Healthy dose of anxiety
LinkedIn was always my least favorite social media platform, not because of any issues with the user interface or an evidently predictable feed, but merely because of the anxiety that came as a result of logging in. As a self-aware person, I can admit my strengths and weaknesses, emphasis on the weaknesses. Networking doesn’t get me excited. Hyper-independence had served me well up until this point so the notion of fostering a community of like-minded individuals seemed fruitless. At a staggering 24 years on this Earth, I knew everything that there was to know about the world.
Unhappy with where I was at, I dove nose-first into LinkedIn in hopes of the perfect lead to pull me out of this rut I found myself in. After weeks of digging through connections of connections, I came across The Marketing Meetup. The event was described as a casual gathering for marketers in the Seattle area, a space for digital media nerds to truly nerd out without judgment. I was new to the industry, with only a year’s-worth of creative background working for a fashion retailer. If there was a time for Imposter syndrome to kick in, this was it, and it did. I was going to be surrounded with agency veterans with decades of ad experience. They would have deep insight, comprehensive questions, even sophisticated nuances to contribute to the presentation.
I was thoroughly intimidated so naturally I waited until the day prior to book the ticket. I decided that there was no question that I would probably make a fool of myself (a strength to even out the weakness from earlier), but logically I could only gain from this experience. Even if I didn’t have an extensive portfolio, or any agency experience, I could be an unpretentious sponge, ready to observe and absorb. The Cloud Room (a well-designed, open-concept coworking space that I could dedicate a whole blog post to) hosted this event. I arrived 30 minutes early and set up shop in the Good Weather Bicycle & Café directly below the venue.
The adrenaline coursing through my veins matched the ones of the bicyclists bringing in their bikes following their strenuous routes. I did some light reading into current events in the media space (Twitter having had monopolized the news feed). It was finally time, and I marched up the stairs to the top floor of the Cloud Room. I was immediately met with a wall of tall backs draped in black suit jackets. Suppressing the intense temptation to turn around and run to my car, I gently slithered through the crowd and made my way to the bar. I had never relied on gin more than I had in this very moment.
I was alone, sipping my drink, scanning the room and realizing that I had missed the memo of bringing a friend. A lovely gentleman who worked out of the Cloud Room noticed the discomfort plastered on my face and pulled me into a conversation. He then proceeded to introduce me to his group of colleagues (they all worked at a local PR firm together) who were all incredibly warm.
Before I knew it, the speaker-Rand Fishkin was getting ready to present. Fishkin, an authority in the industry, had dedicated much of his professional career to researching digital media marketing trends. The room fell silent, with occasional participation by enthused listeners. I capitalized on the stillness of the atmosphere by closely noting comments and questions being posed by the audience. Fishkin was nearing the end of his talk, and I was nearing the end of the terms of my parking. I cordially bid farewell to the folks I had gotten to know over the course of this evening, even topping off the parting with jokes about their quirks. It felt personal, it felt comfortable. I may have left with tangible addresses to LinkedIn profiles, however, this time they were associated with earnest connection, instead of shallow obligation. My goal is to attend more meetings near me, not doubting that there is plenty of awkwardness and tired small talk ahead of me.
The Marketing Meetup summarized perfectly what I have spent this entire post trying to convey: “Networking events are reeeeeeally intimidating for a lot of people…create an environment where saying hello to a new person or someone stood by themselves is totally normal and seen as a good thing.”
