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I used to skip the small talk at events, but a coffee chat in Seattle changed my mind
At a startup mixer in Seattle last week, I was trying to find the 'right' person to talk to about funding. I overheard a guy next to me telling someone else, 'I got my best client because we spent ten minutes talking about our kids' terrible soccer teams.' That simple line stuck with me. I realized I was treating every interaction like a transaction, looking for an immediate return. So, I tried it. I spent the next half hour just having normal chats about nothing work-related. One of those people, a woman I talked to about gardening, introduced me to a friend of hers who runs a local incubator. That intro is now a real lead. I was wrong to think the 'business' part of networking had to start with business. Has anyone else found a real connection started from just a normal, friendly chat?
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bennett.nora2mo ago
Isn't that how it always works?
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riley_miller252mo ago
My friend Jake waited three weeks for a repair quote that never came. It's the classic bait and switch, just like you said, @bennett.nora. Now he's stuck looking for a new mechanic.
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the_simon2mo agoTop Commenter
Why do shops even do that?
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