Latest / Black Girls Consult TOO! / Episode 83: Unlocking the Secrets of Effective Networking to Establish High-Value Connections

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Episode 83: Unlocking the Secrets of Effective Networking to Establish High-Value Connections · Black Girls Consult TOO!

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: So we rarely get a chance to talk about networking because I think many of us think that networking comes natural, that somehow we are just meant to show up and begin communicating with others and connecting and Landing deals.
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: I think that's what we often envision when we're starting out, but in all actuality, networking can be more difficult than most people think, especially if you're doing it right.
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: Often we find ourselves preaching to the choir, staying in circles that are very comfortable for us, and those opportunities and those networks that we build well can be helpful are not optimal, and In order for us to reach the level of business that we desire to get to, it's going to take going beyond what we are initially thinking is the perfect networking circle and opportunity, into areas where we feel more unease or Comfort because we are truly a new fish in the water.
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: So in order for us to master that and overcome those fillings of possible Anxiety or even imposter syndrome and all these things that come up, we have to begin to think about having a strategy when it comes to networking, and so in this episode we're going to talk about how you can network more effectively so that you can land more clients and build a high quality Network that's going to pay for years and decades to come.
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: There's a misconception that we don't exist, that somehow our ability to excel at the highest level of our industry is Limited, that overcoming barriers as a woman of color would be insurmountable.
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: But what would happen if we decided to venture out on our own, despite everything we're up against?
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: I'll tell you welcome to the black girls console to podcast.
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: I'm your host, dr Angelina Davis, a healthcare consultant, consulting coach, high performance fanatic wife and proud girl mom.
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: I helped transform female professionals into thriving solar consultants and, just like you, I'm wearing all the hats and doing all the things.
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: So this podcast is to empower the busy female Professionals to move past fear to start and grow a successful consulting business, despite the obstacles you may encounter.
• 2:18
  Speaker 1: We'll dive deep into consulting practice, business strategy, mindset and more so grab your cup of coffee or tea, if that's your thing, and let's get started.
• 2:28
  Speaker 1: Welcome, welcome.
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: Welcome to the black girls console to podcast.
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: I'm your host, dr Angelina Davis, and today we are talking about Networking.
• 2:46
  Speaker 1: Yes, listen, this episode is going to be a little different because we're going to talk through a few strategies that you can use the next time you're trying to build and expand your network.
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: So, if you haven't already, grab a piece of paper, grab a pen or pencil, look your coffee or tea, if that's your thing, and let's dive in, because I think we have to break through this whole Networking rut that many people find themselves in, and I know what it feels like to show up at different events and sit at the you know popular table, trying to connect with others and get your name out there and be seen.
• 3:23
  Speaker 1: All the things you may make be making your rounds when it comes to workshops or other public speaking events, and you're really trying to be more visible in your local space.
• 3:34
  Speaker 1: But if you are not focusing on reaching those individuals who really can make decisions and drive change, then it's not going to be as effective as if you had a better strategy.
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: So, although your network can be Super helpful for you landing business and connecting with others, connecting with the right people and finding opportunities I want you to continue to do that.
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: But I also want you to think about how you can get out your comfort zone and get in some of these rooms that don't feel as comfortable for you to be in, and usually you don't feel comfortable because you don't know the language of that room, yet you haven't had a chance to really find out what's going on behind the scenes.
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: So this is moving away from preaching to the choir and thinking about how you can actually Observe first so that you can build later.
• 4:26
  Speaker 1: All right, so let's get started, because I think one of the things that is undervalued in most cases is the whole aspect of Networking.
• 4:35
  Speaker 1: Now, if you have not heard of micro networking, this is pretty much just networking on a smaller level.
• 4:41
  Speaker 1: When we think about macro networking, we're thinking about large conferences, or maybe even Networking on a social media channel such as LinkedIn or even Instagram.
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: Those are areas where you have a lot of people, a lot of connecting going on, but the type of connections that you are creating in those moments may not always be high quality.
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: So one of the things that micro networking can offer is the opportunity to create quality connections.
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: Now, what this will look like is, instead of trying to show up at Just the major conferences in your industry, maybe you seek out those local gatherings that are right around you, so that can be a group that's meeting up at a local coffee spot, or maybe it's an online Virtual meetup that's occurring on a regular basis so that people in a particular community that have similar interests and goals begin to reach out and connect with one another and figure out how they can best serve either their audience or Working together to collaborate in some capacity.
• 5:52
  Speaker 1: So this helps because it allows you to create more meaningful and in-depth Connections.
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: You go deeper than the surface level conversation and that's actually where a lot of the change exists, because when you are consulting is all about bringing your new, your fresh or innovative ideas and Seeing how you can solve problems in a way that has more than likely not been explored as of yet.
• 6:20
  Speaker 1: In order to fully understand the problems that exist, you have to be part of that circle.
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: I was actually sharing something online very recently.
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: I was listening to a podcast and it's a very popular podcast that's out there and it was all about how they were sharing the journey of Building out their marketing strategy in the various marketing tactics that they had used, in metrics that they were tracking, and what I noticed is that this phenomenal entrepreneur and podcaster was sharing how she relied on consultants.
• 6:55
  Speaker 1: She mentioned using a consultant multiple times in that episode for different levels of her journey.
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: Number one it stood out that definitely if you're a consultant right now in this space, your services are needed.
• 7:08
  Speaker 1: I mean, there is more than enough opportunity out there for you to really build a thriving business right now in this age.
• 7:15
  Speaker 1: But also, what it really made me think about was the fact that many times we are not in the right circles to listen in on the right conversations.
• 7:27
  Speaker 1: Because what people often focus on when they're starting out and consulting is what they have done in their career or in some other capacity when they have worked before.
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: But we don't really think outside of the box and most often many of these business owners whether it's a small business owner or a large corporation they have already tried or maybe even have people they have hired under the umbrella to solve the basic problems when they're seeking consulting help is for the unusual, it's for the things that are major issues, but those problems may not be commonly mentioned because only a few at a certain level are going to be experiencing those discomforts or those pain points.
• 8:11
  Speaker 1: So if we're not at the right table, then we don't really know that conversation that's ongoing and we don't know how to interject ourselves and to get in the conversation so that we can showcase our expertise and share what we know.
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: This can be super helpful, because what I found is that many consultants know how to help.
• 8:32
  Speaker 1: You know the information, you have the skill, you have the talent, you have the knowledge, but you just don't know what people are looking for and the people you're trying to work with at a higher level.
• 8:44
  Speaker 1: They're in different rooms, they're having different conversations and oftentimes those conversations are not out in the open because of the the sensitivity of the information that's being shared.
• 8:56
  Speaker 1: So what you want to think about is how you can begin to move from this macro level of networking to a micro skill, so that you can connect with the people who you can learn from, not just learning in terms of what they do in their business and their skill set, but learning the problems they face, understanding their verbalization of how they communicate their needs about the problem Right.
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: I want you to think if you're going to an event, if you're going to an event, even if you're using a macro event, how can you break this macro event into a smaller scale?
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: So, if you are going into a conference or a meeting, have you looked ahead of time to see who may be there that you can connect with?
• 9:47
  Speaker 1: Are there certain organizations or businesses that you know may be present, and maybe you want to spark up conversation during those moments where you're at the conference.
• 9:56
  Speaker 1: I can speak for, for instance, the healthcare consulting community, and one thing that I have found helpful is that you will often have a number of experts, or maybe even specialists, that are there as vendors for other types of businesses, and if you are able to meet them and share with them in the midst of many of the trade shows or the showcases or the meeting greets that they may have, the lunch and learn events that they may have, those are opportunities for you to spark up conversation.
• 10:27
  Speaker 1: That's gonna be vastly different from what's going to happen on a larger scale or even when they're in a more controlled environment, because you have the opportunity to genuinely connect and you can figure out what are the things that they're doing or that they are focusing on in that moment that you connect with.
• 10:47
  Speaker 1: That you can help with that, you maybe have an understanding around and that can lead to partnerships or even referrals over time as you begin to connect more and more on a deeper level.
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: So having a very targeted approach, breaking it down to a micro level, is one of the first steps to more effective networking.
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: A thriving consulting business is built on a solid business foundation and a consulting code that leads you toward your ideal business and your ideal lifestyle.
• 11:19
  Speaker 1: And the great thing about this code is that it works for any type of consulting practice, whether you help clients with professional development, business management, grant writing, it or something entirely different.
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: This consulting code is not rocket science and is not beyond your reach, and when you crack the code, it can jumpstart the growth of your solo consulting practice and is what you need to know to get started and lend your first clients, and nothing more.
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: This is a step by step process I wish I had so many years ago, and that's why I wanted to share this with you and how you can do this too.
• 11:55
  Speaker 1: So if you're interested in starting your consulting business and creating a desirable offer to generate leads for your offer and to make sales, then the consulting code is your solution.
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: Visit wwwexcelatconsultingcom for more information.
• 12:15
  Speaker 1: So, after going to so many conferences and so many different meetings, I finally got used to going by myself.
• 12:22
  Speaker 1: It was weird at first.
• 12:23
  Speaker 1: You know you go on a trip or go to a meeting and you're staying in hotels by yourself, you're eating by yourself, you're traveling by yourself to all of the different events, you have your little agenda or your schedule with you and you're kind of checking off where you need to be next.
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: And although that is something that I could easily do, because I was very comfortable being alone and when I was traveling and when I was going to these different events and trying to network and meet people, it was not always the most enjoyable, right?
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: It can be a lot more enjoyable when you have someone to share it with.
• 12:57
  Speaker 1: So this is getting to the second strategy or tactic that you can use, which is to find your collaborative partner.
• 13:06
  Speaker 1: Now, when you are going to a networking event and you're thinking about what will benefit you as a business owner, as an entrepreneur in your space to grow and land more business and more contracts, you may not necessarily know of someone who is going to be searching for the same exact thing as you, trying to carry someone else with you your best friend, your husband, your, you know, whoever it may be that doesn't have any real benefit or tie to the content that's going to be presented or the type of interactions that are going to be present, can be a challenge.
• 13:44
  Speaker 1: So one of the easy ways around that is to think about someone who you may be friends with or have in your network that has a similar need.
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: Maybe you don't offer the same exact service or I will actually recommend that you don't offer the same exact service, but you have complimentary services so maybe you are offering consultation surrounding systems and processes and this other individual is providing some level of service or consultation around being able to hire and develop effective teams.
• 14:18
  Speaker 1: The two of you have similar goals and really a similar target audience, so being able to share in these events together can be extremely helpful for you to expand your network, meet more people and then also support and elevate one another so that you serve as kind of built in social proof that you are legit, that you are credible, that you know your stuff.
• 14:43
  Speaker 1: So in this instance, you want to think about how you can work together to bring that fresh perspective.
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: If you're at a table and you're meeting other individuals and you are, for instance, having conversation over lunch, how can the two of you spark conversation and keep that conversation going?
• 15:04
  Speaker 1: By balancing those ideas around at the table to make sure that the conversation flows.
• 15:09
  Speaker 1: It can be something that is much more effective than if you're sitting there alone by yourself.
• 15:14
  Speaker 1: Also, think about how you can introduce one another to key individuals that you may feel would help that person to grow.
• 15:23
  Speaker 1: So it becomes a way for you to truly share your resources, to cross-promote one another and to also get each other at tables that you, more than likely, would not be able to get to by simply being able to work the room as two individuals versus one.
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: That also is true if you decide to collaborate and host your own workshop.
• 15:47
  Speaker 1: By bringing in two separate audience that are complementary to one another, you are also expanding your visibility, you're expanding your reach and then also, you have once again that built-in social proof, because you're elevating one another on a shared platform.
• 16:04
  Speaker 1: These are the types of strategies that are gonna be most helpful for you, instead of going out as the lone ranger all of the time.
• 16:12
  Speaker 1: Collaboration is healthy.
• 16:14
  Speaker 1: Collaboration will help you grow, collaboration will help you thrive.
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: So when you're thinking about your next event, I want you to figure out who can you collaborate, who can be this collaborative partner that is your friend, your bestie, your road dog, your pal that you're going to share this event with with a common goal to walk away with a more extensive, well-connected network that is going to be more profitable for you and your business in the end.
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: So, if I'm honest, I did not enjoy networking for a long time because I'm not one that's really big on small talk.
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: The thought and the idea of having small talk that I found to be very superficial and really unproductive just gave me hives.
• 17:07
  Speaker 1: So it wasn't until I figured out what my special skill was, what my superpower was in those settings.
• 17:15
  Speaker 1: It wasn't to go and be the life of the party.
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: I'm not an extroverted person, I'm more of an introvert, but I knew that one way to connect with people is to actually be a good listener.
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: When you can show up in a networking space and you're able to actively listen, that is going to be something that's extremely refreshing in that type of environment, because most people go with a mission or goals and individuals that they want to connect with and target, and they're already thinking about what they need to say to pitch their ideas and showcase their expertise and how much they know, and they don't take the opportunity to actively listen to all of the conversation around them and therefore they leave a lot of these events without being able to speak to the true needs and pain points and desires that their target audience actually has.
• 18:09
  Speaker 1: One of the things that can be extremely helpful for you in this space especially if you're someone who is more introverted or maybe if you just don't like a lot of networking that you feel is not authentic is to be the individual that is connecting with others, because you are listening, because you are actively and truly listening to what they have to say, and one way of kind of sparking these levels of interaction and conversation is for you to have your own power question.
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: So the power question is something that can be a conversation starter, and oftentimes, in order for us to listen, we have to get people to talk, meaning that we need to move beyond a yes or no answer or something that is just a quick summary or prepared response that most people have when they're going into these settings.
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: You have to surprise someone with a question that is going a little bit deeper, so that they will open up and share more of their experience and more of their ideas and more of their thoughts with you.
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: Now, power questions can be inspired by the conversation that's going on around you at the time.
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: It can be something that you prepare to ask people when you are in a setting where the conversation is flowing and you want to continue to dive deeper with them, but it's a question that's often open-ended and taps into something that that person would love to talk about.
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: So if you're sitting at a table and someone has just shared a number of their wins that they've had in their business, or maybe they have been talking about some of the challenges that they have recently faced, one question would be well, where do you see yourself going over the next year with some of these challenges in mind?
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: Are these things that you think you can really overcome very easily, or have you looked into other ways to find help with overcoming that obstacle?
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: That is something that's going to open someone up to a greater conversation, or maybe as simple as a topic around trends that may be happening at the time.
• 20:21
  Speaker 1: We know that artificial intelligence is big.
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: Right now.
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: Everybody's talking about how that can potentially take over the world or in their business or give their business a leg up.
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: Everyone has an opinion, so why not lean more into that and maybe ask the question of how can artificial intelligence help you and your company over the next year?
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: You can share that you have been thinking about certain strategies and where you may see things fitting in in your business.
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: But then ask that question of the person that you want to connect with so that they can share their insight as to where they see their business going when it comes to use of artificial intelligence, and what you may find is that their conversation is going to expand not only where they share what they are going to be doing when it comes to artificial intelligence, but they also will begin to talk about, maybe, some of the challenges that they faced and why artificial intelligence is going to be helpful to overcome that, or they're going to be thinking in ways that maybe you realize is not going to be the most effective, and then that allows you to have an entryway to share another strategy or another approach.
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: By really engaging in this deeper conversation, it will uncover a lot of information that you can't uncover by remaining so superficial.
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: So, in addition to going into a micro networking environment, I want you to think about how you can expand on what you're able to walk away with in terms of value from these events by thinking through your ability to actively listen and engage on a much deeper level.
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: Don't focus in those moments on what you want to accomplish, but rather take the time to truly listen, empathize.
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: That is something that is going to resonate with the people that you want to build your network around and with, and I promise that this will lead to more meaningful conversation for you, not just in that event, but as you move forward.
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: Okay, so there's no way to talk about networking without talking about networking in the digital space.
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: Yes, in the online virtual space, we still network.
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: We still have to connect.
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: So in order for us to do that, though, we have to find ways to relate with people so that we don't seem like this very sterile being or something that is not real.
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: People have to be able to feel our energy in order to truly want to engage with us.
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: So, in order for you to effectively network virtually, one of the things you have to do is be authentic, and this sounds easier than it actually is in practice, mainly because most often, as consultants, we feel like we need to give a very polished and professional presence at all times.
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: When we do that, it keeps people from connecting with us.
• 23:25
  Speaker 1: Think about why you are professional.
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: You are professional quote, unquote that traditional definition of professional you are acting professional because you are trying to keep people from knowing certain aspects of your views, your thoughts, your perspective, your personality, your family life.
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: You're trying to keep that hidden or private, and so that keeps people from connecting with you in terms of your core beliefs and values and all these things that will allow your message and your brand to resonate more boldly with them and in order for us to break this mode and this training that we've had for so many years, to show up professionally in the online space or even in our professional environment.
• 24:11
  Speaker 1: It takes effort.
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: It takes effort to allow people to see behind the curtain and to be able to see what's going on behind the scenes, to know more about ourselves.
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: Now, it doesn't mean that you have to share everything in your life, but choose a couple of elements that you feel comfortable with sharing so that people can realize that.
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: Number one you are someone that has feelings, that has thoughts, that struggles the same way that they do, and they will resonate with you.
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: They will want to connect with you, even in these networking circles.
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: So it's extremely important to begin to embrace this level of authenticity.
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: Otherwise, what you'll find is that people will move past you to someone that they feel like they can truly relate to and relate with.
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: I see so many people with very polished and professional online presence where they're maybe talking about the things that they're about to do or the things that they have going on in their business, and not once do they start a conversation about what the other individual who is watching the content or the video.
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: They not once ask them what they are experiencing.
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: They don't talk to the things that may be going on in their lives.
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: So tell me, would you listen to someone who was only talking about themselves?
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: I bet not, and that's the same with most people.
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: So, even if you're trying to use the virtual space to network and to get to know people, you have to begin to invest more time and energy in this level of authenticity that you can show, to be more transparent so that you can invite others to engage with you, and this can work tremendously to build your business, especially if you're in the business to consumer space.
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: But even in the business to business space, we have this misconception that in order to build a business, to land corporate contracts and have a lot of these higher level networking circles and engagements, we think that we need to be very sterile and we need to be very polished, not knowing that.
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: Some of the individuals that are hired and already working in that capacity know the stakeholders and these other leaders on a more intimate level, and it's not always because they were just friends that knew each other for a long time, but they found a connection, a connecting point where they're able to engage more freely.
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: It's one of the reasons why people do so much networking on golf courses and other venues because that's an opportunity to be on the green with someone for hours, spending time working toward a common goal, which is to win that particular match of your golfing, and it allows you to share in the way the weather is outside or maybe see the other person sweat or struggle to carry their bag.
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: All of these things are opportunities to be more authentic, for someone to see you in real life, to experience you and all of the things that you struggle with and realize that you're just the same as they are.
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: It was one of the biggest lessons that I learned that made it easier for me to sell and to pitch and to have conversations with C-suite and other executives and high level stakeholders, because I realized they were just like me, it's not intimidating to go into a room and pitch your services when you know that the people on the other side of that table do the same things that you do.
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: They sweat, like you do.
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: They listen to bad music and trash TV and watch trash TV like you may do.
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: Sometimes.
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: They eat bad foods and go off their diets like you do.
• 27:53
  Speaker 1: They have struggles with their kids or maybe with their teens from time to time, like you do.
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: They're people and when we are allowing ourselves to open up and be a little bit more vulnerable, we can see and experience what that can do in terms of sparking and starting conversation around topics that don't necessarily align with your business, but build a level of comfort so that when the problems arise related to business, they're going to come to you.
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: That's what the process of building true, authentic relationships, especially online, is centered around, and what I often tell clients when they're having difficulty building their network or maybe even finding clients online.
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: I often share that you will have more success.
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: The more conversations you have.
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: The more people that you engage with on a more authentic level, where the conversation is flowing and you're engaging about topics that may have absolutely nothing to do with your business, the more likely you are gonna be to work with that individual in the future.
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: I guarantee it.
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: And when we don't do that, we block ourselves from a lot of these opportunities, not just for business immediately, but also to build our network to include individuals that are going to be more apt to recommend us and share our work with others.
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: So being very authentic when you are interacting, even in the digital space, is really the key to being able to network more effectively.
• 29:28
  Speaker 1: So I want to just recap, because we talked about a lot as we've gone through this episode and I want to just share kind of like a clear action plan of things that you may consider trying as you are building and expanding your network.
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: The first is to truly embrace micro networking.
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: So moving away from just networking on a macro level and approaching larger conferences and larger groups to really connecting with people on a micro level, thinking about smaller interactions, smaller local events, even within a larger conference, breaking out into smaller communities that may be present or smaller groups that may be part of that larger conference or platform, can be extremely helpful in you being able to have deeper conversations with others, also having that collaborative partner.
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: So want to go with you and for you to share your network with one another, share the opportunities with one another, promote one another and really elevate the presence of one another in that space is extremely helpful.
• 30:34
  Speaker 1: Then we talked about active listening.
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: You want to be the one in the room listening to us being said, not just trying to get your word out next, because if you're trying to just wait for the opportunity to talk into, kind of throw out your elevator pitch and to sell yourself, you're not listening.
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: You're constantly thinking about what you're going to say and instead what we want to do is actively listening so we can hear the conversations around us and know exactly how we can help both now and in the future.
• 31:03
  Speaker 1: And then we want to have those power questions that we're able to raise to allow the conversation to continue, so that we don't just drop off with a very superficial engineering answer.
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: We want to take the conversation deeper.
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: We want to get to know our network in on a much deeper level.
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: We want to connect on a much deeper level, and having that power question can allow us to do that because it's open ended and allows the conversation to flow.
• 31:32
  Speaker 1: And last but not least, when networking virtually, you have to be authentic so you can invite more conversation in.
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: That is going to help you connect with others and to expand your network and also possibly land a few clients along the way.
• 31:47
  Speaker 1: So I hope that this helps.
• 31:49
  Speaker 1: I hope when you're thinking about networking, you're thinking about how you can do this more effectively.
• 31:54
  Speaker 1: It's not just about showing up in a room.
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: It's not just about getting into the mix and being able to take a picture with someone.
• 32:02
  Speaker 1: What you are actually doing is getting into that space so that you can build upon these connections that you are superficially making and take them a lot deeper.
• 32:14
  Speaker 1: That will translate into a network that is not only a stack of business cards or a stack of numbers in your cell phone or pictures in your cell phone, but truly becomes a scenario where you can walk away, connect with that individual after you have been at an event and share something in common, be able to speak to them in greater depth about a conversation at a later date.
• 32:38
  Speaker 1: Those are your goals when you're networking and those are the goals, if you accomplish them, that are going to be more beneficial to growing your business in the end.
• 32:48
  Speaker 1: All right, so if you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to share it with a friend.
• 32:52
  Speaker 1: The more you can share this podcast episode, the more it's going to help to increase the number of women in consulting, especially women of color.
• 32:59
  Speaker 1: And also, don't forget leave your review on Apple Podcasts, your five star review, apple Podcasts, as well as your rating on Spotify.
• 33:08
  Speaker 1: I would greatly appreciate it.
• 33:10
  Speaker 1: It helps the podcast to grow and also connect with me on social media.
• 33:15
  Speaker 1: Look, I like to network, and many of you who are listeners of this podcast know that if you reach out to me on LinkedIn or Instagram, I am all about having conversation and connecting with you, because I want this podcast although it is me talking into this microphone to feel and be a community.
• 33:32
  Speaker 1: I want this to be a back and forth conversation.
• 33:35
  Speaker 1: So when you connect with me and share something that you've learned on the podcast, it not only warms my heart, but it gives me an opportunity to also share with you on a greater level or to a deeper extent on around these topics.
• 33:50
  Speaker 1: All right, guys, I hope that you have a great week and I will talk to you very soon.
• 33:55
  Speaker 1: Take care Bye.
• 33:57
  Speaker 1: Thank you for tuning in to the Black Girls Console 2 podcast.
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: If you enjoyed today's episode, be sure to leave your review on Apple Podcasts, subscribe and share it with a friend.
• 34:10
  Speaker 1: We're on a mission to increase the success and longevity of women in consulting, and you can help us do that Also.
• 34:18
  Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you, so let's connect at Dr Angelina Davis on Instagram or LinkedIn, and don't forget to visit excelatconsultingcom for more information to support your consulting journey.
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: Until next time, take care.