Who am I? Why am I here?

I recently finished producing our company’s annual conference, and what a whirlwind it was! From long days of planning to sleepless nights on-site, I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions. At one point, I wondered, “Who am I, and why am I doing this?”

In my last LinkedIn article, I drew inspiration from Erin Diehl’s book I See You, but this time, my motivation comes from someone I met at the conference—a new friend I made this year, along with my friend from last year’s event. Together, we’ve formed an unlikely trio we call the “3 Musketeers,” united by one thing in common: SAFe.

You might be asking, “What is SAFe?” It’s the product my company created, and my new friends use it daily as rock-star agile leaders helping their organizations to improve efficiency, collaboration, and flexibility in their work. But this post isn’t about what SAFe can do for you—it’s about the power of networking and making meaningful connections along the way.

Networking can be incredibly positive, productive, and powerful. You never know what doors might open by engaging and collaborating with people. Studies show that employees who actively network are more successful than their peers, and I can say from experience that this is true. The connections I made at our conference turned into lasting friendships.

It started with the two of us (Sebastian and I) catching up after meeting at last year's event, and then a new friend named Mark walked up and introduced himself. Little did I know, I’d soon have a group of supporters cheering me on at my session (yes, I spoke at my conference!), grabbing lunch together, helping set up rooms, and discovering that we had more in common than we realized.

The best part? The conversations didn’t stop when the event ended. We’ve kept in touch, reminiscing about our shenanigans at the event, sharing the highs and lows of work, bouncing ideas off each other, and giving Sebastian parenting advice on what to look forward to.

Why am I sharing this? Because our keynote speaker, Laura Schwartz, who was also our event’s MC, spoke about this very topic—networking. Laura, a former White House Director of Events, wrote Eat, Drink & Succeed, where she talks about the importance of making meaningful connections and following up to build lasting relationships. She recounted stories of witnessing connections between Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen at an event she hosted (the founding trio of DreamWorks!), and shared how Oprah Winfrey, while on a date, had the pivotal moment that launched her into becoming the media mogul she is today. While I didn’t meet any Hollywood legends, I did meet 'Marky Mark' and Sebastian, whom we call 'Sebs’. These stories highlight how a simple conversation or connection can lead to monumental opportunities. And our simple conversation at the hotel lobby bar turned into a great friendship.

We may not be the next DreamWorks, but we’ve discovered the power of networking. My new friends even told me that my superpower as an event planner is my ability to connect with people, which was an honor to hear. I can not wait to connect with more people, and I wanted to share what I learned with you because everyone has the power to do it.

So, next time you attend a conference—especially if you’re the only one from your company—don’t sit in your hotel room. Go to the social events and talk to at least one new person. You never know what could come from that conversation, and I promise you’ll be pleasantly surprised.