In our new series, Selfmade U, we’ll tackle the most common questions and pain points that come up for business owners with tips and tricks from Selfmade, a virtual business coaching program, led by Brit + Co founder Brit Morin and sponsored by Office Depot OfficeMax. We’ll hear from Selfmade alum, business coaches, and Brit herself on what it takes to run a successful business and make it as an entrepreneur.
Networking as a solopreneur, especially an introverted one, can be a little scary and easy to put off. But there are simple ways you can connect with other entrepreneurs that can be helpful for your business growth and your spirit as you navigate the sometimes-lonely journey of entrepreneurship. “Networking is a mutually beneficial relationship based on trust and exchange of information,” says coach Emily Merrell in her Selfmade workshop, How to Network Like a Pro. “It’s that feeling of learning from someone but also expanding with that person.”
Christine Tong, founder of Christine My Linh, applied for an Office Depot OfficeMax scholarship to Selfmade when she reached a point in her business where she felt stuck and needed to collaborate with others. “I knew I needed to do something different because I couldn’t accomplish my vision working in isolation and alone anymore,” says Tong. “I think the best ideas that make the most impact are an accumulation of your own thoughts and experiences and those of others. That’s when magic happens.”
Winner of the Selfmade Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Tong creates illustrations and stories to guide creative women away from negative self-talk and toward building their self-esteem, something she struggled with early in her personal journey. “Growing up in a strict Vietnamese and Cantonese household, I learned that being obedient and agreeable made me a good daughter,” she recalls. “These habits helped me to finish school at the top of my class, but as an adult, these habits only made me fear rejection, disappointment, and failure.”
She started a bullet journal in 2017 and created two characters, Bunny and the Bear, who would go on adventures to overcome their fears, helping her to face her own. “At that time, I had no idea that my stories and characters would gently inspire change in so many others as well. The truth is, we all have the power to write our next chapter.”
That next chapter would mean a thriving business and an outlet for expressing her gentle creativity. “The scholarship opportunity, Selfmade’s mission, and my desire to grow, led me here, a step I didn’t know I needed to grow in confidence,” says Tong. “Knowing my mission, honing in on my idea, meeting imaginative women was such an inspiration.”
Coach Merrell suggests starting to build your network now so that you have established solid relationships when it’s time to ask questions or ask for feedback. “Build your network when you aren’t looking and tap it when you are,” she says. Here are more tips to get comfortable with networking:
Find your community: There are many avenues for networking and they don’t all require leaving the house. You can connect online through Selfmade and other digital communities and online events. If you prefer IRL interactions, try your local coffee shop, local meetups, and coworking spaces. Charitable groups are a way to do good for your community while building your network. Even places like the dog park or a fitness class could offer good networking opportunities.
“In Selfmade I was able to connect with others in a safe place, which makes networking much easier,” says Tong. “Knowing that we are on similar paths with similar experiences helps us to connect faster. And because of this I was able to validate my ideas, gain reassurance on a few pain points, and feel encouraged to keep going within membership.”
Get in the right mindset. Not motivated to get out and mingle and talk about your business? Merrell suggests identifying something that activates your networking alter ego. Wear something that makes you feel confident, such as your favorite leather jacket, a certain color lipstick, a necklace that comforts you. Then consider the impact just one good contact could have on your business and your outlook as a founder.
“As a split introvert and extrovert personality, I find it difficult to stay consistent and energized with connecting with others. But as an entrepreneur, connection is important to the success of my business and in developing new products or ideas,” says Tong. “When I’m faced with the opportunity to network, I mentally list out the pros and cons and remind myself that discomfort is mainly short lived but the possibilities can be life-changing.”
Set an intention. Decide what you want to get out of a networking opportunity. Take it slow if you’re not totally comfortable at first. “To this day, I still sweat when I’m talking to someone new but I’ve learned that I don’t need to rush into a conversation,” adds Tong. “I’ll choose to take deep breaths and to listen first. I’ll focus on the other person and ask questions. Eventually and naturally, it’ll feel more like a friendly conversation than networking.” That’s the thing about networking – like friendship, it goes both ways. Sometimes you help them, and they help you and that’s what makes the opportunity so rewarding.
Not sure where to start? Merrell suggests simple conversation starters like giving a compliment, being aware of cues of connectivity, making cultural conversation (motherhood, similar interests, same college/city, etc), or helping to serve food or clean up at an event to connect with others.
Follow up: When you do connect with someone who seems like a good business contact, send an email or DM in the moment, says Merrell.
“Fortunately, I have met a handful of other entrepreneurs and women in business throughout the years by reaching out through email or saying ‘yes’ to things that I’m afraid to do, like an interview,” adds Tong. “I now have a circle I can count on and that has been sustaining my joy and my business. This journey of entrepreneurship and life in general is definitely more fun with a friend or a few.”
As you start to build your network, you’ll find your confidence grows because your learnings will expand along the way. Thanks to her Selfmade membership and pitch win, Tong can accomplish more in her business with new friends by her side, greater knowledge and experience, and Office Depot products and services. “I’m looking forward to getting a large color-graded computer monitor to help me achieve better color accuracy for my artwork and printing process,” she says. “It seems so simple, but a good monitor means better videos, more accurate prints, stickers, and everything that makes my business run and look pretty.”
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Illustrated by Daniela Jordan-Villaveces
Networking can open new doors for you and your business. Office Depot OfficeMax can help you organize & save time with a suite of business services & solutions to help you accomplish more. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. Office Depot OfficeMax can support you in so many ways on your entrepreneurial journey.
