Networking for people who would rather stay at home

Hello anxiety 🫠

May 20, 2025

Well hello May - it has flown by and I am in a funk (despite the gorgeous weather!)

Not a business funk (this time: see January) but a content creation one - we can all relate to that right?!

I’m coming to the end of my Goldman Sachs 10KSB Business programme and honestly it is a roller coaster right now!

It's been brilliant, wonderful but also hard (all the feelings!)

I've had to embrace overworking and late nights for the last month or so. I've been hard on myself and the worst part? Frankly, I’ve felt like a rubbish mum.

Thankfully I’m not alone - there are lots of other mums on the programme and we’re talking about our mum guilt openly. Thank god for sharing with people who get it (more below!)

So I have decided that come half term, when we are in the countryside with the family, for the first time since last summer. I. Am. Off.

Take this as permission if you’re in the same boat. It just isn’t good enough this is my first zoning out trip in almost a year ☠️ - but its a season and I will be rectifying it

How about you, when and how are you switching off?

Or want to learn more about how you can do it - let me know!

Points of Business: Networking for people who would rather stay at home

I’ll be honest, in my current funk, I did not feel inspired by this month’s topic: Networking.

Why?

Well there are tonnes of blogs to tell you networking is important, how to do it etc.

Heck you can even ask ChatGPT to give you a pep talk (something I do not infrequently).

But I want to share why I’m so passionate about networking: why it’s meant so much to me and my business and how I learnt to love it.

I was a very anxious child. Like most kids, I didn’t know ‘anxiety’ existed, but often when it came to school trips, parties even, I would suddenly decide I ‘shouldn’t’ go.

Something shifted in my teens, perhaps having an excellent group of mates who I loved hanging out with, and realise as I get older that’s the ‘real’ me, not the younger version.

But I get it. When I first went to a networking event, it was the younger Caroline that took over. I was absolutely sure I shouldn’t go. But I made it.

So here is what helped me

Most people there are probably equally or even more nervous than you! Focus on that - it really helps you get out your own head
I’m going to bang on about it, but meditation and affirmations WORK - slow down your breathing and calm your nervous system
Don't beat yourself up if it doesn’t go as ‘successfully’ as you hoped - whatever ‘success’ is?! There could be so many reasons: it’s not the network for you, its not the right point in your cycle to be around people, it just wasn’t the right crowd this time. And that’s OK.
Start with one person: Find just one person to chat to and if not find a group where there is a physical open gap for another person (the people who do that are experts at networking and showing they are open - make friends with them!)
Embrace your nerves! Call them excitement and remember it's a sign you are making yourself uncomfortable which means you’re growing
See if the organiser needs any help. This is genius, if you get there first a job to do will really make you feel more comfortable
Be shameless! You’re great, you’re business is great and people will love to hear your story
See it as an excuse to make friends. You’re there to build relationships, have a chat and see what happens, not leverage every contact into a business opportunity - you don’t need that kind of pressure and people will feel the inauthenticity
Think of it as a fun night out. Free drinks? A chat with other incredible women and founders? An excuse to skip the ordeal that can be bed time? Not so bad
Still feeling too nervous to shout about what you do? Ask questions! Make it about the person you’re chatting to, we all love being asked questions about ourselves!

Networking is, yes, a great way to meet potential new clients, suppliers and collaborators. But most of all it is a chance for you to chat to people who get it: get what it’s like to work in the industry/be a business owner/a working mum - the friendships you might build makes networking so worth it.

Actions:

TONIGHT: London VA Network networking event at 5:45pm this evening at the Royal Horseguards Hotel. Get your tickets here
TOMORROW: Pally Talks are celebrating their first birthday: networking, drinks, cake! Tickets here

I’ll be sending a separate email out next week with all the networking events, conferences and awards dates and deadlines you need to know about - make sure you’re subscribed⬇️

Next Steps:

Follow Jeni Smith, she’s only studying a PHD in networking!
Check out my 3 favourite female founded networks:
- Female Founders Rise
- The Wilder Collective (shout out to my previous podcast guest and founder Nikki Elliot!)
- The HoLT (founded by another previous pod guest, Lea Turner)

Questions/Comments:

Have you got some networking tips and stories you want to share? More questions about how to network? Let me know in the comments.

F*ck up of the month

This month’s f*ck up I found pretty hilarious.

I’m dipping a toe into Tik Tok (join me there!) so the fab Meg has joined the team. I Slacked her a video for Maternal Mental Health Awareness week, or so I thought - actually I sent it to Abbie 🤦‍♀️

So poor Abbie received a very random out of the blue video of me talking about Maternal Mental Health Awareness week. I love an overshare but not normally that direct!

AOB:

I want to hear from you. What do you want to hear more about? Where do you see challenges and opportunities in your business that you need support with? Let me know in the comments so I can make this newsletter as practical and helpful as possible.