30 Day No Fear Networking Challenge Recap: Week Two

Week two of the 30 Day No Fear Networking Challenge was a mix of awkward moments, warm fuzzies, and one of the best matcha lattes I've ever had in my entire life.

There are so many little lessons that I took from this week, but the most important is that sometimes, I need to tell my brain to stop being such a buzzkill. There were so many moments that almost didn't happen all because of an idea I had inside my head about how other people were going to react.

And guess what? Nobody cared. People are so busy wondering how they're being perceived by people around them that they barely register anything else.

Also, people really, really love to be seen.

I worried so many times about being annoying, and yet was greeted with warm smiles and "thanks for this". I never would have imagine that this challenge would become more than making myself super uncomfortable, and it's turned into something much bigger, where I'm actually spreading a little bit of joy by putting myself out there.

Ok, enough rambling, here's what went down:

Day 8: Share An Awkward Work Story

The mission: Share an awkward work story to connect on a deeper level.

It started like any other Zoom call: iced coffee in hand, waiting for my client to join. But then, in the background of the assistant’s screen…there it was: their partner, in all their birthday suited glory.

Cue gasps, panic, and a knocked-over webcam.

By the time the assistant blurred their background, my client had joined, completely oblivious to the chaos that had unfolded moments earlier.

The assistant’s eyes met mine in a silent plea to let this go unnoticed.

And you know what? I rolled with it. Because we’ve all been there. (Okay, maybe not exactly there, but close.)

That moment reminded me of all the times my toddler or dogs have crashed my workday with their antics. It also inspired today’s challenge lesson: Authenticity builds connection.

Sharing your cringiest, most awkward, and human moments might feel risky, but it’s where real connection begins. Networking isn’t about perfection...it’s about honesty, vulnerability, and stretching just 15% outside your comfort zone.

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/michaelaalexis_it-started-like-any-other-zoom-call-my-activity-7287210755068706818-tNm8?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Day 9: Write and request 10 recommendations on LinkedIn

The mission: Write and request 10 recommendations.

What actually happened: I wrote 20 recommendations instead because I couldn’t stop.

Turns out, when you start telling people how much they’ve meant to you, it’s hard to shut up. Why wait until retirement parties or eulogies to say the good stuff?

Lesson of the day: Don’t wait. Tell someone they’ve impacted your life now.

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/michaelaalexis_soi-failed-my-networking-challenge-today-activity-7287597088727552001-PX-p?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Day 10: Host a webinar

The mission: Host a webinar.

Minutes before going live, my computer betrayed me. No audio. NOTHING. I tried everything...restarting, sacrificing to the tech gods, and maybe a little panicked swearing...but nothing worked.

Enter: Plan Z. I called my co-host, Carlos Gil , on my phone, plugged in some headphones, and prayed to the Wi-Fi gods.

Was it seamless? Nope. Did I almost lose my mind? Absolutely. But we made it work.

Lesson: Show up anyway, even if the tech gods aren’t on your side. It’s the messy, unplanned moments that often connect us the most.

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/michaelaalexis_there-were-minutes-left-before-the-webinar-activity-7288037854058811393-WPRy?utm_source=social_share_sheet&utm_medium=member_desktop_web

Day 11: Work all day from a coffee shop

The mission: Work from a coffee shop for the day.

At first, I was excited...vanilla lattes, cozy vibes, sounds like a pretty good day, right? But as soon as I sat down, the self doubt hit.

“Everyone’s watching you. They’re judging you. What if you look stupid?”

Spoiler alert: They weren’t. Not even a little bit.

After settling in, I took a Zoom call, worked on some course scripts, and eventually felt brave enough to snap a quick selfie. And then something magical happened…

A girl walked up and asked if she could sit with me.

We chatted about networking, social anxiety, business cards, and life in general. Before I left, I asked for a photo to capture the magic of stepping outside my comfort zone.

Lesson: Your vibe attracts your tribe. Show up and smile...you never know who you might meet!

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/michaelaalexis_everyone-in-the-coffee-shop-froze-conversations-activity-7288341018549121024-T1tn?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Day 12: Comment on 30 LinkedIn posts.

As I dove into my feed today, I had two big realizations:

1. There’s no shortage of copy-paste content or content meant to divide people.
2. Genuine, heartfelt stories are like hidden gems...rare, but absolutely worth the effort to find.

While I hit my goal of engaging on 30 posts, it was a much needed reminder of why I try to focus so much on creating meaningful content instead of just scrolling endlessly.

Here’s the takeaway: Be intentional with what you share.

The world needs stories that make people feel seen, heard, and understood.

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/michaelaalexis_i-rarely-scroll-or-comment-on-my-linkedin-activity-7288685086852476928-hCyD?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Day 13: Ask strangers out for coffee, stop when you get a yes

The mission: Cold outreach until I got a coffee chat yes.

I’ll be honest...this one felt gross. Random outreach didn’t sit right with me, so I pivoted.

Instead, I leaned into my Nap Time Networkers group (a community I started during this challenge) and reached out to a few people I genuinely wanted to chat with.

I quickly got yeses and felt good doing it!

Lesson: Networking works best when it feels right for you. Trust your gut, and don’t force what doesn’t feel good.

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/michaelaalexis_i-felt-dirty-i-was-looking-through-the-activity-7289113896404058113-c5Un?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Day 14: Network in an unexpected place

The mission: Network in an unexpected place.

Where did I end up? A toddler’s birthday party, dodging scooters and bouncy balls while reconnecting with girlfriends.

Years ago, I met Caitie through a Facebook group for moms. Fast forward, and our kids are growing up together while she’s also my go-to dog groomer.

Lesson: Networking isn’t always formal or planned. Sometimes, it happens in gymnasiums full of toddlers, and those connections can turn into lifelong friendships.

The Biggest Lesson of Week Two: Networking isn’t just about the professional wins or polished pitches. It’s about showing up as you are, whether you're confident as can be or nervously sweating and deciding to still take up space.

You don't need to be ready, you just have to do it anyway.

And I've said it before, but either it works out, or it makes for a GREAT story on LinkedIn!

Here’s to another week of breaking out of the comfort zone, one awkward step at a time.

Which challenge from this week resonated with you the most? Let me know in the comments!

Love and coffee, Mick