JaM with Confidence

“Networking? No, that’s not for me!”
“I wouldn’t even know what to say and I’ll be so awkward”
“It’s better to avoid it all and not go!”
Sound familiar?
Yes, that was me too, 3 years ago when I started this online business with Jessie Yu
Didn’t think that networking was important, but later learnt that it is more than just meeting people, but practicing the skill of showing up for you and your business
An opportunity to represent who you are as a person, your values, your beliefs and what matters to you
By choosing not to attend a networking event, you are indirectly sharing that who you are, what you do isn’t as important and it’s not worth discussing
And we all know that is not true, right?
Who you are and what you do does matter and you get to show up and share it with others!
We know that it can definitely be scary to attend a networking event, especially if it’s the first one you’ve joined, but have no fear, Jessie and I will be taking things slow, like a sloth
At our event called “Slow Networking”, we focus on building meaningful connections first, and at the human level before diving into your business.
The reason why is because, sometimes, we get so caught up in the mission of “I got to give my business cards to EVERYONE tonight” that we lose sight of the importance of cultivating a genuine relationship
Quality over quantity
Remember that people will forget what you said, and what you did, but they will always remember how you made them feel
So, rather than hustling to give business cards, choose to focus on what it feels like to focus and connect at a human level.
If this calls to you, and you want to take things slow with networking to share who you are and also build and cultivate genuine relationships, grab your ticket and join us on Thursday, May 30th 2024 in Toronto at 1-3PM EST (Link in the comments)

😪 “I don’t want to start all over again.”

This is a sentiment that we hear repeatedly from teachers, and one I felt when I was thinking about pursuing a different path from teaching ESL at a college.

😖 The thought of transitioning was scary and unknown. It felt safer to just stay with what I knew. I was already getting paid a decent amount. I knew how things worked. I knew I was a good teacher.

😔 Also, what skills did I have outside of teaching? Didn’t feel that I did have any. That I was even good enough for something else, so I never tried.

Felt if I wanted to switch, I had to go back to school and get more qualifications.

One thing I learned from starting this entrepreneurial journey is that you are never truly starting from scratch.

Your own experiences, life, work, relationships all take a place in becoming who you are today. You learned and grew and many of those skills you acquired are transferrable in different settings.

You are never starting all over again. All your experiences matter and are transferrable in different contexts.

🧐 Those times where you had to think on your feet as a parent to persuade your kids to do something they didn’t want? That is sales.

🧐 The times where you spent all that time planning for your class? Organizational skills for planning events or hosting workshops.

🧐 The times you spent painting as a hobby? You could be creating a painting course for people to learn from. You can even start promoting your work and selling it.

These are just some examples. Think about how much more you have to offer.

Yes, you may still have to learn something new. But, if you weren’t doing that, how would you be expected to continue to grow? Isn’t life all about growing and becoming a better version of you so you can achieve your definition of success and happiness?

The next time you think, I can’t do this, or I want something different, but I am not good enough. Remember this, you are good enough! You are more than enough! 💜