Hey there,
So here's a fun story: Last weekend, I threw together an impromptu brunch because my friend Anna needed somewhere to decompress after a rough night. Nothing fancy – just champagne, decent coffee, and catching up like actual humans do.
You know what never came up? My digital business. Not once.
Until Anna casually asked what I'd been working on lately. I shared a quick story about helping a client streamline their operations. She perked up – turns out her company was drowning in the exact same problem. By the time we'd finished our second mimosa, I had a new client.
No pitch deck. No business cards. Just two friends talking over eggs benedict.
Here's the thing about traditional networking
It's exhausting. You show up armed with your elevator pitch, wearing your "professional" smile, and spend the whole evening trying to corner people into conversations they don't want to have. It feels forced because, well, it is.
I used to do this dance too. I'd leave networking events with a pocket full of business cards and zero meaningful connections. Sound familiar?
The game-changer?
I stopped trying to network and started trying to connect.
Real relationships – the kind that turn into dream clients and lasting partnerships – they happen in the spaces between the formal stuff. They bloom during:
- Random coffee runs where you actually chat with the barista
- Group fitness classes (yes, even between burpees)
- Book clubs, hobby groups, and yes, hungover brunches
The marketing world loves its acronyms, but there's one that actually matters: KLT – Know, Like, Trust. And here's what they don't tell you in business school: you can't fast-track trust. It grows naturally when you show up as yourself, not as a walking LinkedIn profile.
My best clients?
They came from:
- A conversation at my kid's soccer game
- Bonding over terrible karaoke choices
- That time I helped someone jump their car in a parking lot
None of these interactions started with "So, what do you do?" They started with being a human helping another human.
So here's my challenge to you:
Stop networking. Start connecting. Show up to things because you genuinely want to be there. Ask questions because you're actually curious. Share your expertise when it naturally comes up, not because you're hunting for leads.
Trust me – when you focus on being helpful instead of being salesy, the right opportunities find you. Usually over brunch.
Keep being wonderfully human,
James
Your friendly neighborhood business consultant who believes the best deals happen over good coffee
Comments
Post a Comment