32 - Robbie Samuels TEDx Speaker and Business Strategy Coach Talks About How to Nurture Your Network and How to Build Relationships

Meet Robbie Samuels, keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, and relationship-based business strategy coach who has been recognized as a "networking expert" by Harvard Business Review Ascend. Robbie joins me this week to talk about networking. This episode is a reminder that even during a global pandemic, where conferences have been canceled and workplace dynamics have shifted, you can still find ways to engage with your network. Robbie shares some ways in which you can nurture your connections and how to recognize the ways in which you can be helpful to your community at large. Enjoy!  Learn more about Robbie: Robbie is also the host of #NoMoreBadZoom Virtual Happy Hour, a popular weekly virtual event that explores new ways to design engaging virtual experiences. He is the author of the best-selling business book Croissants vs. Bagels: Strategic, Effective, and Inclusive Networking at Conferences. He is also the host of On the Schmooze podcast which features his networking strategies and talented professionals sharing untold stories of leadership and networking. He is the creator of The 5% Advantage Program, a four-week experiential program that helps presenters grow in their confidence with Zoom technology, online facilitation, and virtual event design so they can reduce their tech angst and host more engaging online experiences that meet the purpose of the convening and participants' need for content and connection. He assists organizations with bringing their in-person events strategically online as a Virtual Event Design Consultant, Virtual Emcee, and Zoom Producer. He has been profiled in the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Fast Company. He writes for Harvard Business Review Ascend. His clients include associations, women's leadership summits, and corporations including Marriott, AmeriCorps, Hostelling International, and General Assembly. He has been featured in several books including Stand Out: How to Find Your Breakthrough Idea and Build a Following Around It by Dorie Clark and The Connector's Advantage: 7 Mindsets to Grow Your Influence and Impact by Michelle Tillis Lederman. He has guest lectured at many leading educational institutions including Harvard University, Brown University, Cornell University, and Northeastern University. Tune in to hear Robbie's thoughts pertaining to: The importance of setting an intention before attending a conference or event. (9:27) How to be intimate when in a virtual networking situation. (13:12) One network hack with strangers in a virtual environment. (15:49) Your network is an insurance policy, you don't build a network hoping you need to use it. Regularly nurture and sustain your connections. (17:35) Relationships are the answer to every business or life challenge. (19:21) Robbie's Gutsy Move moment: Robbie shares his wife's gusty networking move that helped her change careers. Plus, how to make cold connections and leverage your network (20:00) A reminder: people are receptive! (22:03) How to impress people: say what you are going to do and then do it quickly. (27:46) Why helping people feel included is important to Robbie. (33:51) Being inclusive and relationship-building go hand in hand. (38:11) How to network with people who are different from yourself. (43:09) A Harvard Study that found networking makes people feel dirty. (46:53) Humanity and authenticity, and how to be more human. (51:10) Links to quench your curiosity:   Follow Robbie on Instagram Explore Robbie's insights and add his podcast to your list Buy his book Croissants vs. Bagels: Strategic, Effective, and Inclusive Networking at Conferences www.RobbieSamuels.com Stand Out: How to find your breakthrough idea and build a following around it by Dorie Clark www.NoMoreBadZoom.com - Robbie's free weekly Virtual Happy Hour www.the5percentadvantage.com - my four-week experiential program that helps presenters grow in their confidence with Zoom, online facilitation, and virtual event design The Harvard Study Robbie mentioned during our conversation.  Learn more about the BOOST Your Market Value: An End-To-End On Demand Job Search System Focused On Helping You Stand Out. Code PODCAST for $100 off.