Remember these 7 little words...

Early in my career, I made a big mistake. I thought that networking required me to talk to anyone and everyone. No matter what.

Ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you I love to talk. What they might not know is that small talk drains the f*ck out of me. Because I like to get into the details. I want to know where you’re from and how you tick. Don’t tell me about your train ride to the event unless you love public transport.

But somehow, without fail, I always find myself cornered by the one person at an event who won’t stop talking about how amazing they are. For years, anxiety and social niceties meant that I allowed it. I didn’t stop them or try to change the subject, and I let the conversation drain my energy. I found myself hating every single networking event because I didn’t know how to set the right boundaries.

I had forgotten why I came to the networking event in the first place.

They say your network is your net worth. But what do you do if you'd rather swim with the sharks than attend another awkward networking event or happy hour with your coworkers?

No matter where you work, networking is a necessary evil (ahem, 85% of people find jobs, partnerships, and new opportunities through their network alone). But for those of us with anxiety, they can be another source of stress that we just don’t want to deal with.

When you recognize that you have total agency over which events you choose, who you talk to, and how you show up - the process becomes much less daunting, I promise.

Every event should serve 1 of 3 purposes:

1. Answer a question.

2. Introduce you to someone new.

3. Open you to new opportunities.

But how often do you strategize how you show up at these events? If you’re like young Regan, probably never.

This is THE episode for ANYONE who wants to network without the energy suck.

This week, we’re focusing on how you can hone your conversation skills and shine like the diamond I know you are in order to build the right connections without hating every second of it.

We touch on how to talk to anyone, the key to making a lasting impression, and some of my favorite books that single-handedly built my self-confidence.

I’ll leave you with my favorite tip. Remember how I used to get trapped in conversations? I cracked the code. Next time this happens to you, all you need to do is use these 7 words, and I promise you’ll end the conversation quickly without feeling rude, aggressive, or guilty (not that you needed to anyway!)

“It’s been so great chatting with you.”

That’s it: short, sweet, and to the point. It’s time to wrap up. Follow with “I have to get going” or “let me get your phone number”… or don’t. It’s up to you.

Don’t forget that you are in total control of where you spend your precious energy.

Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to follow along on socials to keep updated over the next few weeks. (I promise it’s not all bunny content.)

xoxo, Regan

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