There’s a reason people say they hate networking. It’s not because networking doesn’t work, it’s because they’ve experienced the worst version of it.
You know the kind. The glad-handing, forced smiles, thinly veiled pitches, and the ask-without-giving. The follow-up that only happens when someone wants something, and the disappearing act with no thank you, no acknowledgment, no relationship.
It’s dreadful and rude.
So people try it once or twice, feel gross, and decide: Networking isn’t for me.
And that’s a shame because done well, networking can be one of the most powerful and human ways to build a business. It certainly was for me.
The Networking Most People Never Get to Experience
Real networking isn’t transactional, it’s relational.
It’s people coming together in a genuine spirit of helping one another, givers by nature, not takers by habit. It’s about sharing connections, but also sharing insight, marketing intelligence, opportunities, ideas, and invitations to speak, collaborate, guest on podcasts, or be in rooms you didn’t even know existed.
The sky’s the limit.
When networking works, it’s a beautiful thing.
Why Networking Matters, Especially for Solopreneurs
Whether it’s organized and formal or casual and informal, networking can be especially impactful if you’re a solopreneur.
When you work for yourself, you don’t have a built-in team. No hallway conversations, coworkers to bounce ideas off of, and no automatic camaraderie.
Networking fills that gap.
It helps you find your people, the folks who understand what it’s like to build something from scratch, take risks, juggle everything, and keep going anyway. They know it can be EXHAUSTING because they’ve walked in your shoes.
And sometimes, what you gain isn’t business at all, it’s perspective, encouragement, and the reminder that you’re not doing this alone.
At First I Didn’t Know What I Was Doing
When I started networking, I was coming out of a corporate environment. I honestly had no idea how it worked.
But I was a quick learner, and more importantly, I discovered I liked it.
I liked meeting people and learning what they did and how they thought.
I liked opening doors and having doors opened for me.
Networking gave me the camaraderie I craved and the introductions I needed. And in return, I made it a point to help others do the same. That mutual exchange, unforced and unpressured, became the foundation of my business.
Decades Later, I’m Still Here and On Purpose
Here I am, decades later, still networking, not just out of habit, but out of intention.
I network with purpose and gratitude, and with genuine affection for my fellow networkers who get it.
The ones who understand that the true purpose of networking isn’t to extract value, it’s to create it together.
These are people who show up with curiosity, and who listen more than they talk, who follow through, say thank you and believe that generosity compounds over time.
And they’re the reason networking still works.
The Truth About Networking
If networking left a bad taste in your mouth, you’re not wrong, but you might have just tasted the wrong version.
Done poorly, networking feels fake and exhausting. Done well, it’s connective, energizing, and deeply human.
It’s not about pitching, it’s about participation.
And when you find the right rooms, the right people, networking stops feeling like a chore and starts feeling like community.
That’s the kind of networking I believe in, and it’s the kind worth doing.