I thought I would be the oldest. I had no clue what to wear. Or what to say. Or even how to break the ice. I was going to my first EVER in-person networking event. I’ve never held a position to have to network. Yes, Julie Roick. Self-proclaimed introvert and anti-social was going to be breaking all her rules.
I paced in the house before I jumped in the car. Will I be the only one with gray hair? Are these Birkenstock clogs ok? Does this shirt go with these pants (both black, of course)? I had 45 minutes to contemplate all of the things that could go wrong or even turn around, but I chose to listen to my favorite teacher, Russ Hudson, teach me something new. I chose to be present and not contemplate my very near future.
I got there 20 minutes early. Looked around. It was pretty quiet. The facilitator had told me to get there a bit early to settle in. Another newbie showed up. We decided within about 5 minutes we were both in the wrong place. He quickly looked up the right location and we were within walking distance so we braved the rain together and practiced our small talk on the way. Thank the Universe for him.
We arrived, sopping wet and a little later than we both wanted. I was asked for my business cards. My business cards? Well, I did have this new cool digital card I could swipe to your phone but no hard copies. Apparently, the business card is a big thing with this group. Strike One.
By then, I had to use the bathroom which felt like a mile away. Running down the hallway and back, I was a bit disheveled when I returned as they had started the meeting (Strike Two) but I quickly surveyed the room, and a “visitor greeter” showed me the way to my seat. Breathe, Julie. You’ve got this.
The group was welcoming and very organized. I was most likely the oldest woman but maybe not the oldest person (why does this even matter?!). I chose wisely. I was relieved. Each person gets 60 seconds to talk about the market they were looking for. There were about 35 of us. It was my turn and quickly blurted out my name, and my “pitch” - I help teams and individuals uncover their inner patterns for less stress and more compassion (or something like that). I proceeded to say we owned a gym and although I have been a personal trainer for 20 years, I wasn’t planning on spending the next 20 years training people in my gym. This is my next chapter. Phew. I got that over with. I made eye contact around the room. I didn’t stutter or look uncomfortable (I hope). The outfit was fine.
After the meeting, I chatted with the woman, Julia, who was my “visitor greeter.” She told me about her experience with the group and that she got 100% of her business from it. I was beginning to think I chose really wisely.
After a year on LinkedIn having made some good connections, I could tell quickly that my shift from virtual to in-person was going to be the change I needed to launch my practice. The vibe in the room, the comradery, and the support all put my fears at ease. I was relieved to know I could put my social media content stress on the way back burner and actually just show up - in person, in real life. This felt very right to me. This felt authentic.
All of those stories I played in my head about my age, what to wear, what to say were future-based. Fear and anxiety are future-based. Make the decision that pushes you. Show up in presence and the Universe will show you the way. I leaned into my fears and a lot of rain and a little small talk with a stranger showed me the way. I didn’t hit a home run, but I definitely leaned into the pitch - one I plan to refine over and over again for as long as I am a BNI (Business Network International) member. Overcoming Fear = Growth.