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🎙️ The Inspired Collective is where impactful stories meet real talk for women in business. Each episode brings you candid conversations with inspiring female entrepreneurs, creatives, and industry leaders who are rewriting the rules and building something meaningful.
If you're a woman navigating the worlds of business, sales, networking, or creative entrepreneurship — this podcast is your go-to space for connection, betterment, and bold ideas. We dive deep into the heart of business, sharing the why behind the work and the lessons learned along the way.
Whether you're growing your brand, leading a team, or dreaming up your next big move, The Inspired Collective will fuel your fire and remind you that your voice and vision matter.
✨ Expect stories that educate. Conversations that empower. And a community that gets it.
The Inspired Collective is where Real Talk meets meaningful stories for women in business. Each episode features candid conversations with inspiring entrepreneurs, creatives, and industry leaders who are rewriting the rules and building with purpose. If you're navigating business, sales, networking, or creative entrepreneurship, this is your go to space for connection, growth, and bold ideas. We share the why behind the work and the lessons learned along the way. Whether you're building a brand, leading a team, or dreaming up your next big move, the Inspired Collective is here to fuel your fire and remind you your voice and vision matter.
Karli:You can expect stories that educate, conversations that empower, and a community that gets it.
Renee:Welcome back, guys. Episode number two. I'm Renee.
Karli:I'm Karli.
Renee:And you are listening to the Inspired Collective podcast.
Karli:Woo hoo. We're back for episode number two. How are we feeling? We to, full transparency, we just recorded episode number one. We're trying to get a couple under our belts today, just, you know repetition so, I think we were definitely sweating after we got off that first one.
Karli:How do you feel?
Renee:I think so too. I feel better. This one's starting off more smooth. We'll see if that continues but I think it you know the first one's always ripping off the band aid.
Karli:It is. I'm very excited we got we finally got the first one done. We've only been talking about it for six months, twelve months.
Renee:Truly but it feels good. It feels good to say welcome you know give the welcome in the beginning and have it actually be going. Yeah. So with today, we wanted to start off strong with a topic that is near and dear to both of our hearts. We're diving into networking, but not only networking, what not to do when networking because we have definitely all been there.
Renee:And this is actually gonna be part part one of two.
Karli:Mostly talking about small talk, going into detail on things that are kind of cringe worthy, honestly, when we're talking about small talk and making, conversation with people either you don't know or you only know in a professional setting. So we definitely have some examples and some, some feels about this.
Renee:Some feels, some wild stories. And I feel like there's so much to be said about networking, about the the cringiness that small talk could be that it it really needed a second episode because there also is so much positive and so much to be gained from networking. Kind of decided to break it up into part one of two. So let's dive in.
Karli:Yeah, let's dive in. I'm excited.
Renee:I'm excited too. I just feel like especially in this industry but even just talking across industry, networking is so vital but it's honestly something that not a lot of people know how to really tackle well, I feel.
Karli:They just avoid it. Used to be that girl. I would just avoid going and honestly sometimes still am, but probably for another day.
Renee:Why do you feel that way? Why was it so
Karli:daunting? Well, I think you actually hit on this in, episode one. I also am a an extroverted introvert, and I require a lot of like, a significant amount of alone time to function. So there's something about just being in a room full of people that I may or may not know that just feels so overwhelming. And I think that's a really normal feeling for people to have.
Karli:Like, it just there's just something very daunting about it. And it's you have to be in the right mood. You have to be in the right frame of mind. You have to have your A game on. So I'm excited to hopefully, share some tips so that these things can help people that, you know, may feel the same way I do and just give them some like tangible takeaways.
Renee:I agree because there I mean there's definitely tangible takeaways to be had and like like I said there's definitely kind of glancing into part two, there's definitely so many pros to be had too. I mean, your and my relationship founded on networking.
Karli:It did. Here we are.
Renee:And here we are today podcasting away. But on the flip side, it can be so self serving seeming or there's just so many red flags that come up when people don't know how to really capitalize upon it well.
Karli:What do you think some of those red flags are? Sorry.
Renee:Well, was gonna say no. Coming out the gate I think one of the biggest things that I noticed when talking with people is they make it seem so transactional. It's you know, what can you do for me? You can't do anything for me. Okay I'm moving on.
Renee:And again going back to our relationship I feel like when you started in florals and I was in linen rentals we were both a service. We weren't booking each other services. So at face value, you know, if you're looking at it from that transaction point of view, you had nothing to immediately give me. I had nothing to immediately give you. And I feel like a lot of times people will write other people off because of that.
Karli:They will. Absolutely. Yeah. I definitely agree. I think there's definitely like a what can you do for me feeling a lot of times or that that's how people like approach it.
Karli:Like this person, there's no way that we can work together right now. So what's the point in investing my time into this relationship? Because where is it gonna go? How it's it's not self serving in that moment, but you don't realize how building those relationships can serve you down the line, and you can serve each other and help each other and just and honestly, like, even if it's not a you can't work together, there's still something to be said from building those relationships beyond just financial gain, or, you know, gain in your business, whatever that looks like.
Renee:Totally agree. When you well, I guess when you think about it too, the people that are oftentimes networking are are sales driven. You know, it's people in sales roles, it's, directors of sales and people that have metrics. So if you think about it that way, they're connecting in ways that will help them get to those metrics. But you hit the word, you hit the word on the head, you hit the nail on the
Karli:head. With
Renee:this word, of relationships. You know, it's building the relationships, it's building the foundation, even when, you know, something as stressful as a sales role can be with goals and benchmarks and things like that. I think where people really falter is that they're not trying to build those relationships when they're out networking.
Karli:They don't have conversations. It's literally it's literally one-sided, generally. Yeah. What's one of your what's another one of your pet peeves? I know I have a couple, but
Renee:Oh, I I wanna hear them. I I feel like when people and this I'm sure can be prevalent in many industries, but especially when you get into some of the bigger players in the event industry, they love to name drop.
Karli:Or really any industry. I think it's Yeah. It's like I mean true. No matter what role you're in I feel like people I mean if you feel like you know somebody who is who you can name drop you're gonna name drop.
Renee:Yeah. Yeah and sure in some situations when you're expressing your own validity and maybe even in a sales pitch, that's when that makes sense. But more often than not it comes off as braggadocious and especially when you're first small talking with someone I feel like letting them know that you're Beyonce's personal florist doesn't really ever sit well.
Karli:No. It does not.
Renee:Although, albeit cool. Like, that's really cool to know. I would love to know that about you as I learn to know you better, but you're so much more than that.
Karli:People are gonna really connect with who you are as a person and not what you do for a living. Like, people wanna connect with people. And I think so much in this this era that we're living in right now, people want to get to know people that they are working with. And, you know, not just again, we're not this is not always about, like having a transactional vibe but if they are ever going to buy from you they want to like you. If they don't like you they're not going to buy from you.
Renee:Absolutely. We were I was just having this conversation with someone actually this past weekend about how we're so almost trained to when you meet someone, you say, Hey, what's your name and what do you do? What do you do for work? Almost like that's part of your personality, not Tell me about you. Tell me about you and what your interests are.
Renee:And that goes so much further than the what. It really does.
Karli:I think also so I I took the sales course recently, like a sales like a five day sales challenge and something that they hit on that I love and I've been really trying hard to do is when I meet somebody for the first time, especially in a business setting, I do not talk about me at all. I continue to ask them questions about themselves. Like, I'll say like, I'll ask them, you know, let's say, you know, tell me, you know, what area of town do you live in? Where do you go to work? Or where did you go to school?
Karli:What do do for work? Where did you go to school? Where'd you grow up? And if they ask me a question about myself, I'll kind of answer it. Like, so let's say, for example, I went to Texas State.
Karli:So if they're if I'm like, where'd you go to school? And they say, oh, I went to Texas State too, I'll say something like, oh my gosh. Did you, you know, did you go to the square when you were when you were there? So I'm always putting it back on them. And, honestly, this is people when you're especially in, a work setting, people don't really care about you.
Karli:They want you they wanna talk about themselves. And the the better you can get about getting people to talk about themselves, the more likable you'll be.
Renee:That's you bring up an interesting point. What side of the sales journey, if you will, are you on when you're doing that? Because I feel like in a conversation, if both sides are only redirecting the question.
Karli:Well, so it's generally like when you're on the sales side, but you're always selling. Right? Like you're either selling yourselves, service, you're selling your personality. Like, I truly feel like when you go to a networking event, you are always selling something. And not necessarily, like again, not like a transactional vibe, but if I had gone to lunch with you and I had spent the whole time talking about myself and not getting to know you, I would have not known anything about you and you would have like, you would have walked away being like, dang.
Karli:She talks a lot. But I'm if you try this and you do that, like, people will literally walking away saying, oh my gosh. I just made a new best friend. They won't even realize that you literally know nothing about them or they know nothing about you.
Renee:That's interesting. I feel like people do that more often than
Karli:Than you realize?
Renee:Yeah. Yeah. Once you start to see it you can't unsee it.
Karli:Yeah. You're welcome.
Renee:I'm curious you mentioned that you have a ton of of red flag pet peeves. What are some of them?
Karli:Oh I really don't like a negative oversharer.
Renee:Oh oh but both of those things. Negative is one, oversharer is two, put them together.
Karli:Mhmm. Yeah. I feel like we know some people like that.
Renee:I can think of at least one person.
Karli:Oh do tell. Do
Renee:tell. I shared
Karli:We won't we won't name names but do tell. Tell us about this person.
Renee:This individual who shall not be named, if we're both if we're thinking of the same person, which I'm sure there there can be
Karli:one There's probably multiple. They
Renee:it's hard to describe because they just I honestly start to tune them out knowing that this is the conversation that's about to arise and they just pick you know, we could be at a four star restaurant networking next to Beyonce herself and they would still come up with, I don't even like Beyonce so I don't know why I keep bringing her up but
Karli:Oh, you're gonna make the people mad.
Renee:I know. I so
Karli:mean mean some bad reviews. Doesn't like Beyonce one star.
Renee:Zero negative stars. But they'll focus on the most negative thing in the room or about their day or about themselves and then overshare on it. And to your point of really making it about the other person, don't know if there's a narcissistic relation to this or if there's a correlation to that or anything but you know this person just does not ever lend the conversation to the other person but they're just so negative and it's draining.
Karli:Mhmm. Yeah. Yeah. The person I'm thinking about it may or may not I don't know if it's the same person or not but you walk up to them and the first thing they say is, how's your day? And they'll give you five five reasons why their day was literally, like it was the worst day they've ever had in their lives.
Karli:And it's like, okay. Cool. I just spent ten minutes listening to you rant about how awful your day was, and every day seems to be the same. Because every time I ask you this question, it's the same.
Renee:Well, think about the perspective too. You know, they don't go into that conversation not knowing that you had a flat tire on the way there or you had a crappy day yourself. Know, you don't know what the other person's going through. And so I think even just a flip of that perspective, you know Yeah. You you can think of of five good things that went right in your day if you're here and you're networking and you're standing upright.
Renee:So
Karli:If you can't, then honestly smile and fake it or don't cum. Right? Like, you're in a professional setting. If you're at drinks with your girlfriends, then by all means, rant and rant and rage about how bad your day was. But if you were at a networking event, you are literally, like, on the entire time.
Karli:And if you can't think of anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all. Sort of the golden rules of life.
Renee:Oh, yeah.
Karli:You know?
Renee:Teacher always said, if you can't say
Karli:something nice, don't say anything That's at right. Keep an eye on that.
Renee:Well, and sometimes, you know, we are not robots. We all have bad days. I know that, you know, talking about a drained battery, especially at the end of a long day when networking events usually are, it's easy to feel drained and not want to commit. And there's something wrong with pulling out because you're not going to be the best version of yourself in that situation. Yeah.
Renee:Go ahead. Cluster.
Karli:Yeah. I mean, think the person that, like, we're that I'm talking about, it's literally just been like a consistent behavior the entire time I've known this person. Like, they had one job. It was like an awful job. We're, like, gave them the benefit of doubt.
Karli:Mean, yeah, that's a pretty hard job. That really sucks. And then as they moved into other positions, it was always the same thing. And so it's like they just lead with lead with negativity in their life. And so, yeah, it's interesting.
Karli:It's interesting I, like that people can't see that.
Renee:How do you feel when you see that person at networking events?
Karli:It drains me honestly like it's somebody that I know I have to talk to because everyone knows them but it's like I see that I'm like oh let me go this way you know.
Renee:We all blob and weave.
Karli:Yeah. Let me have a glass of wine before I have to embark on this congo, this fifteen minute negative conversation.
Renee:Yeah. It can be it can be a lot and definitely not ideal. Definitely not ideal.
Karli:Yeah. Something else that I feel like is that a lot of people do, and I've done this myself. This is like definitely, I've been in this position, is wearing that busy badge, like the that bad like a badge of honor. Like, busy is a badge of honor, and they are going to talk your ear off about all the different things they have going on in their lives.
Renee:I feel like I am a little bit guilty of this, but not not in a very not in the way that you just mentioned, but I feel like my go to when people ask me how I am is busy. And even just saying the word busy, you're not elaborating, you're not overly divulging, negatively oversharing.
Karli:Yeah.
Renee:But I feel like I that's my go to, and I don't love
Karli:You are busy. I mean, we like, here's the thing. Is everyone is busy. Right? Like, we're all so busy, especially running a business or working and and living life.
Karli:Like, everyone is so busy, And it's just so easy. Like I said, I've I've too have been guilty of this. It's just getting caught up in being like when somebody asks you a question, like, oh, I'm so busy. I've got all these things going on. You know?
Renee:So I feel like it's also just retraining the way that you respond to it. You know, to your point, yes, we're all busy. Busy is relative. You're busy. Carly is going to be my different than my busy.
Renee:But maybe rephrasing the question or reframing your answer to say, Talk about the things that you're excited to be working on or the things that you're looking forward to or ask the question, What's good? So you'll get a different answer or solicit a different answer to someone because then it kind of just re reshapes the answer to be positive versus how overwhelming that busy is.
Karli:You brought up a good point and I think that it would be helpful. So you're I will say, for those of you who don't personally know Renee, Renee is the queen of networking. Like, she will know how to work a room. You will go to an event with her, she will know every single person there, and remembers their names, knows what they do. Like, she's queen bee when it comes to networking.
Karli:So if you encounter someone like this, so you ask me the question, like, does make me feel? I'm gonna ask you the question, what do you say to that person when you're in that conversation and they're just being very negative or they're, you know, not really giving you any positivity? How do you because you are also the queen of positivity. So
Renee:Well, thank you. I'm the hats are are stacking. I will kinda throw it back at them, not in a in an aggressive or mean way, but say, you know, if they if they lead with, the overwhelm or the busy, you know, trying to again, tying in the fact that this is all relationship based, being intentional in recalling things about them that say, you know, Oh man, you're so busy. Oh, but I remember last time you said that you landed that huge client that you were focusing on. So that's something good.
Renee:Or, you know, oh, man. But, you know, I know you said you were looking forward to this networking event and, oh, did you meet that person that you, you know, came here to specifically meet? So it's almost like helping them try to rephrase their answering and give them that better perspective, which I guess comes from that that positivity.
Karli:How do you remember these things about them? You have so many conversations.
Renee:I it's not because my brain is good. I have Swiss cheese brain these days. Honestly, especially more so lately, I will write it down. If there's something big, you know, even outside of networking, just in people that I encounter, personally, professionally, on the phone, via email, I'll write it down and I'll write myself a reminder to text them on a certain day or follow-up after a certain time. Like, I remember when you guys were moving into your house or closing on your house, I wrote myself a note that said, hey.
Renee:Send Carly a congratulations text. Just because I feel like that there's no way that I can remember it all myself, but kind of bringing that back and tying that in into those touch points, but also being present. You know, not being on your phone and not looking around the room, seeing who else you can connect with. Being present to the conversation also helps you retain so much more about what's going on with that other person.
Karli:Yeah. It can be and it can be hard. Like, you have to because you're here's the thing. If you're not gonna be I don't wanna say it like this. You're not always gonna be you're not always gonna connect with every single person you talk to, especially in a professional setting.
Karli:Totally. And it's really important though just out of respect for the person you're talking to to give them your undivided attention for that like two to five minute conversation. And I look. I'm, like, the first person who zones out. Like, I have the attention span of a squirrel, like, literally.
Karli:And sometimes I have to, like, bring my focus back to who I'm talking to. But just being aware of that if that is you to say, like, this person deserves my respect and and that respect is my attention right now.
Renee:Do you really think you have the attention span of a squirrel? I've never
Karli:heard Oh, yes. I do. I'm glad you have to know this.
Renee:Well, now I will. But Yeah. I You must have a good awareness to bring it back to the conversation.
Karli:I actually drive my husband crazy because I, cannot watch a TV show or a movie without having to re I will we'll be, like, at home, and I'll have, like, TV on the background, and I will rewatch the same episode of something six times and still not be able to tell you what is going on. My husband will be, like, in another room and just over here and be, how many times are gonna watch the same episode? As many times as it takes. Okay, honey? I still don't know what's going on.
Renee:Do you feel like they're talking about being busy? Do you feel like that is your entrepreneur mom brain at full capacity every day, or is that just an attention thing?
Karli:I think it's a combination. I have not always been like that, but I think it's just like it's not allowing my brain to turn off. Like, my brain is always just on and thinking about the next thing. And so that's why, like, in these networking conversations, it's not that I don't wanna listen to what that person is saying. It's that I'm I try I have to, like, remind myself to stay present so I don't start thinking about the next thing because that's just, like, how my brain works in the in the life phase that I'm in right now.
Renee:And that's fair. And I feel like you said, it wasn't always that way. Won't always be that way. Yeah. There's ebbs and flows when it comes to that.
Karli:Yeah. I mean, think it's normal. I think I think you're either really good at it or you're like me. You're like, you have to really stay focused on it.
Renee:I agree. How do you feel like personal conversations fit into networking? Do you like that? Do you do you discourage that?
Karli:I think you can connect. I think if you I I circle it back to the like, I will tell you the last probably year or so, I have tried really hard to, like, again, not talk about myself and connect with people, but not necessarily, like, have my own personal conversations. I wanna hear about them. And so I think there's definitely a place for personal conversations. I think the level of personal depends on your relationship with them, and I think there's different you know, like, your for example, when you and I first met.
Karli:Right? Like, you and I had a very transactional business relationship, and we liked each other and we respected each other, but we weren't going to get super deep with each other. And then the more we got to know each other, even though it was still professional, the we opened up and have those more personal conversations to really get to know each other. And I think if we hadn't done that, we wouldn't be here. So I think both sides are important, but it has to be natural and organic.
Karli:And I don't think you should just come out of the gate sharing, oversharing all of these personal details about yourself because you never know how someone's gonna receive it.
Renee:Truly. I mean not everybody is that way. Sometimes people are just there to network. They can be very personal with their lives and that's totally fine. So I guess it is a really case by case situation.
Renee:Do you remember? I'm trying to think now that you said that when our relationship kind of shifted.
Karli:Yeah. I actually don't so I think that our relationship didn't really shift until we started going more into like, talking more about having a deeper business relationship, which I think all I think well, I said all. So my business partner and I, our relationship also started off being personal first before I'm sorry, professional first before we became friends. And our friendship came from our business relationship as that deepened. And then now she's like my best friend.
Karli:I can't imagine my life without her, but, it definitely started off as professional. That's how we've been able to like be so successful working together is because we the foundation of our relationship was business.
Renee:So I like that. Yeah. So obviously with, networking, it's live. It's happening in real time.
Karli:Mhmm.
Renee:To air is human as the quote says. And so I don't know about you but I feel like I am privy to a lot of fails when it comes to networking and have some cringey stories. I don't know if you do too.
Karli:I'm sure I really do have cringey stories. I definitely have, like, cringey stories talking in front of people, but tell me yours.
Renee:So as I'm sure you can tell by listening to this podcast already, I have a tendency to throw in phrases to elevate the things that I'm saying, but then I say them incorrectly.
Karli:I know. I love this about you though.
Renee:I feel like at this point I just need to make it endearing and lean into it. It's hard. I'm newly a part of a team where I lead nine different sales managers and I don't think that they've learned that about me yet. It's been interesting to throw those in and kind of just ride the wave of that. But I'll I mean, I think I said something wrong earlier in the podcast.
Renee:Nip it in the bud, nip in the butt, stuff like that. I really try to make them applicable, but for the life of me, I cannot say them correctly.
Karli:That's funny. I, feel like I always forget people's names. Oh, that's hard, though. Yeah. It is hard, but I'm literally the worst.
Renee:What do you how do you what do you even do?
Karli:Well, what do you do? Do you ever do that?
Renee:I can never remember people's I'm great at faces, And I'll be like, oh, we met on this day during this time, and we had talked about this, but cannot remember your name.
Karli:So what would you say to someone who, like, you can't remember their name?
Renee:I feel like I've used you as not a crutch but as a tool we'll say for this. Honestly introduce them to someone and if you know the other person just be like, oh, have you met Carly? And hopefully that other person will say, I'm Carly. Who are you?
Karli:Yeah. I agree. I think it's one of those things where, like, I do the same thing. I'm like, so meet my meet my business partner. This is Melanie.
Karli:Melanie. And then I'll let her and I'll I'll typically, like, whisper to her, like, get their name. You know? Like, I don't remember their name. So or she'll just automatically come up and introduce herself.
Karli:So, yeah, that's definitely, totally me too, but the same thing.
Renee:Yeah. I don't know what it is. It's I I also try to say their name after I've met them Yes. Because then that kind of helps the brain remembrance connection so that it's not like in one ear and not the other. But I'm still so horrible about it.
Renee:I need to be better about just saying, I'm so sorry. Remind me of your name, especially when it's a new connect. Yes. Because I think that goes over so much better than going through an entire conversation calling them the wrong name or introducing them as the wrong name, which I recently did and was mortified.
Karli:I feel like, I just I think when you do that too, you remember you're not gonna forget their name again because you've already had to tell them I forgot your name. But you can say something as simple as, you know what? Like, I remember loving our conversation, and I remember your face, but can you please remind me your name? Like, I'm terrible with names. And then just, like, just being honest about it.
Karli:And, you know, if you don't, if you can't take the chicken way out and introduce somebody next to you.
Renee:I mean, I I feel like people get it. Yeah. Yeah. Especially if you're solo networking and don't have a person to piggyback on.
Karli:Yeah. Yeah. For sure. I agree.
Renee:I also this just popped into my head as another kind of red flag annoyance. With forgetting people's names, comes an amount of grace and forgiveness. But I hate mean people Yes. When networking. I hate when people are mean.
Karli:I know. And we actually have an entire, we keep giving you all little, like, drops, like, hints at future podcast episodes. But we have an entire podcast episode on Mean Girls that we're gonna get into, but that is definitely one of them that, like I've been at networking events where there was little okay. I'll tell you a story real quick. So there was, a group of women at a NACE event actually, which is an organization, Renee and I are both a part of.
Karli:She used to be the president. And this was a this was like a few years ago, but it was one the first events I'd gone to, and it was a larger event, and it was, it was, like, one of the larger events they have throughout the year. And we had gone as a group and set our our purses down at a table that we were gonna sit out, and then we went to go grab a drink, and then we saw somebody we were talking to. And this group of girls who I'm gonna call them girls because I don't feel like women real women act like this, came up and moved all of our stuff off that table and piled it on another table. I didn't even, like, place it around, just piled it all up and were just incredibly I just could not believe the nerve and the audacity that someone would do that, and they just thought that they own the room.
Karli:I'm like, I've just never even seen you at an event before. Who are you? And it's one thing to
Renee:have mistakenly done that. And, you know, oh my gosh. Didn't realize, you know, the universal sign for saving a seat is the purse and the chair.
Karli:There's that there's that positive, Renee. Maybe that's what they thought.
Renee:Well, but, you know, maybe they didn't realize that or, you know, could have have changed the situation. But if you're gonna be a mean girl about stealing a seat, I mean
Karli:It was just, like, the way that I don't know. You just definitely, like you just got the vibe from them. Right? Like, they just gave off that vibe. So
Renee:So what did you do? Did you guys have to move?
Karli:Girl, I did not like confrontation. I just sat at the other table and got with Matt all night. Not mad, but I was like, that was mean girls.
Renee:Just just, pivot away from that conversation.
Karli:Yeah. You know, I'm not even gonna you know what, though? I always think when people like someone else's bad vibe is not gonna kill mine, so, you know, just let it go.
Renee:I mean, that's fantastic though. But I will say, you know, wonderful mindset for you to have in any situation, but what a horrible taste that they left in your mouth. Don't know if these are people that would eventually be clients of yours or be referral partners, but they kind of already set the tone before they even met you.
Karli:Yeah. And I will tell you as I remember them every single time I see them now and not in a like, those first impressions matter more than you will ever know because they didn't know us and they didn't know what we did. I know who they are and what they do and they could have gotten business from us but now they won't ever.
Renee:Well that was nonverbal. That wasn't even a conversation or a service failure that happened. That was a nonverbal instant you know blacklist.
Karli:It's an You know when you get those icks? It's kind like when you go on dates with people right? Like they just give you the ick.
Renee:They chew too loud. Yeah
Karli:you can't undo the ick.
Renee:The ick as the kids are saying. Speaking of the kids in this new age of demographic coming into the workforce, what are we doing with business cards? Do we like them? Do we hate them? Do we need them?
Karli:Business cards. I okay. I'll tell you my opinion. And I am a 35 year old millennial mom, so take this with a grain of salt. I still love a business card.
Karli:I like something tangible. And I know they're doing these things like the business, the little skinny things. But here's the thing is like, I'm not gonna remember what your name is in my phone. We just talked about that, right? Like not remembering people's like remembering faces but not names.
Karli:So I'm scanning your business card into my phone. I'm not gonna know where you are, who you are. I have a thousand contacts. How am I supposed to remember that? Like, I want something tangible that I can then go the next day, and I can line them up at my desk, and I can say, I wanna email this person, this person, and this person, and these are the reasons.
Karli:And then make notes on, like, their names and what they do and those, like, little notes that you talked about in your phone. We have a system that we use for that that we, like, type things into. So I wanna be able to, like, sit down and do all that, but I want the physical parts.
Renee:You know, I kind of agree. I was very much intrigued by whatever systems came out. I know that Apple phones can do, like, the contact share and there was an app you could get where you tapped it and like shared your business contacts and I was really intrigued by that when it first came out. But also being a millennial, I think there's something to be said for having something to pass along. You're doing a sales call or when you're making a connection, yeah, I don't remember if we're not remembering their names to their faces, we're not going to remember them in our phones.
Renee:So I feel like it is, maybe that's a new business opportunity is creating something that marries the two of them where you can put little notes as to where you met this person or whatnot. And I also feel like doing pulling at your phone, if the other person doesn't have the business card share it doesn't work, but it also kind of derails the conversation because then you're looking at your phone, you're distracted by your notifications, You know? Not to call them old school but I think I like the old school way of the tangible business cards as well.
Karli:Yeah I agree. I think that like if there's a way that you can scan it into your own phone or however like you put a QR code on your business card, but I definitely think that they're still necessary. And, you know, anything could change down the road, but in the place we're at right now, and, I definitely I love a business card.
Renee:I have to say I do too. We're we're this is a pro business card podcast.
Karli:Yes. Hashtag pro business card.
Renee:Hashtag keep them.
Karli:Do the kids still use hashtags?
Renee:Oh, no. Maybe not.
Karli:I don't know. I know. I don't know. Maybe. Maybe they don't.
Karli:Well, alright, guys. I think, is there anything else that we can think of, like negative? What I'm talking about? Red flags, small talk one zero one, what not to do.
Renee:I was gonna say you know me this was a hard one for me because I feel like as much as there are some red flags, and so much so much that so much not to do I'm a positive poly so the next episode is is also intriguing with all the things you can do.
Karli:Yeah. I feel like you get the you get the icky stuff out of the way first so you better understand the how to's and why you do them why you do what you so. Alright, guys. Well, we would love to hear from you. What is your worst networking moment?
Karli:Head over to our Instagram, and DM us or tag us in your post or story, and let us know. What is your worst networking, moment or your biggest networking fail? We'd love to hear those. Two, as always, we appreciate your five star ratings only, please. If our husbands are still listening, five stars for
Renee:a couple of boyfriend. All all three listeners.
Karli:All three listeners. We might have our moms on here now. We'll see on TV. And stay tuned for, episode number two. Can't wait to see you all there.
Renee:See you then.
Karli:Or part two. Sorry. We're still getting used to this podcast thing. Bye, guys.
Renee:Thanks for tuning in to the Inspired Collective, where we turn real talk into real impact. If today's episode resonated with you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, or share it with a friend who needs to hear it. Let's keep the conversation going. Follow us on Instagram and connect with the community of women who are showing up, standing out, and building with purpose. Until next time, keep leading, find your grit, and stay inspired.