably always will. And that is, you know, how do I answer that question? And it it's a question that makes me wildly uncomfortable, and I have to be able to answer it, you know.

SPEAKER_02 16:06

Um that's tough. You know, it's interesting because I don't know that I have ever thought about it from that sizing up. Um, I do think there's obviously an evaluation in there. And for a lot of people, you're probably right. And now I'm gonna have that in my head. So thanks. But um, I do think I can tell you as an adult that that what do you do question, like even in social situations that are non, you know, you're not intended for networking. So I go to a friend's birthday party and there's people there that I don't know, it inevitably turns into a, you know, so what do you do conversation because it's easy and I think it's on it's an understood. Like you can pretty much learn a lot about somebody by what they do. I don't want to say pretty much because it's an assumption, but you can learn a lot about somebody through that conversation. And maybe it's not the title of the job, but it's how they're describing it. It's how, you know, they talk about the thing that they do. You can tell if they like it, you can tell if they hate every single minute of their existence because they do this thing. And so I think it is a very telling conversation. But so what did we do when we were younger before we our identities were so wrapped up in our jobs when we meet somebody? Like, how were we doing it before? What were we saying? We couldn't ask them what they did, so what did we ask?

SPEAKER_00 17:33

No recollection of that whatsoever. I don't either.

SPEAKER_02 17:38

Like what classes are you taking? What do you want your teachers? I don't know. Did we just start making out with them when we meet people? I don't know. Seriously, though. Like just go read for it. How did what how did we because I also think it was so much easier to meet people? You know, I say as an adult, like it is hard to make friends. And um, I was talking to Liv the other day, and we were talking about that our networks, not our work networks, but because we work from home and we're not interacting with people in the same way, our social networks have gotten so, so small. And meeting new people, and unless they come to my door to fix something, you know, I'm not meeting new people. If I go out to the store, I'm going out to get the thing and then come right back. And so, you know, it's just it's so hard to meet people. And so there's, I don't know if you've seen on like Instagram and Facebook. And so I was telling her about it. She hadn't seen it yet. But I keep seeing these um recommendations for curated social groups, you know, curated girlfriends groups and stuff. I actually saw one the other day and I sent it to her um just saying this is what I was talking about. And there's something really appealing about that. And it's the same concept. I mean, it's networking, it's meeting people that you don't know already. But the idea of them being curated, that, you know, supposedly your likes, the things that you do, the things, the experiences that you've had, they use that to help find the other five women that you, you know, might be in this dinner party group with. And then you can decide if you want to see them again or or not, which you know, this weaves for me so many different of our conversations that we've had, like how do we quit them now? We've done this thing with them. But anyway. And so, you know, from a networking aspect, if you're not leading with, oh, so what is it that you do? What do you say?

SPEAKER_00 19:35

What are you excited about?

SPEAKER_01 19:38

I don't like that question.

SPEAKER_00 19:41

What are you working on these days? I guess you could say, or what's going on in your life? Or I don't know. I don't know. I Yeah, I don't know. I don't know the answer. What I do know is I would rather do something else.

SPEAKER_01 19:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:54

I I will say, um, you know, I'm thinking as we're talking, there's this organization in my area. It's grown to be pretty large. And I am a member of it, although unfortunately it always ends up that my schedule doesn't allow me to attend events. They have, it's all women. And um they focus really on it's not considered a networking group in any stretch of the imagination, but it ends up being, of course, you develop connections and so forth, and they have events and whatever. But one of the things that they do are smaller group dinners where they bring together a smaller group of women, and there is a curated conversation that happens over that dinner where each table has questions that they go through to ask one another so that they can establish deeper connections, none of which are what do you do? It's all about, you know, things that allow us to more quickly get to the core of meaningful connection. And I've done it one other, I've done it one time. Um, and I hope I can go again at some point, but that I actually enjoyed. There was an initial discomfort with walking in. There's all these women, most of which I don't know. You know, that's never going to go away for me. But then once we were seated and we were able to have this kind of guided conversation that was more than just that surface level, what do you do? And it was meaningful connection that was being made, that to me um was far better than traditional networking events. Okay. Um yeah, I don't have the answers in terms of what you say.

SPEAKER_02 21:40

Yeah, I don't either. And we're not going to solve it for myself. Um, one of the things that it's funny because I've talked about it on previous episodes, since I I coach certain people, particularly people that are crossroads, and I really do, you know, I take a look at their, let's just say, LinkedIn page, and you know, I've got some. People that maybe have 45 connections. And there was an old commercial, it was Germach Shampoo. I don't even think Germac is a thing anymore, but it was Germac Shampoo. And the commercial was about they were trying to get more people to use their shampoo. And so there's an actress or whatever. And so she said, it makes my hair so you know whatever it does. And so I told two friends and so on and so on. And what it does, what the commercial was doing was it was a screenshot of her when she said two friends and it was two shots of her, and then and so on and so on. And it continued to, right? So the story is you just to keep telling your friends. And it's the same thing with networking, right? So if you're friends with Maria and live and Maria knows two people, then by extension, I might have access to them. And that's what not that's what LinkedIn is. It is, you know, a social networking group for businesses or what it's supposed to be. And so if you only have 45 connections, whatever you post isn't really going that far. And so I give them like a networking exercise to do that has it's basically a spreadsheet of like 500 different questions. And the questions are, what about your plumber? What about your hairdresser? You know, these are people to think about adding to your LinkedIn, but not you don't add all these people. You think strategically. Do they or could they know somebody that may be helpful for you to know? I have never done the exercise myself. But I talk about the value of doing something like that to extend your network and that it is a safe way to do it. It's not like you're going out and talking to all of these people. Your first step is you're just adding them on LinkedIn. You can put a note in there, you don't have to put a note in there, you know, whatever you want to do. But that is the first step of kind of like breaking the ice to networking. And then I talk through, okay, here's the next step. And I've got like these other things that we go through. And again, I am selling networking like I do it as I drink water. Like it is just second nature to me. Now, I do share with them that it is uncomfortable for me, that it is not something that comes second nature. It is something that I have to work at as well because I think it's just helpful for people knowing that I struggle with it as well. I I it's it shouldn't be this hard to meet people, whether it's for business or for per pleasure. It really shouldn't be, but it is.

SPEAKER_00 24:30

Maybe we need to start our own networking group. We're not gonna call it that. Okay. And I don't know what the idea is yet, but it's gonna be better.

unknown 24:41

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 24:41

And I'm gonna have a rule that with this networking group, you can't ask one another what you do for a living.

SPEAKER_02 24:47

Okay, I'm here for it. I'm here for it. So, whatever it is that Janine and Maria, I'm gonna say Maria and Janine because it's her brainchild, that Maria and Janine come up with, every single one of y'all needs to join because it's gonna be epic. And we will never ask you what you do. That comes up, it comes up, but we're not gonna ask you. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 25:10

Exactly. This is gonna be a well, never mind. Have we already given up on it? I was guessing it's gonna be a no judgment zone, um, is what I was going to say. And then that felt cliche to me. And then it reminded me of Planet Fitness.

SPEAKER_02 25:33

Oh my gosh. Yes. Yes, that is their their. It is funny how the brain works though. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:42

Because then this and then this and then this. Fitness annoys me, by the way. Side note, because they have this whole thing that it's a no judgment. And they're they want everybody, regardless of age, gender, size, anything, to feel comfortable coming into the gym. Okay. And for that reason, they have these signs up that say no um belly shirts, no like sports bras. You're not supposed to be working out in your sports bra, no um, I don't know if they say muscle shirts, something along those lines. Basically, you're supposed to come decently covered and not be popping out everywhere. Okay. And they do not enforce that rule. And I don't like it.

SPEAKER_02 26:31

Oh, I well, because I know you like wearing your booty short shorts and tank tops when you're working out. So Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:38

No.

SPEAKER_02 26:38

Yeah, I can't say that. Yeah. If you're gonna if you're going to advertise that this is your platform and then you don't enforce it to people come in abusing that, then where's the value? Yeah, I agree. But you know what? It is false advertising, but I also think the people who are hired to work at Planet Fitness, did they buy into the concept or they're just looking for a job? What was the training that they went through? How do they feel about that thing? Do they care? Do they get paid to care?

SPEAKER_00 27:16

Probably not, because they like the eye candy. Maybe. And I don't like it.

SPEAKER_02 27:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:22

I don't want to see it.

SPEAKER_02 27:24

Okay. Well, Maria, find a different gym.

SPEAKER_00 27:28

Don't want to see it. It's not my theory either. Oh, so you stopped going. Yeah, no, I'd go somewhere else now. Yeah. Which I don't like that much better, but it's it feels rather hypocritical, though.

SPEAKER_02 27:42

If this is what you're saying is your thing, it's your, you know, that's that's your thing. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 27:47

The whole thing is no gym timidation is what they call it. No gym intimidation is great. I am intimidated. I am intimidated. And I don't think it's right.

SPEAKER_02 27:58

Okay, so write a letter. This is not the forum. Write a letter, Maria, and I'll sign your little petition. So back to the you and I forming this wonderful networking group. You're gonna have a hard time believing this, but back when I lived in um Bartram. So for those of us who are in Jacksonville, you know where Bartram is. When I lived in Bartram, I started a supper club for my neighborhood and would um I put it on the Facebook page, and whoever wants to show up can show up. And we pick a restaurant. You have to tell me beforehand so I know how many people to tell the restaurant to accommodate for and whatever. And then it would rotate from there. And I met a lot of really nice people doing that. But I started that. And I don't know that they continue or not. I ended up, you know, leaving um the neighborhood. So my point is, I think there's a precedent since I've done it before, but it has to be something that I can control a bit in order for me to feel comfortable about it. So when I move walk into a networking thing, so much is so many variables are out of my control. But if it's something that maybe that we curated, maybe I would feel more in control of it.

SPEAKER_00 29:22

I think you just hit hit something there. Yeah. Maybe maybe.

SPEAKER_02 29:28

I don't know. Okay. But I do think, you know, at the end of the day, networking is one of those things that, you know, maybe we find another word for it so that it doesn't feel as crappy as networking. But that this day and age, your the relationships that you build professionally and personally are the things that get you into the opportunity, whether that opportunity is professional opportunity or a personal opportunity. You know, I I think all the time, like I wish some of my friends, you know, had other friends they can introduce me to just to increase my circle, maybe for dating prospects, you know, all of the things because I don't go into an office every day, because I don't go out and I'm not exposed to. So it'd be nice if I had an opportunity or friends would. And I'm sure, you know, people who are looking for roles, it would be so great if one of their buddies would say, Hey man, I know somebody who's hiring for whatever. And to your point, if you don't know the people, nobody can give you a recommendation. And that's what networking does. So maybe we call it recommenders. Nope. Okay, we'll we'll keep working on that.

SPEAKER_00 30:38

How about how about no BS? No BSers. But it doesn't tell me really what it does.

SPEAKER_02 30:48

Right? I mean, so we all get together and we just don't bullshit each other, we just we're truth tellers. I would enjoy that. I would enjoy the hell out of that. Sitting in a room with people, right? Wait, that'd be fun.

SPEAKER_00 30:59

So pretend that you just met me and we walked into a room for that networking event, that no BSing event, what would you say to me? That's role play. What's your first thing you say to me?

SPEAKER_02 31:12

Um hurt my feelings. Everything I was gonna say was gonna hurt your feelings. No, I'm just kidding. Um I'm I'm trying not to let me just hold on. Let me let me let me get back into character. So we're just meeting for the first time. Where are we? What kind of like venue are we in? Trying to control it already. I am, but it helps. What kind of venue am I in? Is it a restaurant or why is wine available? Okay, yes. So I'm drinking glass. Um, what are you drinking? I you know, I've tried that. That it's yeah, I don't like it. I don't like it. And just to like start some conversation. If I can't say ask you about your work, you know, what are you drinking? Oh, did you try some of that? Maybe if there's a canopy going around. Try some of that, did you like it? I don't know. I might start there, just very simple. I will tell you something that I have done, and I surprised myself, plus, it was unbelievably awkward, but I did it anyway. There was a group of people in a in a social situation that were laughing, just really seemed like they were having such a good time. And I walked up and I said, This looks like a group I'd like to belong to. And I thought that was a good line. They did not. They kind of looked at me, they kind of looked at me like, okay, and went back to their conversation. So I don't know if it was like a super personal conversation or whatever. I shouldn't say I don't know. I do know because I stood there awkwardly for a few more moments before wandering away. And it did not seem like it was a super personal conversation. But I stood there like, um, okay. And then slunk away.

SPEAKER_00 33:01

Yeah. Janine, what if you took a friend to the networking events? Like, take some.

SPEAKER_02 33:07

Then I would only talk to that friend and would talk about the other people to that were in the room to that friend. With that being said, you know, I went to that um Podfest event earlier this year, and I got out of my car. I had to drive there, I had to stay, you know, local to the place. And I went to the different seminars. I talked to some very lovely people um, you know, each day, which was very nice. I did go out of my way. And I made a point, like I made a commitment to myself, you're gonna do these things. I had said to you, because I would have loved for you to have gone, but I think my experience would have been different if you were there, because I would have spent all of my time with you instead of meeting other people. So, you know, I can do it, I just don't do it. I don't want to do it.

SPEAKER_00 34:03

That's okay. I understand that. Yeah. I understand that.

SPEAKER_02 34:06

I just think networking is very tough.

SPEAKER_00 34:07

No, that thing we do.

SPEAKER_02 34:10

I've got, you know, a list that feels like it grows. Um, but networking is something that you and I um and others everybody should do. I know. Makes me make that face too. Does everybody feel this way? I like to believe that the sales people really like doing it.

SPEAKER_00 34:37

The answer is probably yes. The majority probably feel this way more so than than not. That's my guess. I could be wrong. Maybe everybody will lie to us and say they like it. I'm inclined to think that they don't.

SPEAKER_02 34:51

We don't want to be lied to. I mean, if you don't like it, you don't like it. You know what I'd really like to hear about though? What do you do? And when I say you, I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about the collective audience you. What do you do to overcome and do it anyway? Because we said it's a necessary evil. And so give us some tips. What are the things that when you go into a new situation that you just you overcome? You know, any great little, I know there's those things about like pictures people naked naked and when you're giving a speech, which I don't see how that works. But anyway, whatever works for you. So what what are some good tips for us? Because we both know that we need to do it. We both don't like to do it. Um, sometimes we do it and sometimes we don't, sometimes more successful than others.

SPEAKER_00 35:41

I would even go so far as to say, like, we could extend this. I mean, there may be people who are listening who, by the nature of what they do, networking just isn't a thing. Like they don't have to go to these events or whatever, but they do meet new people. And so if you're going, even I would even say, even if you're walking into a party where you don't know people or whatever the situation is where you have to meet new people, um, how what do you do to say? What's your go-to line too? What do you say that's not what do you do?

SPEAKER_02 36:14

Right. Right. I mean, I wish I knew some party tricks. On um, so I had to do this interview thing the other day. And one of the questions on there was if you were gonna be in a talent show, what would your talent be? And I was like, that's a great question. I have zero answer. I can't sing. Maria has already told me that. I don't dance, I'm not an acrobat. You know, what would my talent be? And so I eventually just landed on, I eventually landed on, I love comedians, I love stand-up comedy, and I think I have fairly good timing. And so I think if I had to do anything, that's probably what I would pick. But I don't know like that I would be able to come up with a routine for that. And again, it wouldn't be something I would just choose, but if I had to absolutely choose, what would you choose?

SPEAKER_00 37:15

Absolutely no talents whatsoever.

SPEAKER_02 37:18

I don't think that's true. I mean, you could probably read some of your writing. You could do like spoken word or something. That's just my I mean, like I I would I would want to hear that. But it's funny to think about what we're asking the audience to like what do you what's your first line? How do you break the ice? What are the questions that you ask? Give us some tips because I do feel socially awkward. I don't think I'm necessarily socially awkward, but I feel it. And just like Luis saying, like he would never think that I was a person who didn't like to network. When I go into or have to, or I know that I'm going into a new set, but that takes me. I have to psych myself up for that. And so, what are some tips? Help us, help us, please. Help me. Right, exactly. So I you're right. We're not we're not alone in this.

SPEAKER_00 38:15

That reminded me.

SPEAKER_02 38:17

Oh boy.

SPEAKER_00 38:18

This is completely off topic and not appropriate, probably to share, but I'm gonna share it anyway. We can do it. I love it.

SPEAKER_02 38:25

Oh gosh. All right, let's see.

SPEAKER_00 38:27

Not that it's super inappropriate, but when you said help us, help us. Um my boyfriend uh has uh several little nephews. And a few years ago, his sister sent over a video of two of them, and they were probably at the time five and three. And the one was on top of the other. The younger one was on top of the older one, and the older one was going, help, help, a little help, please. Like trying to like get someone's attention to like help him. And the younger one who was on top because this creepy help sound.

SPEAKER_02 39:27

And so, how many times did his head spin? I just can't get over how funny that is to you. I'm assuming it was one of those, like you had to see it things. You are so tickled. Oh, if you're not watching, like she can't even tell me. And I'm sure you say that. Yeah. It was so evil. Did he look at the camera? Because obviously somebody's recording this.

SPEAKER_00 40:00

No, no, they were just like wrestling, and he was almost, I don't want to say mocking, but in a very devilish way. No.

SPEAKER_02 40:09

But I mean, so somebody's recording them doing this. And so, like, I'm picturing, you know, the kid going help, help, will help, and the devil child looking up into the going, help. Like, just okay. And I love the fact I love the fact that it's a video, and at no point did somebody put the phone down and go, okay, let me help. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:36

So it wasn't that serious.

SPEAKER_02 40:39

No, of course not. Of course not.

SPEAKER_00 40:41

Anyway, okay. Sorry to digress on that. No.

SPEAKER_02 40:45

Whatever. We dig this all the time. Like I know. I know. That's our signature. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 40:52

For today. Bring it back. We're gonna wrap this one up. Bring it back. If you have networking tips, help us out. What do you say when you meet someone new, whether it's at a networking event, at a party? How do you think?

SPEAKER_02 41:03

I don't want lines though. Like, don't I think they're entertaining.

SPEAKER_00 41:08

How do we get Janine out of her car? That's what we're trying to solve for.

SPEAKER_02 41:11

No, you too. I mean, you do get out of your car, and I do from time to time, but you know, just make it easier. How do you just help us make it easier, please?

SPEAKER_00 41:22

Yes, indeed.

SPEAKER_02 41:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:24

All right. Well, uh, thank you again for listening. Yes. Thank you, Janine, for sharing.

SPEAKER_02 41:31

You too, Maria. I do find that these conversations tend to be fairly cathartic. You know, there's things that we think about and think that nobody else, you know, and then you're like, oh my gosh. Okay, so you feel this way too. And I have to imagine that there's people out there going, oh my God, yes, I feel that way too. And so there's something um validating in having these conversations. So we appreciate the fact, um, obviously, that we can talk about it to each other, but having you guys out there listening, listening to some of the what we think may be crazy notions, but end up being, you know, hey, somebody else feels this way too. So there's um definitely comfort in in the group, think on this kind of stuff.

SPEAKER_00 42:15

Yep, yep, yep. All right. Well, we hope you will come back to join us the next time. Maybe next time we'll be in person, who knows? Yes. Or we'll be on a beach somewhere with uh my time. Yes, please. Um, but until then, uh, we hope you're joining the conversation. Like, share, subscribe, reach out to us if you like. Uh, and we'll see you next time. Bye.