🐋 Networking can be gross
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Yes, networking can feel gross. 😬
And yes, we’ve all had encounters networking that still make us cringe months later.
Why? Because socializing in the sole pursuit of personal gain rubs up against our conscience. (And for good reason!)
We’re built to pursue emotional support, friendship, and social ties that emerge naturally. We’ve been doing this since we were born—it’s hardwired. 🌱
So it’s no wonder so many people feel uncomfortable networking.
But the thing is: it doesn’t have to be this way. 💫
If you’d rather allow authentic, fun, and mutually beneficial connections to just happen…
You’re at just the right place. 😇
We’ve put together 3 approaches that will help you make the transition ⬇️
1. Stop playing the numbers game
A metric networking goal is an excellent tool to push you out of your comfort zone and meet more people.
Just don’t focus too much on the numbers—because quality is better than quantity ✨
5-10 genuine and helpful friends > 500+ contact list that leaves you on read
A close friend isn’t just more willing to help you—they’re also going to be enthusiastic about it because they genuinely want to see you succeed. 💙
So spend your networking resources focusing on developing real relationships with people. Take the pressure off of getting referrals and focus on having meaningful conversations instead. 🧚
Be present, open, and kind with others and if there’s a way you can benefit each other, it will come to the surface naturally. 🪴
2. Make friends not connections
Meeting someone new for the first time can be scary. And let’s face it—awkward. 😰
So create fun and comfortable environments that encourage friendships to develop.
Small settings: you’ll have better luck sparking up a connection with someone at a friend’s get-together than at a massive networking event.
Mutual friends: having a shared friend introduce you to each other and hang out with you both as you get to know each other will nearly eliminate all chances of awkwardness. 😎 (more on this in the next section ⬇️ )
Fun activity: talk to each other while doing something fun together like chess, a card game, painting, etc. Simply put, have fun and enjoy each other’s company.
3. Rely on mutuals and have fun
In the world of genuine and natural networking, this is the golden scenario:
A close friend introduces you to a new group of people. 👯
And in that group, you hit it off with someone and make plans to hang out.
And through them, you meet another friend of theirs you enjoy…
Eventually, you’ll have a network of friends that want to see and help each other succeed. It’s a beautiful thing! ⚡️
And guess what! Asking friends for referrals isn’t awkward. 🙏
TL;DR: You don’t have to *network* you can just make friends instead. 😁
You seriously have so much potential. ⭐️
So stop leaving your business ideas to collect dust on a shelf. 😔
Every aspiring founder faces the same difficulty—ideas are easy to come by, but bringing them to life is a whole different story.
Whether you lack the tools, the expertise, the collaborators or the motivation, Day Zero solves for it. 💥
Engage with like-minded aspiring founders as well as serial entrepreneurs.
Explore new business ideas and leverage tools and playbooks to master the validation process.
Ultimately you'll learn what it takes to launch a new business while taking the steps to get your own ideas off the ground.
(They’re a new community but have already helped over 200 people launch startups like Zette and Reconcile!) 🚀
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Product Marketing Analyst, TikTok
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Written by Jacqueline Mastrelli