February 7, 2025 • 19 mins
Networking doesn’t have to feel awkward or salesy—really! In this episode of Her Business Elevated, I chat with Melissa Snow, a business relationship strategist who’s on a mission to change the way we connect as entrepreneurs. She shares how to network like a human (not a salesy weirdo), tips for introverts, and how to create content that fosters real relationships—not just likes and follows. Plus, we dive into her virtual speed networking events and why they’re a game-changer for business owners looking to grow their network authentically. Grab your coffee and join us for this inspiring convo!
//Resources Mentioned//
►Join Melissa for her Speed Networking Events (and listen to her podcast!): powerfulwomenrising.com (PROMO CODE: FIRSTTIME) and attend your first event at NO COST!
//Resources Mentioned//
►Join Melissa for her Speed Networking Events (and listen to her podcast!): powerfulwomenrising.com (PROMO CODE: FIRSTTIME) and attend your first event at NO COST!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Hi, my friends, and welcome back to her business elevated Podcasts,
where I help you to turn your profitable passion into
a plan of action. I'm Demetria, I'm your host, and
I'm so glad you're here. This podcast is about elevating
your business and leveling up your brand with confidence and
purpose through content strategy and just getting into the right
mindset for your solopreneur business. So today we're talking about
(00:38):
something that so many content creators and entrepreneurs struggle with,
and that is networking or a lot of us. Networking
can feel intimidating, awkward, and maybe even just a little
bit selsy. But what if I told you it doesn't
have to be that way. So my guest today is
Melissa to Know, and she's here to show us how
to network like a human and not like a sealesy
(00:59):
w Melissa is a business relationship strategist. She's dedicated to
empowering female entrepreneurs to thrive. She's built three successful businesses
and is now the founder and CEO of Powerful Women Rising, LLC,
where she's on a mission to change the face of networking.
Through her vibrant membership community, she helps women make genuine
(01:21):
connections that fuel their business growth. Melissa is an author,
a speaker, a trainer, and the host of the Powerful
Women Rising podcast. She's all about authenticity, integrity, and real connections,
and today she's bringing all that wisdom to her business
elevated podcast. And when she's not helping women level up
their business, you can find her in Colorado with her husband,
(01:44):
her dogs, and a bunch of foster kittens, plus a
nice coffee in hand and a true crime podcast playing
in the background. In this episode, we're going to dive
into how Melissa got started as a business relationship strategist
and some simple, actionable steps to make networking feel less scary,
especially for my introverts. We're going to talk about how
to create content that builds authentic engagement and not just
(02:06):
views and likes. We'll talk about the magic behind her
virtual speed networking events and why they're a game changer
for entrepreneurs, and then we'll discuss some of her top
books or podcasts and tools to help you grow your
business through networking. And of course, Melissa will share her
best advice for content creators who want to make real,
meaningful connections in their industry. So all that said, I'd
(02:29):
love for you to grab your coffee or tea or
favorite beverage, get comfy, and let's dive into this wonderful
conversation with Melissa Snow. Hello everyone, and welcome to her
business elevated podcast. I'm so happy to have my guest today.
We're going to be talking about a lot of cool
things for solopreneurs, mainly dealing with relationship strategy and so
(02:49):
Melissa Snow is a business relationship strategist.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
She's going to tell us.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
All about what this means, what this is, and about
how she got started.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
But first off, welcome to the show. Melissa.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
I am. I'm excited to have you here.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
I would just love I usually start off just asking
for you to share about your life, who you are,
and how you got into your business, how you got
into this idea of becoming a business relationship strategist, and
then what motivated you to get started.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Yeah, absolutely so. As you said, my name's Melissa Snow.
I live in Colorado. It's very cold here today. The
sun is shining, which is nice, but it's still very cold,
and I'm procrastinating shoveling as long as possible.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
I'm like, come on, snow, you can do it anyway.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
I live here, I have two dogs, I have currently
three cats. I have foster kittens, so I have any
number of cats at any given moment.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
And I worked for about six or seven years.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
My first business was as a dating a relationship coach,
and I loved that business and I learned a lot
growing that business. And one of the things that I
realized when I was transitioning out of that business and
trying to figure out what is it that I want
to do next, is that while I was building that business,
I spent so much time and money and energy on
(04:14):
all of these things that I thought, like, this is
going to be the thing. This is going to be
the thing that moves me forward in my business. This
is going to be the thing that finally gets me
clients and makes me money. And this person has the
exact formula to make ninety million dollars in ninety seconds.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
And that's what I've been missing. And when I.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Looked back over my career as a dating a relationship coach,
what I realized is the one thing that had consistently
brought me clients and made me money. Was the relationships
that I had built. It was the times I had
gone out into the world and talked like an actual
human to other humans and created real, genuine connections that
(04:53):
then came full circle in some way or another. And
so I really wanted to find a way to help
other female entrepreneurs specifically focus on that rather than all
of these other kind of shiny objects.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Thanks, because I.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Really believe that networking, if done right and done well
and done in a way that feels good to you,
is the simplest and the most sustainable form of business
growth that there is. So I don't know if business
relationship strategist is an actual thing or if I just
made it.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Up, but it sounds great.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
It sounds exactly like what I do, which really is
to just help women learn how to network.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
What I say is network like a human and not
like a salesy weirdo.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Yeah, yeah, I love that, And I love that you
just took ownership of maybe this is your thing, you know,
the business network strategists relationship strategists, And I love that,
and sometimes that's you know, as solopreneurs, we have to
figure out where we fit best in this world.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
And what we bring to the table, and it's.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Probably going to look one hundred percent different than what
other people are doing. So I love that you're unique
and you bring everything that you bring to the table
in your way. And I okay, So I want to
jump into this whole idea of networking and how it
can be a bit of a struggle for introverts. I'm
an introvert. I'm more of an ambrovert. I have a
(06:19):
little tendencies on both ends. Ambrovert means a bit of extroversion,
a bit of introversion, but I'm mostly an introvert and
it can be hard to just get myself out there
and talk to people and make connections and like really
push myself.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
So what are some tips that.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
You have for introverts in this whole networking thing that
we need to be doing to build our confidence.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
What are some tipsy app.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
Yeah, I think the biggest thing is trying a lot
of different formats, a lot of different groups, a lot
of different events until you find what works for you.
It's kind of like when I was coaching my dating
coaching clients and they would say, well, I was on
such and such app it was terrible I'm not doing
the dating apps anymore. I'm like, okay, well there's like
ninety five other ones, so maybe we could try one
(07:06):
of those and.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
See if it's different.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
They all have different things about them, right, So for
a lot of people, they have gone to one particular
type of networking event or group or whatever and they're like,
that was terrible.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I'm never networking again. But there's so many different there's
in person, there's virtual, there's co ed, there are women
only groups. There are the events and the groups that.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Are more structured where it's like, okay, you sit at
this table with these people, I'm going to give you
a topic.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Each of you has two minutes, Like I could do
that all day long.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
You give me one of those networking events that's like
there's no structure and it's just like we all just
get a drink and mingle around and talk and it's
on you to walk up to somebody and be like.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Hi, I'm Melissa.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Do you want to talk to me?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
No? No, no, never for me either.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
So what happens is we go to one of those
like that a lot of times is our first taste
of networking, and really that was terrible.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
I'm never doing that again.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
So that's the biggest thing I think is trying a
lot of different formats and styles until you find what
works for you. Another thing I always say is bring
somebody with you Number one.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
That's really good for accountability.
Speaker 4 (08:19):
If you're someone like me who like I sign up
for the thing and it sounds like a really good
idea at the time, but then when it comes time
to actually go, I'm like, why did I sign up
for this?
Speaker 3 (08:28):
I don't want to do this.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
So having someone else it's like, hey, we going to
the thing helps make sure that you go to the thing.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
And it's also helpful.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
To just kind of have that wingman or wing woman
there when you're like, oh, this is awkward, I don't
know anybody. I have somebody that I bring with me
to a lot of networking events because she is like extrovert, extraordinary,
and so sometimes I will just sit at the table
and like she's like my fishing pole. She will go
out and find people and like bring them back to me,
(08:57):
like why you need to meet so and so and
here there's why, Okay bye, and I'm like thank you,
thank you. So finding a partner to buddy up with
is also super helpful.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
That's a wonderful tip. That's a wonderful tip. Yeah, I would.
That's what I need.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
I need. I need that partner.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
That's somebody who doesn't care, it's not afraid to get
out there and say, okay, you guys need to meet
and they're making the connections for me and then I
can step into the role.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
But yeah, yeah, you want a more extroverted, confident partner.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
It's not going to work as as well.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
If it's you and another shy, anxious introvert, you're probably
just gonna like sit in the corner on your phone.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Right. Well, okay, so you have this phrase that you
just said a moment ago, you said, network like a human,
not a silsy wardo.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Right.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Yeah, okay, So how can content creators create authentic messages
that encourage more than just the next like the next follow,
but really a true relationship and engagement?
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (09:59):
I love that question, and I love that you're asking
about content creation because I always say that networking doesn't
just happen at networking groups and networking events. Networking happens
anywhere that you are creating a connection with another human.
So that can happen on social media that can happen
on your newsletter, that can happen when you're speaking on
a stage, as long as you are doing it with
(10:21):
authenticity and integrity and coming from a place of wanting
to provide.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Real value to other people. And I think that's where
we get really tripped up is we.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Start creating content from this place of like, oh my god,
I really need to get a client. Oh my god,
I really need to make money. Like I got to
post on Facebook today because I really need to make money.
And whatever content you create, even though you think like,
oh no, oh, this doesn't scream I'm desperate for a client.
When you're creating content from that energy, it's not going
(10:54):
to connect with people when you're creating it from the
energy of like, I just want to connect with my people.
This is what I think she needs to hear, This
is what I think she's waiting for, This is what
I think will resonate with her. Or you know some
tip that was super helpful to me that could be
a game changer for her. That's the kind of content
that resonates with people. And it's the same whether you're
(11:15):
creating content online or you are having conversations in person
at a networking event. Nobody wants to hear the pitch
when they just met you, Right if I just came
across your Instagram and all it is is like, Hi,
buy my thing, buy my thing?
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Do you want to buy my thing? Like? No, I
do not?
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Right about if you relationships and form?
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Yeah, it takes time to build, even online, and I
think sometimes we just think about, you know, in person,
like we're creating this awesome relationship with someone and we're
willing to take those extra steps to you want to
come over? Do you want to go out for coffee?
It takes time to build it and it's the same
thing with online. So I love that.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Brought that up.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Yeah, absolutely, Yeah, Okay, you have something called virtual speed networking?
Is that similar to speed dating? I just I need
to hear all about this.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
It is similar, but we don't fill out a form
at the end and be like did you like her?
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Did you like her?
Speaker 3 (12:13):
No? I did not like her.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
So basically what it is is a bunch ofmale entrepreneurs
show up online and we usually have between I would say,
between sixty and eighty women from all over the world,
and we go into breakout rooms usually like four or
five people in a breakout room. I give you a
topic to discuss in the breakout room. That is something
that allows people to get to know your business, but
(12:36):
it also allows them to connect with you on a
personal level. So, like one of my favorite questions is
like why did you start your business or why why
are you still going with your business?
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Because sometimes those aren't the same.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
Question, right, And that gives people an opportunity to learn
about your business, but also like see the heart and
the person behind it. So you go in the breakout room,
each person has a turn to answer the question, and
we come back into the main room.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
I shuffle you up.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
You go into another breakout room, so you have the
opportunity to connect with usually like twelve to fifteen other
female entrepreneurs from around the world to share inspiration and
ideas and opportunities and resources and it's really really fun.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
That sounds fun. Yeah, Okay, we're gonna have to find
out more about that. So tell us some maybe some
resources that we can learn more as content creators about networking.
So this would be podcasts or books or any tools
that you would recommend.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Yeah, absolutely, So I just going to my own horn
for a second.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
I have a podcast, Powerful Woman Rising.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
I do expert interviews on there about a bunch of
different topics that are not my area of expertise. But
I also have every other episode is an individual episode
where I talk about something related to networking. So I
have one where I talk about the difference between virtual
and in person. I have one where I talk about
like should you go to free networking events or should
you invest in the paid ones? How tocome networking anxiety?
(14:01):
So there's a lot of different resources there. There's a
book that I really really like called The Introverts Edge,
and it's all about networking for introverts and creating business relationships.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
That's a really good one.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
And there's another one that is called What's in It
for Them by Joe Polish, and that's a really good one.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Also, those are good tools, good books, and your podcasts.
So we're going to have to put a link to
all of this in the show notes. What's one final
piece of advice and encouragement that you want to give
content creators who they want to grow their business through
authentic connections. They don't want to be the selzy weirdos,
So how do we do it?
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Yeah, I would say the biggest thing is just get
out of your head and into your personality, Like, get
into who you are. Don't be afraid to show the
world who you really are, even if you think people
are going to be like, oh my god, that's weird.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
Oh she's weird. I am.
Speaker 4 (15:01):
One of the reasons that I love what I do
is because I am not that like always put together,
shows up perfectly person like the story I always shares.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Like.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
I was halfway through me a Mastermind call in my
powerf Woman Rising Community and I reached up and I
realized my tag was right here on my shirt.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
And I was like, my shirt is on backwards, and
I was like, everybody just kept talking and I was like,
you guys, just keep talking.
Speaker 4 (15:27):
I'm just going to turn my shirt right around. So
it's like, just just be you.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
You know.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
I just had a conversation the other day with somebody
who was you know, She's like, I want to create
a community, and so how did you do it? And
how did you do this? And when you do this?
How do you do this? And she just emailed me
again this morning and she's like, so when do you
when you do this?
Speaker 4 (15:47):
How do you do this? And I'm like it's not
going to work. I'm telling you, we've all been there.
We've all been there. We see what's working for someone
else and we're like, I'll just copy them because it's
working for them. To find what works for you, and
the only way you do that is really by just
showing up in the world as yourself and letting that
(16:07):
attract your people and also allowing it to repel the
people who are not your people and being okay with that.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
I so totally love that because it's it's really you're right,
it's that authentic connection can't happen unless we're true to
ourselves and we're not looking at the other person.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
I talk about this all the time on my podcast.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
We don't compare ourselves with other people because their journeys
are different and they go about doing something is going
to be totally different than what we're capable of doing
or what's okay for us in this season of our lives.
So yeah, I love that. Thank yeah for that advice. So, okay,
what is the best way for our audience to connect
(16:49):
with everything that you've just said about your networking events?
That sounds fabulous, so I'm sure we'll want to get
involved with that, and how do we stay engaged.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
With your work?
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (16:58):
Absolutely, So the best way to find everything is on
my website. It's Powerfulwomenriising dot com. There's a part there's
a section on the website for events where all the
information about the virtual speed networking events is. If you've
never been to one before, you can use the promo
code first time all one word first time and attend
your first one at no cost. There's also the podcast
(17:21):
information is on there. There's information about the Powerful Women
Rising community, all kinds of stuff on the website.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
So that's the easiest way.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
But one hub for everything.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
The website, the podcast, my Instagram. They're all Powerful Women Rising.
So if you just remember that, you can find me anywhere.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Perfect and we'll get in the show notes and easy
to remember. So this is some great Melissa.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Thank you so much for being here today and encouraging
our audience. We are excited to start connecting more and
networking more this year and beyond because we need to
get out there. So thank you for giving us that
boost of encouragement.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Absolutely, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Wow, what an amazing conversation with Melissa. I hope you're
walking away from this episode of feeling empowered to build real,
genuine connections in your business without the awkwardness of the
Selsey vibes. And if you want to connect with Melissa
and learn more about her work, be sure to check
out her website at Powerfulwomenriising dot com the links in
the show notes, and don't forget to check out her
(18:19):
podcast as well for even more networking wisdom. And Hey,
if today's episode got you thinking about your own content
strategy and how to grow your brand the right way,
I would love to chat with you. You can book
a coffee chat with me at her business Elevated dot
com slash coffee dash chat and let's map out a
plan to help you build your content with purpose and strategy. Again,
(18:40):
that's her business Elevated dot Com Forward slash coffee Chat
and there's a dash in between coffee and chat.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Also link is in the show notes.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Plus, I've got even more resources to help you level up,
and you can check out all those links in the
show notes for my courses, my latest YouTube videos which
is YouTube dot com, and then Dimitria zinga as so
much more.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
So stay tuned.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
There's plenty more interviews solopreneur, business advice and content strategy
tips coming your way in future episodes.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
You don't want to miss what's next. And that's it
for today.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Friends, Until next time, keep showing up, keep creating, and
keep elevating your business to your online business success
Hi, my friends, and welcome back to her business elevated Podcasts,
where I help you to turn your profitable passion into
a plan of action. I'm Demetria, I'm your host, and
I'm so glad you're here. This podcast is about elevating
your business and leveling up your brand with confidence and
purpose through content strategy and just getting into the right
mindset for your solopreneur business. So today we're talking about
(00:38):
something that so many content creators and entrepreneurs struggle with,
and that is networking or a lot of us. Networking
can feel intimidating, awkward, and maybe even just a little
bit selsy. But what if I told you it doesn't
have to be that way. So my guest today is
Melissa to Know, and she's here to show us how
to network like a human and not like a sealesy
(00:59):
w Melissa is a business relationship strategist. She's dedicated to
empowering female entrepreneurs to thrive. She's built three successful businesses
and is now the founder and CEO of Powerful Women Rising, LLC,
where she's on a mission to change the face of networking.
Through her vibrant membership community, she helps women make genuine
(01:21):
connections that fuel their business growth. Melissa is an author,
a speaker, a trainer, and the host of the Powerful
Women Rising podcast. She's all about authenticity, integrity, and real connections,
and today she's bringing all that wisdom to her business
elevated podcast. And when she's not helping women level up
their business, you can find her in Colorado with her husband,
(01:44):
her dogs, and a bunch of foster kittens, plus a
nice coffee in hand and a true crime podcast playing
in the background. In this episode, we're going to dive
into how Melissa got started as a business relationship strategist
and some simple, actionable steps to make networking feel less scary,
especially for my introverts. We're going to talk about how
to create content that builds authentic engagement and not just
(02:06):
views and likes. We'll talk about the magic behind her
virtual speed networking events and why they're a game changer
for entrepreneurs, and then we'll discuss some of her top
books or podcasts and tools to help you grow your
business through networking. And of course, Melissa will share her
best advice for content creators who want to make real,
meaningful connections in their industry. So all that said, I'd
(02:29):
love for you to grab your coffee or tea or
favorite beverage, get comfy, and let's dive into this wonderful
conversation with Melissa Snow. Hello everyone, and welcome to her
business elevated podcast. I'm so happy to have my guest today.
We're going to be talking about a lot of cool
things for solopreneurs, mainly dealing with relationship strategy and so
(02:49):
Melissa Snow is a business relationship strategist.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
She's going to tell us.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
All about what this means, what this is, and about
how she got started.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
But first off, welcome to the show. Melissa.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
I am. I'm excited to have you here.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
I would just love I usually start off just asking
for you to share about your life, who you are,
and how you got into your business, how you got
into this idea of becoming a business relationship strategist, and
then what motivated you to get started.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Yeah, absolutely so. As you said, my name's Melissa Snow.
I live in Colorado. It's very cold here today. The
sun is shining, which is nice, but it's still very cold,
and I'm procrastinating shoveling as long as possible.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
I'm like, come on, snow, you can do it anyway.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
I live here, I have two dogs, I have currently
three cats. I have foster kittens, so I have any
number of cats at any given moment.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
And I worked for about six or seven years.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
My first business was as a dating a relationship coach,
and I loved that business and I learned a lot
growing that business. And one of the things that I
realized when I was transitioning out of that business and
trying to figure out what is it that I want
to do next, is that while I was building that business,
I spent so much time and money and energy on
(04:14):
all of these things that I thought, like, this is
going to be the thing. This is going to be
the thing that moves me forward in my business. This
is going to be the thing that finally gets me
clients and makes me money. And this person has the
exact formula to make ninety million dollars in ninety seconds.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
And that's what I've been missing. And when I.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Looked back over my career as a dating a relationship coach,
what I realized is the one thing that had consistently
brought me clients and made me money. Was the relationships
that I had built. It was the times I had
gone out into the world and talked like an actual
human to other humans and created real, genuine connections that
(04:53):
then came full circle in some way or another. And
so I really wanted to find a way to help
other female entrepreneurs specifically focus on that rather than all
of these other kind of shiny objects.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Thanks, because I.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Really believe that networking, if done right and done well
and done in a way that feels good to you,
is the simplest and the most sustainable form of business
growth that there is. So I don't know if business
relationship strategist is an actual thing or if I just
made it.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Up, but it sounds great.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
It sounds exactly like what I do, which really is
to just help women learn how to network.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
What I say is network like a human and not
like a salesy weirdo.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Yeah, yeah, I love that, And I love that you
just took ownership of maybe this is your thing, you know,
the business network strategists relationship strategists, And I love that,
and sometimes that's you know, as solopreneurs, we have to
figure out where we fit best in this world.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
And what we bring to the table, and it's.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Probably going to look one hundred percent different than what
other people are doing. So I love that you're unique
and you bring everything that you bring to the table
in your way. And I okay, So I want to
jump into this whole idea of networking and how it
can be a bit of a struggle for introverts. I'm
an introvert. I'm more of an ambrovert. I have a
(06:19):
little tendencies on both ends. Ambrovert means a bit of extroversion,
a bit of introversion, but I'm mostly an introvert and
it can be hard to just get myself out there
and talk to people and make connections and like really
push myself.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
So what are some tips that.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
You have for introverts in this whole networking thing that
we need to be doing to build our confidence.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
What are some tipsy app.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
Yeah, I think the biggest thing is trying a lot
of different formats, a lot of different groups, a lot
of different events until you find what works for you.
It's kind of like when I was coaching my dating
coaching clients and they would say, well, I was on
such and such app it was terrible I'm not doing
the dating apps anymore. I'm like, okay, well there's like
ninety five other ones, so maybe we could try one
(07:06):
of those and.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
See if it's different.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
They all have different things about them, right, So for
a lot of people, they have gone to one particular
type of networking event or group or whatever and they're like,
that was terrible.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I'm never networking again. But there's so many different there's
in person, there's virtual, there's co ed, there are women
only groups. There are the events and the groups that.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Are more structured where it's like, okay, you sit at
this table with these people, I'm going to give you
a topic.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Each of you has two minutes, Like I could do
that all day long.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
You give me one of those networking events that's like
there's no structure and it's just like we all just
get a drink and mingle around and talk and it's
on you to walk up to somebody and be like.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Hi, I'm Melissa.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Do you want to talk to me?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
No? No, no, never for me either.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
So what happens is we go to one of those
like that a lot of times is our first taste
of networking, and really that was terrible.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
I'm never doing that again.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
So that's the biggest thing I think is trying a
lot of different formats and styles until you find what
works for you. Another thing I always say is bring
somebody with you Number one.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
That's really good for accountability.
Speaker 4 (08:19):
If you're someone like me who like I sign up
for the thing and it sounds like a really good
idea at the time, but then when it comes time
to actually go, I'm like, why did I sign up
for this?
Speaker 3 (08:28):
I don't want to do this.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
So having someone else it's like, hey, we going to
the thing helps make sure that you go to the thing.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
And it's also helpful.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
To just kind of have that wingman or wing woman
there when you're like, oh, this is awkward, I don't
know anybody. I have somebody that I bring with me
to a lot of networking events because she is like extrovert, extraordinary,
and so sometimes I will just sit at the table
and like she's like my fishing pole. She will go
out and find people and like bring them back to me,
(08:57):
like why you need to meet so and so and
here there's why, Okay bye, and I'm like thank you,
thank you. So finding a partner to buddy up with
is also super helpful.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
That's a wonderful tip. That's a wonderful tip. Yeah, I would.
That's what I need.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
I need. I need that partner.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
That's somebody who doesn't care, it's not afraid to get
out there and say, okay, you guys need to meet
and they're making the connections for me and then I
can step into the role.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
But yeah, yeah, you want a more extroverted, confident partner.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
It's not going to work as as well.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
If it's you and another shy, anxious introvert, you're probably
just gonna like sit in the corner on your phone.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Right. Well, okay, so you have this phrase that you
just said a moment ago, you said, network like a human,
not a silsy wardo.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Right.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Yeah, okay, So how can content creators create authentic messages
that encourage more than just the next like the next follow,
but really a true relationship and engagement?
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (09:59):
I love that question, and I love that you're asking
about content creation because I always say that networking doesn't
just happen at networking groups and networking events. Networking happens
anywhere that you are creating a connection with another human.
So that can happen on social media that can happen
on your newsletter, that can happen when you're speaking on
a stage, as long as you are doing it with
(10:21):
authenticity and integrity and coming from a place of wanting
to provide.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Real value to other people. And I think that's where
we get really tripped up is we.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Start creating content from this place of like, oh my god,
I really need to get a client. Oh my god,
I really need to make money. Like I got to
post on Facebook today because I really need to make money.
And whatever content you create, even though you think like,
oh no, oh, this doesn't scream I'm desperate for a client.
When you're creating content from that energy, it's not going
(10:54):
to connect with people when you're creating it from the
energy of like, I just want to connect with my people.
This is what I think she needs to hear, This
is what I think she's waiting for, This is what
I think will resonate with her. Or you know some
tip that was super helpful to me that could be
a game changer for her. That's the kind of content
that resonates with people. And it's the same whether you're
(11:15):
creating content online or you are having conversations in person
at a networking event. Nobody wants to hear the pitch
when they just met you, Right if I just came
across your Instagram and all it is is like, Hi,
buy my thing, buy my thing?
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Do you want to buy my thing? Like? No, I
do not?
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Right about if you relationships and form?
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Yeah, it takes time to build, even online, and I
think sometimes we just think about, you know, in person,
like we're creating this awesome relationship with someone and we're
willing to take those extra steps to you want to
come over? Do you want to go out for coffee?
It takes time to build it and it's the same
thing with online. So I love that.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Brought that up.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Yeah, absolutely, Yeah, Okay, you have something called virtual speed networking?
Is that similar to speed dating? I just I need
to hear all about this.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
It is similar, but we don't fill out a form
at the end and be like did you like her?
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Did you like her?
Speaker 3 (12:13):
No? I did not like her.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
So basically what it is is a bunch ofmale entrepreneurs
show up online and we usually have between I would say,
between sixty and eighty women from all over the world,
and we go into breakout rooms usually like four or
five people in a breakout room. I give you a
topic to discuss in the breakout room. That is something
that allows people to get to know your business, but
(12:36):
it also allows them to connect with you on a
personal level. So, like one of my favorite questions is
like why did you start your business or why why
are you still going with your business?
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Because sometimes those aren't the same.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
Question, right, And that gives people an opportunity to learn
about your business, but also like see the heart and
the person behind it. So you go in the breakout room,
each person has a turn to answer the question, and
we come back into the main room.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
I shuffle you up.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
You go into another breakout room, so you have the
opportunity to connect with usually like twelve to fifteen other
female entrepreneurs from around the world to share inspiration and
ideas and opportunities and resources and it's really really fun.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
That sounds fun. Yeah, Okay, we're gonna have to find
out more about that. So tell us some maybe some
resources that we can learn more as content creators about networking.
So this would be podcasts or books or any tools
that you would recommend.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Yeah, absolutely, So I just going to my own horn
for a second.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
I have a podcast, Powerful Woman Rising.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
I do expert interviews on there about a bunch of
different topics that are not my area of expertise. But
I also have every other episode is an individual episode
where I talk about something related to networking. So I
have one where I talk about the difference between virtual
and in person. I have one where I talk about
like should you go to free networking events or should
you invest in the paid ones? How tocome networking anxiety?
(14:01):
So there's a lot of different resources there. There's a
book that I really really like called The Introverts Edge,
and it's all about networking for introverts and creating business relationships.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
That's a really good one.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
And there's another one that is called What's in It
for Them by Joe Polish, and that's a really good one.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Also, those are good tools, good books, and your podcasts.
So we're going to have to put a link to
all of this in the show notes. What's one final
piece of advice and encouragement that you want to give
content creators who they want to grow their business through
authentic connections. They don't want to be the selzy weirdos,
So how do we do it?
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Yeah, I would say the biggest thing is just get
out of your head and into your personality, Like, get
into who you are. Don't be afraid to show the
world who you really are, even if you think people
are going to be like, oh my god, that's weird.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
Oh she's weird. I am.
Speaker 4 (15:01):
One of the reasons that I love what I do
is because I am not that like always put together,
shows up perfectly person like the story I always shares.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Like.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
I was halfway through me a Mastermind call in my
powerf Woman Rising Community and I reached up and I
realized my tag was right here on my shirt.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
And I was like, my shirt is on backwards, and
I was like, everybody just kept talking and I was like,
you guys, just keep talking.
Speaker 4 (15:27):
I'm just going to turn my shirt right around. So
it's like, just just be you.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
You know.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
I just had a conversation the other day with somebody
who was you know, She's like, I want to create
a community, and so how did you do it? And
how did you do this? And when you do this?
How do you do this? And she just emailed me
again this morning and she's like, so when do you
when you do this?
Speaker 4 (15:47):
How do you do this? And I'm like it's not
going to work. I'm telling you, we've all been there.
We've all been there. We see what's working for someone
else and we're like, I'll just copy them because it's
working for them. To find what works for you, and
the only way you do that is really by just
showing up in the world as yourself and letting that
(16:07):
attract your people and also allowing it to repel the
people who are not your people and being okay with that.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
I so totally love that because it's it's really you're right,
it's that authentic connection can't happen unless we're true to
ourselves and we're not looking at the other person.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
I talk about this all the time on my podcast.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
We don't compare ourselves with other people because their journeys
are different and they go about doing something is going
to be totally different than what we're capable of doing
or what's okay for us in this season of our lives.
So yeah, I love that. Thank yeah for that advice. So, okay,
what is the best way for our audience to connect
(16:49):
with everything that you've just said about your networking events?
That sounds fabulous, so I'm sure we'll want to get
involved with that, and how do we stay engaged.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
With your work?
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (16:58):
Absolutely, So the best way to find everything is on
my website. It's Powerfulwomenriising dot com. There's a part there's
a section on the website for events where all the
information about the virtual speed networking events is. If you've
never been to one before, you can use the promo
code first time all one word first time and attend
your first one at no cost. There's also the podcast
(17:21):
information is on there. There's information about the Powerful Women
Rising community, all kinds of stuff on the website.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
So that's the easiest way.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
But one hub for everything.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
The website, the podcast, my Instagram. They're all Powerful Women Rising.
So if you just remember that, you can find me anywhere.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Perfect and we'll get in the show notes and easy
to remember. So this is some great Melissa.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Thank you so much for being here today and encouraging
our audience. We are excited to start connecting more and
networking more this year and beyond because we need to
get out there. So thank you for giving us that
boost of encouragement.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Absolutely, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Wow, what an amazing conversation with Melissa. I hope you're
walking away from this episode of feeling empowered to build real,
genuine connections in your business without the awkwardness of the
Selsey vibes. And if you want to connect with Melissa
and learn more about her work, be sure to check
out her website at Powerfulwomenriising dot com the links in
the show notes, and don't forget to check out her
(18:19):
podcast as well for even more networking wisdom. And Hey,
if today's episode got you thinking about your own content
strategy and how to grow your brand the right way,
I would love to chat with you. You can book
a coffee chat with me at her business Elevated dot
com slash coffee dash chat and let's map out a
plan to help you build your content with purpose and strategy. Again,
(18:40):
that's her business Elevated dot Com Forward slash coffee Chat
and there's a dash in between coffee and chat.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Also link is in the show notes.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Plus, I've got even more resources to help you level up,
and you can check out all those links in the
show notes for my courses, my latest YouTube videos which
is YouTube dot com, and then Dimitria zinga as so
much more.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
So stay tuned.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
There's plenty more interviews solopreneur, business advice and content strategy
tips coming your way in future episodes.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
You don't want to miss what's next. And that's it
for today.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Friends, Until next time, keep showing up, keep creating, and
keep elevating your business to your online business success
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