Why Everything You’ve Been Taught About Networking is Wrong

Do you dread networking events? Are you tired of "working the room" only to leave with a pocket full of business cards and zero meaningful connections?In this session, Paul Duren sits down with Leah Yoneda (Growth Strategist & Founder of Golden Ginkgo Group) to debunk the classic, exhausted model of networking. Leah explains why most professionals are taught the wrong way to network and how introverts can actually use their natural strengths to build more powerful, high-ROI relationships.Key Topics Covered:The Networking Myth: Why you can't learn this skill in a one-hour lunch-and-learn.The 5-10% Rule: Why a tiny fraction of your network produces the vast majority of your career benefits.Permission to be Selective: Why it’s okay to leave early, talk to fewer people, and skip the "bad food."Conversation Hacks: The power of "Tell me more about..." and how to open a conversation without a pitch.The 3-Step Framework: Motivation, Methodology, and Metrics.Upcoming Events: Join us at the ABC Event on May 12th at Gordon Biersch to put these skills into practice in a low-pressure "lab" environment with fellow professionals!Chapters: 0:00 "Everything you've been taught about networking is wrong." 2:45 Why networking is a lifelong skill, not a 1-hour workshop. 5:30 The Inner Circle: The 5-10% that actually matters. 7:15 Transactional vs. Relational: Avoid the "business card collector" trap. 9:40 Permission to break the rules: Designing a strategy that fits you. 11:50 Reframing the room: Practical tips for introverts. 14:30 The #1 Conversation Hack: "Tell me more..." 15:30 Leah’s Framework: Motivation, Methodology, & Metrics. 18:20 Getting in the room: The ABC Event on May 12th.About Leah Yoneda: Leah is a Growth Strategist, Trustee at the CalCPA Education Foundation, and founder of the Golden Ginkgo Group. She helps technical professionals build sales cultures and networking strategies that feel authentic.Connect with us: [Link to Modern Ideas for Business] [Link to Golden Ginkgo Group] [Link to CalCPA Event Registration]