Schmooze.biz

I still cringe when I think about it. When I was in grad school at Columbia, one of the ways to land a finance job was to go to networking events & chat up senior people from Wall Street firms. At every event, there'd be clusters of students, all gathered around some managing director from Bear Stearns or Morgan Stanley, chatting him up. If you didn't want to be unemployed after graduation, you'd better try to insert yourself into a conversation & ask a smart question that might get you noticed. Talk about stressful! I ended up getting a job offer because of a relationship. (Thank you Sharon Moore & Carolyn Buck Luce!) Building a network of business relationships is a must. But networking doesn't have to be so stressful. Schmooze hosts IRL networking events that we call "organized" or "structured" speed networking. Instead of being left to your own devices to connect with people randomly, we'll facilitate introductions & help you connect with people. Tickets for the next event are on sale now! ?? It's on Thurs, Dec 5 in NYC from 5:30 to 7:30pm. ?? Schmooze members can use the discount code they can find on the Schmooze website to buy discounted tickets. ?? Non members can buy tickets by using the Eventbrite link in the comment section.

Dig the well before you need the water. Last week, I was on a panel that gave advice on networking, resume writing, & interviewing to federal employees who don't know if they'll have jobs tomorrow or not. I'm sure most of these people thought they had a job for life. I went through multiple job losses on Wall Street. The lesson I learned is dig your well before you need the water. In March, Schmooze.biz will host two Mini Masterclasses and two networking events that will help you build your network, even if you don't need it now. Wednesday, March 12 at 12 noon ET Networking is more than just collecting names. Following up is what builds relationships. Kelly Lynn Adams will teach a Mini Masterclass on how to do it. Friday, March 14 at 12 noon ET Structured speed virtual networking! You'll get a chance to connect with new people in several small groups AND introduce yourself to the entire group. Thursday, March 20 at 12 noon ET In corporate America, your internal network can help you stay employed, and get promoted. If you're settling into a new job or new company, you need Keri-Lynne Shaw's advice on how to start building that internal network. Saturday, March 29, 12 noon to 2pm ET Schmooze.biz, Zenith Wealth Partners, & Baddies in Tech are hosting Femme & Fairways at Five Iron Golf at Grand Central Station in NYC. Both novices like me and pros can practice their golf swing, network & schmooze. The virtual networking event is free but Schmooze members get priority. The Mini Masterclasses are free for Schmooze members. Just RSVP using the discount code provided on the Schmooze website or in my emails. Non-members can pay a one-time fee to attend the Mini Masterclasses. Eventbrite link in the comment section. The golf event is open to everyone. Use the Eventbrite link below & the promo code "Schmooze" to get a discounted ticket.

I think I was about 6 months pregnant the first time I tried to play golf. Of course, that did not go well. Lehman Bros or some other investment bank sponsored a golf outing for women clients. And even though I was pregnant, I went. I still have the hat. Of course, once I had two kids, I had no time to play golf. But I've always wanted to learn. So, whether you're a total novice like me or someone who plays all the time, come have some fun with Schmooze.biz, Zenith Wealth Partners and Baddies in Tech! On Saturday, March 29, we're hosting Femme & Fairways at Five Iron Golf at Grand Central. You can practice your swing, network and schmooze. Use the discount code "Schmooze" and the Eventbrite link in the comment section to register.

Performance Currency + Relationship Currency = You're Killing It! Carla Harris summarized it beautifully when she explained why you need both performance currency and relationship currency. To celebrate this last week of Black History Month, I want to highlight the Black women execs that I interviewed for the Schmooze.biz newsletter. You've got the performance currency. If you want to know how to build the relationship currency that you need to make the career moves you want to make, start here!

Sumita Saini is a rock star! She started her career as a financial analyst. Now she's the CFO of Blu Dot. Last week, we had a great conversation at an event about how to thrive in corporate America, especially when you don't look like everyone else. Since I'm the founder of Schmooze.biz, of course I stressed how critically important it is to build a strong network of business relationships. Thank you to Marilynn Joyner & the Her Workplace team for hosting this event and giving women an opportunity to do that. And thank you to Blu Dot (Travis J. Anshus!) for providing a warm space, full of beautiful, comfortable furniture.

Congratulations to these Schmooze.biz members who are making major career moves, speaking at conferences, & joining boards. Tasha Blackman Randi Lee Chelsea Ransom-Cooper, CFP? Ariana Ruiz Andrea Henderson, SPHR, CIR, RACR

That's not really true. I used to say that I "stumbled" into my first corporate board role. But that's not accurate. I wasn't looking to get on a corporate board. But I got my first for-profit board role because I was recommended by someone who I've known for over 30 years. On Tuesday, Feb 25 at 12 noon ET, three panelists will tell us how they leveraged their networks to land a board role. You can use the Eventbrite link in the comment section to register for this virtual Schmooze.biz event.

In business, relationships are everything. So I try not to pass up good networking opportunities like this one! I'd love to see you at Her Workplace on Thursday. Admission is complimentary! Register here - https://lnkd.in/ecHxt5rS Thank you Marilynn Joyner & Sumita Saini.

I don't think Danielle Zeitlen Hughes will actually take bottles of wine instead of cash...... But her LI profile tells you what she does; gives you an example of how good she is at it; and it's playful and memorable. The last Mini Masterclass that Danielle taught for Schmooze.biz members was soooooo good! This upcoming class has a different spin. You've spent 5, 10, 25 years doing a certain thing. But now you want to do a career pivot. How do you communicate that in your LinkedIn bio? It's the first thing people see! On Thursday, Feb 13 at 12 noon ET, Danielle will teach a Schmooze Mini Masterclass on how to maximize your LI profile if you're changing careers. If you're a Schmooze member, this class is included in your membership. You can RSVP on the Schmooze site. Use the discount code provided. If you're not a Schmooze member, you can pay a one-time fee to take the class. Use the Eventbrite link in the comment section.