The Truth About Networking: How Women Can Find Their Tribe and Grow Their Business

Host Guelda Redman welcomes listeners to season two of the Elevating Women in Business Podcast and shares the “truth about networking” based on her experience founding the BC Women’s Business Network (est. January 2017). She addresses common fears women feel when attending networking for the first time—social anxiety, not knowing expectations, and feeling like an outsider—and emphasizes that everyone has felt this way and that entrepreneurship can be isolating. Redman offers practical preparation tips: create 30-second, 1-minute, and 3-minute elevator pitches (reading is okay at first), bring a written list of current business struggles to spark supportive “mini mastermind” conversations, and identify complementary businesses for referrals and collaboration. She explains networking is relationship-based, not transactional, and encourages finding the right group, showing up consistently, giving more than taking, and celebrating others’ wins. She invites viewers to try a meeting via bcwomensbusinessnetwork.com with promo code FREEMEETING.00:00 Welcome to Season Two00:45 Why Networking Feels Scary04:48 You Belong in the Room08:03 Craft Your Elevator Pitch10:45 Find Referrals and Partners13:40 Relationships Over Transactions15:40 Success Stories and Insights17:55 Choose Your Tribe Wisely19:31 Join and Stay Consistent21:25 Invitation and Final Message