We Went to the American Beauty Show and It Changed How We Talk to Strangers | Savanna Smith

What happens when a banker who covers business and finance walks into one of the biggest beauty conventions in the country? He meets 40 business owners in three days and realizes he's been rushing past conversations his entire career.In this episode of Conversations That Count, David Shaft is joined by co-host Savanna Smith, a musician and model who worked the American Beauty Show as a model through JC Penney Beauty and Salon while David covered it as press. They compare notes from both sides of the event, talk about why small talk feels so empty, and challenge each other on what it actually takes to stop being comfortable and start having real conversations with strangers.Why the beauty industry blew both of them away with how many small business owners, creatives, and salon professionals showed up with genuine passion, and what every industry can learn from that energyThe difference between saying "I'm a podcast host" and saying "what I specialize in is getting people's stories out there and making sure their voice is heard," and why that shift changes every first impression you makeWhy Savanna says she regrets not walking up to people and just telling them what she was thinking, and how a simple "I like your outfit" or "you look great" can break the cycle of fake small talk that everyone hatesConnect with Savanna: https://www.instagram.com/imsavannas/ | https://linktr.ee/savanna.comWatch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FPlAgvsbqckNew episodes of Conversations That Count every Tuesday and Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Follow on Spotify so you never miss an episode.Full episodes, show notes, and resources at ctcpodcast.mediaFree Communication Playbook with 10 frameworks and scripts to communicate like a pro: https://conversations-that-count.kit.com/e7fa86a708