Finding Power & Connection Virtually
Entrepreneurs in the recent XcelerateHer and Catapult Grey Bruce International Women’s Week Mentor Mash pledge to #ChoosetoChallenge (the 2021 IWD theme).
Whether you love networking events or not, there's no question the pandemic has changed how we connect today.
After a year of working remotely, physical distancing and servicing our customers from behind a screen (both digitally and physically) the value of human connection seems to have never been so important.
Humans are creatures that thrive through social connection and entrepreneurs are no exception.
This has been proven to us through some recent networking events. Despite "Zoom fatigue", we're finding opportunities for true connection can be extremely refreshing and valuable, even when done virtually like last month's XcelerateHer Mentor Mash co-hosted with Georgian College's Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre.
"This was the most invigorating event I've been to in a long time. I left feeling excited and motivated for the future of our local women entrepreneurs," said Courtney Denard, our board chairperson, about participating in the Mentor Mash.
An invigorating online event?! It's true! These networking events not only provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to step back from the day to day and talk about what is happening in their business, but they are fun!
Some events, like the Mentor Mash are more structured with time limits and specific questions or objectives for participating entrepreneurs.
Others, like the new Wednesday Warm-Ups we are co-hosting with The Hub and Grey county Business Enterprise Centre, are more informal. There's a topic to spark conversation but the event is more fluid.
Jenn Walker, founder of Dive Heart First and XcelerateHer Mentor Mash keynote speaker.
Particularly for entrepreneurs who are newer to Grey-Bruce or have launched a business in the past year, meeting others in their sector has been made more difficult by COVID-19. These events have been valuable to provide new connections.
So, how can you make the most of these events?
Jenn Walker, Dive Heart First founder and business coach, suggests crafting both your personal introduction ("elevator pitch") and your "ask" before you log into the event.
Your elevator pitch is a succinct statement that answers three key questions about your business:
What is your product or service?
Who is your target market?
Why do they buy from you? This is often the problem you solve for them or the result they get from buying your product or service.
When it comes to your ask, frame it by briefly sharing:
What is the challenge / opportunity your business is facing
What action you have taken to address it
What do you need?
The more events you attend and practice your introduction and ask, the more concise and natural both will become and you will be more likely to make connections at these events that will help grow your business!
Have you participated in virtual networking events lately that have benefited your business? We would love to hear about the event and how they helped you; reply in the comments below!