I recently went on a trip to LA with 5 other ladies and let me tell you, this ended up being one of the best trips I've ever been on! I'd been to LA once before but this trip was made great by the people I went with - and the time of year we went definitely helped!
6 different ladies with 6 different professions/industry backgrounds, but 1 common goal - to network, build and bond. We visited LA during Grammy season, which meant there was so much going on and so many people to meet.
Networking is key when it comes to the hustle, and being surrounded by like minded individuals can be a great help. So here are 3 things my trip to LA taught me about networking.
Network differently!
There's no right way to network. It's not always about going to mixers or specific networking events. Put yourself in environments you wouldn't ordinarily be in; social events, random encounters in random locations - or by deciding to go on a trip with a group of people you've never met!
Although I knew all of the ladies on the trip, I only knew 3 of them really well. The rest of them didn't really know each other well, and some first met when we got to the apartment! We all put ourselves in a new environment and just hoped for the best! (Thank God everyone had the same level of hygiene and general manners LOL).
We all shared the same mindset, so we moved in the same way and everyone brought everyone in. If one person met someone they felt suited another person's industry, they called that person over for an introduction. It was a seamless operation!
Be clear about what you're networking for.
Everyone everywhere is networking for something. In LA, that's 10 times worse! You don't want to be the person people sideline because you're unsure of what you're looking for. I went to LA with the clear intention of networking for tour management, and Love Thy Fro: The Musical. Be clear about what you're networking for so you can move with purpose!
Persistence is key - don't give up.
Before I got to LA, there was someone in particular I really wanted to connect with. I started the work from home and sent them an email before I left London. They sent me back a positive response and I was excited at the prospect of connecting with this person I really respected. But I didn't hear anything from them at all while in LA, even after a follow up email, so didn't get to meet. It would've been easy to give up and see that potential connection as a short term thing, but I decided to drop another email to which the person responded positively, showing me my persistence now had me on this person's radar. God-willing our schedules align and I will meet with them in the near future!
Don't expect anything from anyone.
I say this in the least shadiest way ever - don't expect anything from anyone. Take everything with a pinch of salt. People will say a lot and do a little (if anything at all). That's okay. If someone brings you in, introduces you to someone or helps you out in any way, take that as a bonus. Some people may have the purest intentions when they offer to help, but many people won't follow through. No one owes you anything. Charge it to the game.
Don't take things personally.
If someone refuses to take your business card, follow you back on Instagram or responds in a way that feels like you're being brushed off, don't take it personally. People are busy, and not everyone is in a space where they're able to help someone else. There are so many people trying to network for the same things that you may not always be successful. Don't take this personally! Just keep it moving. What's for you won't pass you by.
Stay ready!
You never know who you might meet, where you might meet them or how you might meet them. No matter what, always have your hustle hat on and stay ready! Make sure you're always portraying a positive perception of yourself. I met people on a night out, in the line to a club, in a restaurant and at church! You just never know, so make sure you don't get caught out!
These were some of the key takeaways I got from networking in LA, but these can be applied anywhere in the world. Networking is networking regardless of your time zone. Ultimately, you just have to present your best self and let them know why they need to know who you are!
Keep up with my leap of faith journey, and my occasional nuggets of faith, over on Instagram @CaseyElisha_!
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