You’re probably wondering: what does  community-focused mean to me?

1) When I put community first, I prefer small groups

Once upon a time, I was afraid of networking events.  Then, I attended two networking events, in 2 different settings:

• A  large hotel event space.
• And a small, intimate conference room.

Because I can’t think clearly or articulate what I want to say in large groups with high stimuli, most networking events have a negative impact on me. Especially if I feel like I don’t belong.

At the large hotel event space, I confronted the attitudes towards work that make me feel out of place locally.

Everyone acted and looked corporate. And that’s not me at all. When I described what I do, I faced passive aggression, negativity, and patronizing commentary.

So I left without exchanging business cards. But then I went to a small business owner-focused networking event.

And I’m glad that I did that. Because everyone that attended that event were as community focused as I was.

They were bright people with ambitious projects, eager to learn from people doing similar things with their life.

At the networking event, we were asked to introduce our businesses at the front of the room. Because of my poor track record with public speaking, I couldn’t even look people in the eye.

Because I don’t have the greatest track record when it comes to public speaking. Although I’ve had amazing experiences singing in front of large groups,  have done a lot of acting in indie and student theatre, and I’ve read poetry at various open mics.

Since my business was so well received, my shyness didn’t matter. In fact,  I gave away dozens of business cards. One week later, one of the attendees became a client.

2) I go to a co-working space, and get as much out of it as I possibly can

Since August 2018, I’ve been a member of the Centre for Social Innovation’s co-working space. The best part of it are the people. Because I’ve learned a lot from them. But that’s not something that happened automatically. In fact, I quickly learned that co-working is something that you benefit from if you make an effort to participate in the community.

So if you attend the space’s social events, you’ll meet everything from potential collaborators and clients, to people who think like your target audience.

Meetup groups offer similar value

But, if you also choose the right coworking space for your needs, you’ll have a built in community. Co-working is a perfect complement to the meetup group experience. Because you’re a lot more in control of the people and experiences you have.

Since most members are paying to be there, they take pride in anything that benefits the community. So the flakiness and lack of loyalty that sometimes comes with free meetup groups is non-existent.

3) I limit my press and media stuff where I have to talk for long-periods of time or be on camera to very specific audiences

When I started to be guests on podcasts, live streams, and YouTube channels I made a huge mistake. I was way too eager and I let that be my blind spot. But I learned my lesson when I had a bad experience, where I was unprepared and froze when the host asked me questions.

Yet, the problem wasn’t something I was doing. Because every other media appearance was a breeze. Turns out I made a bad choice and needed to prioritize press that aligned with my values, interests, and goals.

Ever since, I will only say “yes” to media opportunities with either a mental health and disability advocacy angle, or shows for independent entrepreneurs and creatives. Because that’s where I truly shine.

4) I take the time to show up in online groups

In my social circle, everyone is still angry about the Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal. To me, it still feels brand new, but it was reported on in every newspaper and media outlet in March 2018. Yet, I’ll never shut down my account. Because my Facebook group experiences have been so valuable.

Now, I spend a lot more time on Facebook having conversations in the Facebook groups that are good for business.  In fact, 90% of my feed are posts from blogging, marketing, writing, and small business focused groups I’m part of.

So far, I’ve got a lot out of these online groups. Because I’ve made connections that were equally as valuable as the connections I’ve made at my co-working space. All it takes is a willingness to show up and help people, and after a while people start to give a shit about what you offer (like most networking really).

But I’m always open to new ways to connect with and help the community

So if you’d like to learn more from me in a format I haven’t explored yet, I’m always open to new suggestions. In fact, I wrote and released my E-book because I wanted to help people through more than just my services.

Most importantly, the options I listed above aren’t the only ways to network and build connections.

Different methods work for different people. So if you have any others to share, feel free to share your favourite methods for building connections in the comment section below.

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Please add a comment below if you'd like to discuss this topic. – Rosie