744: An Entrepreneur’s Guide To Networking Like A Boss

0:01Okay, I have been on this ruthless pursuit to purge any clothes that I'm not actually wearing. Like if I haven't reached for it in months, it's got to go. I am trying to be really intentional about what I bring into my closet right now, which means I am only buying pieces that I know I will actually wear and use. Revolve just gets it though. I'm literally wearing my brown Autry sneakers from there right now and my new suede purse. It fits my laptop in it. So it's basically a fancy shoulder bag that works for everything. I love finding pieces like that. Things that look good, but also work hard for my actual life.

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1:15So happy shopping in this world where we feel both so connected and so disconnected at the same time, creating time and space and opportunity for real connections and to just be present in other people's lives is the biggest gift you can give them. Hey, my name is Jenna Kutcher and I am obsessed with all things business, marketing, numbers, and helping you to navigate both the messy and the magical seasons of this thing called life. I'm a small town mama who took a$300 camera, grew a successful photo biz, and now I work from home and run a seven figure online business. I teach you the tried and true secrets to building a career you adore.

1:54Shy away from the real talk? No way. Money, hardship, growth, loss, and marketing are all topics we discuss here. Think of this as your one-stop shop for happy hour with a gal pal mixed with business school. Pull up a seat, make sure you're cozy and get ready to be challenged and encouraged while you learn. This is the Gold Digger Podcast. So here's something you may or may not know about me, but I love, capital L, love networking. It is one of my favorite things. I love connecting with other business owners. I love seeing how people can work together. I love learning. I love meeting new people.

2:31Like I just love this collective energy that comes when you're not in isolation. And let's be honest, entrepreneurship feels a lot like isolation. Now I love networking. And I also think over the years I've gotten really good at it. I've networked and collaborated with some of the biggest entrepreneurs and influencers in the industry. And I've learned so much through those experiences. In a 2013 article in the Huffington Post, Porter Gale, author of the bestselling book, Your Network Is Your Net Worth, wrote, I believe your social capital or your ability to build a network of authentic personal and professional relationships, not your financial capital, is the most important asset in your portfolio.

3:16So you can probably imagine my surprise when me and my podcast producer, Christy, were looking at different topics and brainstorming ideas of how we wanted to kick off this new year. And we realized that within 700 episodes of the show, I hadn't dedicated an episode to this topic that I love so much, networking. So that means this episode is going to be jam-packed with everything from where to meet other business owners, both online and in person, ideas for win-win collaborations, what to say, how to say it. We're diving into all of this inside of today's show. Without further ado, let's dive on into today's episode.

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4:30Get AI-powered tools like ChatSpot that are tailor-made to be personal assistance for your CRM. Simply prompt it to pull up a contact, sum up last week's sales, or research your competitors. By automating steps across the sales pipeline, you can take back your time and spend it on more impactful tasks. Close more deals and get on track for your best Q1 yet. Learn about HubSpot Sales Hub at hubspot.com slash sales. That's hubspot.com slash sales. I have to clear the air on something. I actually hate the word networking. I don't know if it's how it was taught to us or maybe some of the connotations that we have around that word, but I feel like when we think of networking, it feels really sleazy, right?

5:15It's more like what's in it for me and why do I need you in my life to make mine better? And really, I think that when I think about this idea of networking, I think of like collaboration and connection. And I think about like genuine interaction and friendship. And so I just want to like blanket statement this entire episode that if you have a weird feeling about this word networking or the idea of it, or your hands get all sweaty when you even think about it, I want to really shift the conversation in a way that leads us to seeking out more genuine interactions with humans that can create beautiful connections that can blossom into relationships that really enrich your life.

5:57So I just wanted to start with that. And maybe that's why I've never recorded an episode on the topic, because the idea of networking to me, it makes me think of going into like a Toastmasters meeting and standing up and pitching yourself and then like leaving business cards and building out a Rolodex and like, I don't want anything to do with that. No offense, Toastmasters. That's just not the way that I want to move through life. Like I want to go deep with people and not wide. And there are so many ways that you can do that through modern day networking through my lens. All right. So first let's talk about networking in person.

6:32One thing that I think is so fascinating is that so many times when I get into rooms with other entrepreneurs, I'll ask them like, are you introverted or extroverted? And so many of us are introverted. And it's so funny because for most of my life, I would have claimed like I am an extrovert through and through. I love to be in groups. I don't mind being in front of people. I don't mind speaking on stages, but at the core of it, I recharge when I'm alone. And that means I'm introverted. And I would say that a lot of the times that I'm gathering with other entrepreneurs, the majority of us are introverted.

7:05And so if networking in person gets you all clammy, let's talk about it. So one of the things that I think is really important is being face-to-face. There's so many things that you can't pick up on through email or DMs, which are things we're going to talk about. But there is something really beautiful about sharing energy with other people and being in their space and watching their body language and connecting and hugging and whatever that looks like for you. And networking in person, a lot of times means putting yourself out there, which can be so uncomfortable. I will never forget the first time that I really made a huge decision and a massive investment to put myself into rooms with other people.

7:46And it was when I joined Lewis Howe's Mastermind. And I think it was back in 2016 when I joined that. And I remember, I can literally remember like viscerally standing in my kitchen. We lived on the river in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. And I pulled my checkbook out of the junk drawer and I was writing this massive check to join this mastermind. But there was something inside of my gut that knew I need to be in rooms with people who are dreaming bigger. I need to hear these conversations. I need to be a part of them. I need to be in this collective energy of people who are doing really big things.

8:19And I knew it was a great decision. And it's really wild because because so many connections that I have, like really valuable connections and relationships, I can literally trace back to that one investment, that first decision, that decision to put myself out there and like really be in the flesh. And it came at such a critical time in my entrepreneurship journey because I was about five years into entrepreneurship. At the time, I was mainly a wedding photographer, but starting to branch more into the digital space. and I had really isolated myself. I think that imposter syndrome had caused isolation.

8:58I didn't want to put myself into rooms. I was so worried that someone would like walk up to me and I don't know why anyone would do this, but someone would walk up to me and say, I know you don't know what you're doing. I know you didn't get an art degree. I know you didn't go to school for photography. Who are you to think you can do this? And so I think that for so much of my early days as an entrepreneur, I just isolated. And I was on this journey alone. Maybe you're listening to this and you can relate where you're like, I am afraid to be in spaces with other people. Like I have a hard time even saying what it is that I'm doing or what I want to do.

9:31And if that's you sometimes taking that massive leap of faith and sometimes putting an investment down to get yourself into rooms where you can confidently share and express those dreams and really work towards them can be one of the most transformative experiences for you. And so when I think about that mastermind, like I am still really connected to a lot of people that were in that space. And I also, you know, can see this like web of connections that came from just like being in that environment. Networking in person can feel really daunting, but it's this important part of networking and growing and like even just expanding what you believe is possible.

10:09According to Jack Flynn from Zipia, 68 % of individuals prefer networking in person rather than virtually. And 95 % of professionals agree that face-to-face connections are key for successful long-term business relationships. So how do we do this? And what does this look like? Especially if you don't have the budget for it. So first look for local networking groups or business groups, or even just like community groups. So when I was first coming up, one of my dear friends, Natalie Frank was the co-founder of the Rising Tide Society. Community over competition was the movement. And they were meeting up once a month.

10:43And I would attend some of these different meetups. Sometimes they were virtual. Sometimes they were in person, but it was a really great way to be in the room with other entrepreneurs, even if they weren't even in my industry, just like other people that understand how confusing and hard and scary this whole world would be. There may be industry specific or general business networking groups where entrepreneurs and business owners just come together as a collective. I've even just been so enriched by getting together with local moms in my area or joining book clubs or different things like that.

11:12And so it doesn't necessarily have to be super niche down, but look for different local opportunities. I feel like we have really been actively building out our local community over the last year. And it has just been so beautiful and enriching. We recently had Coco's fifth birthday and we hosted it at the cinema. We had bid on this item for an auction for her school and it was to rent out the local cinema for the night. And we had over 40 people there. And so many of these people were relationships that we had made over the last year. It was so beautiful because it was a lot of her friends, but also their parents.

11:46And like, just seeing like our community and our world expand in that way is so enriching. You can also sign up for events or conferences. So I recently did an episode about like where you should be investing in 2024. and I talk about conferences. And a lot of times conferences get you to buy the tickets based off of who's keynote speaking and what the presentations are on and what topics are going to be covered. And all of those are amazing. But, and this is a good, but I believe that so much of the benefit of live conferences and being in person with people comes from those interactions that you have with other attendees.

12:26It's at the lunches and maybe the after parties. It's like those connections and those conversations where you go deep and not wide. And so if you are looking to network in person and be in the flesh with other people, signing up for a conference where one, you love the speakers and you love the topics, but two, you know that the people that are in the room are going to be people that you want to be around. That can be an amazing way to build out your network. I love conferences for this sole purpose. I can picture specific events that I've been at where, you know, I'm standing around a little cocktail table and having a conversation with three people.

13:00And like those people become my dear friends. I'll never forget meeting my web designer, Jen Olmsted, who's been my web designer for years and years and years. And we met at a conference and we had this little meetup in her hotel room and we made this charcuterie board and we had no board and we had no utensils and we were using plastic utensils and like towels from the hotel to build out this really shoddy charcuterie board. And that was like our first night together. And I will never forget that, but like it was in those after moments, not those stage moments where we really connected. And so I highly recommend if it's in your budget and you can make it happen, go to a conference this year and really mindfully set yourself up to be someone who is not just building their network, but building real relationships with other people that are in the room.

13:48And then lastly, joining a mastermind. Again, this was so transformative for me. I actually hosted a mastermind the year that I was pregnant with Coco and it was so beautiful. We had 25 women. It was life-changing on so many levels. And so if you can find a mastermind where you're with the same cohort of people all year long, you're growing, you're asking questions, you're doing hot seats, you're in community, I really recommend it, especially when you do have to invest so that you are really invested in that process and in that community. It can be so transformative. So definitely recommend in person, if you can, locally, globally at conferences in masterminds with local moms groups, like whatever that looks like, it can be really beautiful.

14:32And I just feel like you can learn new perspectives, be stretched and build real relationships. And here's a pro tip. Oftentimes when you're at these different things. You're very in the moment, right? I don't know if any of you ever went to camp as a child. I went to Bible camp from like the age of like five until I was 18. I just, I loved it. And you know, those moments where like you have this shared experience and then you like go home and you're like, we're going to be pen pals. We're going to stay in touch. Like how can you contain that beautiful energy of like, I want you in my life. And how can you carry that forward?

15:05Right before I hopped on this podcast, I'm in a group text with some women where we were at a mastermind last year and we're still in touch. And I created the group text and was like, let's try to like, keep this text going. Like once a week, somebody reach out. You don't have to carry the conversation, but like, let's keep that going. And so how can you mindfully stay in touch? Every single day I've done this practice for years and years and years. I reach out to three different people that I've just been thinking about. They've popped into my brain. I had a dream about them. I listened to some of their content, like whatever that is.

15:38And I just reach out and say, I'm thinking of you. I'm here for you. Is there anything I can do? And so make sure that the networking doesn't just happen when you're in the flesh, that you stay in touch. You keep that relationship going and you do it really intentionally. And it does take time and intention. And so set aside some time for that every day or every week. It's time for Cyber Monday, Dell Technologies' biggest sale of the year. You'll find the lowest prices of the year on select Dell PCs like the Dell 16 Plus with Intel Core Ultra processors. And with built-in advanced AI features, it's the PC that helps you do more faster.

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17:38Shopify also makes it simple to run email and social campaigns so people can find you. And if you ever feel stuck, their award-winning 24-7 support is always available. Turn those dreams into and give them the best shot at success with Shopify. Sign up for your$1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com slash gold digger. Go to shopify.com slash gold digger, shopify.com slash gold digger. Okay, next up, networking on social media. Sometimes social media can feel like the wild, wild west. I totally get it. So I have a few different strategies here and I want to really like reinforce that like social media is such a powerful way.

18:23Before social media, we couldn't like directly connect with an actor or a podcaster or an author in the way that we can literally have this direct line to the people that we want to reach. Now they might not always read their DMS, but Hey, you can send them out into the ether, put it out into the universe and see what comes back for you. So I love networking online. And let me tell you for the last decade plus, like I've never had somebody that's logging in and posting content for me. Every single thing that is posted from my account is posted by me, which means I am the person in my DMs and reading the comments and connecting with you.

18:58I see you. And so if you want to get in touch with someone, actively engage on their content. They will pay attention. There are certain usernames where I've never met this person in real life, but I see them consistently commenting on my content, sliding into my DMs, answering questions, engaging, checking in. I have built so many relationships and I can think about these different relationships that have been fostered literally in the DMs where those people come on my podcast. They become friends. They become real life people that are speaking in my life just through that engagement and just showing like, Hey, I'm consuming this.

19:33I'm offering that feedback. I'm answering those questions. And so do not negate the fact that you have a direct line to people that you would have never had access to. One tip is if there are certain people that you really want to get into your ecosystem, you want to connect with, you want to network with set post notifications for them so that anytime they are creating content and it is being posted, you are there engaging and write meaningful engagement. Don't just comment like heart emoji or heart eyes, like really write meaningful stuff. And that way they are consistently seeing like, wow, this person is really here.

20:08and it's a great way also to get in front of that person's audience. So let's just say, for example, you turn on my post notifications. Every time I post, you hop on, you leave a meaningful comment. One, I could pin your comment, which means your comment is going to get seen by other people. But two, anyone who comments after you is going to see your comment. And there's a great chance that if you're leaving something really thoughtful and insightful, they're going to click on over to your account to see what you're all about and potentially follow you. So it can be like a growth strategy, but also a networking strategy.

20:41Do not negate this. My friend Russell Bronson has this dream 100 list where he is consistently sitting down and writing down a hundred names of people that he wants to get connected to, be in touch with. These are like the dream names of people that he wants to have on his podcast or be in person with. And he is actively pursuing them. He's like naming them, claiming them and pursuing them. And I love this idea because I think oftentimes we think I want to build my network, but we aren't even specific about like, what does that look like? Who do I want in it? Why do I want this person in it? And so whether you set notifications for five people or you write your dream 100 list, this can be a really great way where you are more actively pursuing on social media instead of just like being disengaged and scrolling.

21:26Platforms like Instagram and Facebook obviously can be really useful at connecting with other entrepreneurs, connecting with leaders that you want to be in touch with. And you can also use professional platforms like LinkedIn. So we are going really deep on LinkedIn this year. I'm calling it. It's one of my yearly predictions of something that is going to blow up. There's so much space to expand on LinkedIn, but there are also so many ways you can connect on LinkedIn. So if you are not paying attention to LinkedIn, great time to start doing that. LinkedIn is a place where people are literally there to build connections.

22:00And one thing that is so powerful about LinkedIn is even if you can't reach the person that you're trying to reach, you might be able to reach the people below them, the people in touch with them. And so there are so many different strategic ways that you can leverage LinkedIn. I think it's a really great place to be on, especially if you're serving other professionals or business owners in your business. They also have amazing groups that you can be a part of conversations. They host different like webinars and live streams. Like there's so much happening over there. So do not negate the power of LinkedIn.

22:32And I also just want to say, this seems like a very beautiful opportunity to invite you. If you are not a part of our Facebook group yet, Gold Digger podcast insiders group, we have 60 ,000 plus people just like you in this group. There have been businesses formed, collaborations created. We've connected different people to join one another's teams. There's so much happening in there. You can post job needs that you have. You can post what you're available for. If you're available to be hired, there's so much happening. We have it linked up in our show notes and show description for you. Make sure you are over there.

23:08We're sharing every single weekly episode, but we're also sharing some behind the scenes and extra posts inside of that. Again, the gold digger podcast, Facebook insiders group. I have met so many people through Facebook groups. It was a huge way that I was networking early on sharing the things I'm doing, asking the bigger questions and paying attention to like, what is the pulse of the industry? What are the questions people are asking? What resources could I be creating? And so don't knock it till you try it, hop into our Facebook group. The next thing that I want to encourage you when it comes to networking is to reach out however you can, but also to be really thoughtful and intentional with outreach.

23:46So I was talking about keeping in touch, right? And that works for people that you've already been in their ecosystem and they know who you are, but what does it look like for people who have no idea that you exist. You want to create opportunities for a win-win situation, a collaboration, or for you to show up and serve someone else. And one thing that's so interesting is we get hundreds of pitches each week from people who want to be on this podcast to sponsors that want to work with us. And so often I am always just like amazed at how it's positioned as what's in it for them. right? And we've talked about different ways that you can pitch really positively on this podcast, but you always want to position it with one.