Networking & Self Promotion
So Many Ways to Tell a Story
My nephew Andrew wants to be a tattoo artist. Over the last few years he’s gotten several, large, tattoos. Recently he applied to become an apprentice at a tattoo shop near his college. Back in January he and I had lunch before he went back to school. Since no one in my immediate family has…
Read MoreThe Importance of Sharing What Matters
Last Wednesday I hosted four friends for a casual get together in my back yard. Here’s what’s interesting – these 4 people had never met prior. Bringing strangers together – for business or for fun – can be a risk. As a host, it leaves me with questions like: Will people find commonality or have…
Read MoreThe People Appreciation Edition
Last week at the Virtual Networking Café the theme during the breakouts was gratitude. I chose gratitude for several reasons: We met on Veterans Day It’s November, which although cliché, is a month associated with giving thanks It’s not something I practice regularly. (I wrote about gratitude here. I’m going to revisit the question posed. A teeny…
Read More[Public] Speaking is Easier With the Right Support
Last week my husband and I grabbed a sandwich and drove out to the tip of Hull, MA to sit by the water, take in the city views and unbeknownst to us, check out the cargo ships up close and personal. At one point we witnessed this giant tanker getting guided through the narrow channel…
Read More10 Networking Conversation Starters (That Aren’t “What do you do?”)
It’s a big part of my mission to get rid of the question, “So, what do you do?” as a conversation starter. Why? Because more often than not it creates tension and shuts a conversation DOWN. If the person asking doesn’t understand what you do, care about what you do or have a need for what you do,…
Read MoreHow NOT to Self-Promote
Over the Summer, my 17 year old cat Habibi (means dear friend in Arabic) started waking me up before the sun at 4:30 am. While I consider myself an early riser, 4:30 is waaaay too early for me. He’s hungry and relentless at that hour. Breathing (purring) in my face, swatting my cheeks with his…
Read MoreLet’s Talk About Social Media – Love it or hate it?
Do you ever long for the good old days? You know, when people talked to each other face-to-face and didn’t rely on social media to “network”, promote themselves or share what they had for dinner in their tiny house or mega yacht? This week alone I had 3 conversations with 3 different people about our…
Read MoreAre you Afraid to Be Seen?
I was on a Zoom call last week with Alice (not her real name) talking about a fundraising event she’s hosting in October. As she explained her vision for the day: Women gathering Panel conversation and/or mini workshops on leadership Handful of vendors I noticed she had taken herself entirely out of the event. So…
Read MoreDig Deep: How to have more meaningful business conversations
Last week I spent a few days of vacation with my cousins at the beach. (Nothing exotic, Narraganset, RI) It was soul filling. We laughed, cried, and ate homemade hummus. What can I say, we’re Middle Eastern. We always have the best time. And not only because we grew up together, but because of the…
Read MoreAre You Languishing?
Languishing is a buzz word for 2021. You might feel “blah” if you’re languishing. Low energy, lost work motivation, tired of cooking every meal at home. Lots of people I’m talking to lately feel this way. And I’m not immune, either. So, if the “blah’s” got you down, you’re not alone. This is important and…
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