About Last Night…

Jk! I mean last weeks event 🙃 It was our 2nd one for Startups & Entrepreneurs and I’m not gonna lie, it felt a little different.

A few weeks ago Linkedin changed their algorithm and set stricter limits on how many connection requests/messages I could send a day. Until now, that’s been the primary way I’ve been able to get the right people in the room and make these events super valuable.

By that, I mean having a 91% meeting to connection conversion rate! 🤯

However, for this event, I had to use other channels and started experimenting with Meetup, Eventbrite, Bumble for Business, and at the tail end of it cold email. 

Here’s what we achieved:

• Engagement: We facilitated 101 networking meetings which resulted in 50 connection requests and 28 connections. 🎉 

• Global Participation: We had attendees tune in from the US, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Canada and Germany. 🌎

• NPS Score: On a scale from 1-10, our attendees gave us an 8.89! 🔥 

Because things were a little bit more challenging this time around, our meeting to connection conversion rate dropped slightly to 81%.

That’s not to say we can’t get it back up though, I just have to be a little bit more diligent in marketing. 😈

Coming Up This Week!👇

📌 Monday November 18

• Blockchain & Digital Assets Conference | $99

📌 Tuesday November 19

• The Quad Networking (Zoom) | $25

• Women’s Global Leadership Conference in Energy | $399

• The Conscious Climb Networking | $7

• The Food Investors | $0-$15

• Clothing Industry Networking Mixer | $15-$20

• Scaling for Profitable Growth with AI | $0-$20

📌 Wednesday November 20

• UX Networking Extravaganza | Free

• Seattle Angel Conference | $25

📌 Thursday November 21

• Pitch + Power Networking | Free

• Women’s Networking Alliance | $5

• Women’s Networking Hour | $0-$30

📌 Friday November 22

• 🍁 Friendsgiving - The Gift of Giving | Free

• Weekly Tech Hiring Session | $0-$200

• Careers in Biotech | Free

News You Can Actually Use 📰

🐥 Bluesky Steals X’s Thunder as Elon’s Bird Crashes
Musk’s X is turning into a ghost town, and Bluesky’s cashing in. With decentralized promises and zero drama (so far), it’s clear people are trading chaos for clarity.

🥵 Networking That’s One Towel Away from NSFW
Silicon Valley’s “sweatworking” trend is here to remind us that innovation happens best when you’re mostly naked and borderline dehydrated. From Salesforce events to mobile saunas in Napa Valley, this sizzling new culture proves that the best ideas can come when you're sweating the small stuff... literally.

🤳 Influur’s $10M Bag: Predicting Influencer ROI Like a Fortune Teller
Influencers are getting a cheat code with Influur’s new AI-powered campaign predictor. Raise your glass (and your rates) because guessing games are officially canceled.

 💍 Career Goals Look Like 24K Magic on Caza’s New Platform
The jewelry industry just got its own LinkedIn, and it’s dripping in opportunity. Polished resumes and dazzling connections? This platform shines like a diamond.

👟Coopah Raises $1.9M for AI Running Coaches—No Excuses Now
Coopah raised $1.9M to make AI-powered running coaches your next best training buddy. It’s like a coach who never yells but always knows when to push harder.

⛳️ SportLync Raises $5M Ceiling, Takes Networking Beyond the Green
GolfLync just rebranded to SportLync, raised its crowdfunding ceiling to $5M, and expanded to every sport under the sun. Networking for athletes just got a mic drop.

👩‍🎓 Welcome to the Real World: Rising Unemployment Hits Young Grads Hard
New grads are entering a job market that’s tougher than their finals, with hiring down 5.8%. Healthcare and sales offer a glimmer of hope, but tech is ghosting /applicants like a bad Tinder date.

My Two Cents (and a lot more) 👀

Tis The Season to Slide Into Those DM’s

Most people start to wind down this time of year and just assume networking is a “dead zone”. But, nothing could be furthest from the truth!

There’s actually less competition for attention and way more festivities to be involved in. It’s like when the ball drops on New Year’s Eve—a shiny reminder of all the balls we’ve already dropped this year. But hey, don’t sweat it; this season’s all about redemption.

Executives and decision-makers are in rare form—chill, festive, and maybe even sipping spiked eggnog on their Zoom calls. Plus, LinkedIn engagement spikes by 25-30%, while professional event attendance plummets by nearly 40%.

Translation? It’s prime time to slide into DMs, work the holiday charm, and network like you’ve got resolutions to crush. Here’s why: 

1. Reflective mindsets. People tend to naturally reflect on their lives and think about their achievements, challenges and future goals or in some cases - how many times you’ve dropped that ball. Either way, people are more open to meaningful conversations about career transitions, collaborations and new opportunities. 

2. Budget planning season. When I ran my marketing agency, this was my favorite time of year. Companies get new budgets, develop new strategies and shake up their tech stack. It’s the perfect time to convince people to get rid of the old and bring in the new. You need to get on people's radar now if you want to be included in next year’s plans, whether it’s for partnerships, vendor relationships or hiring.

3. Holiday vibes. Whether it’s virtual or in-person, events tend to have a more casual feel. Unless you’re like me sipping on some eggnog in a moose cup reminiscing like Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation. I’m relaxed but when I see or hear a sales pitch, I know the sh**ters full. Choose your words wisely this season, people are more likely to share personal stories and aspirations which is the easiest way to create stronger bonds. Now, for the approach: 

Leverage holiday events strategically

• Go in with a plan and research attendees strategically

• Best icebreakers: “What was your biggest achievement this year?” or “What are you looking forward to in 2025?”

• Follow-up with some holiday check-in’s that don’t feel forced like Uncle Eddie. 

Year-end Review Connections

• Reach out to your network for year-end “coffee-chats”

• Share your annual achievements, ask about theirs

• Use this time to revive your dormant connections and remember, nothing says Merry Christmas like “How can I help?”

Future-focused Conversations

• Instead of small talk, create a list of industry trends for 2025

• Ask about upcoming projects and challenges 

• Position yourself as a resource for future opportunities. 

Tips for Implementation

1. Time Management 

   1. Block 2-3 hours weekly for strategic networking

   2. Attend 1-2 quality events per week (virtual or in-person)

   3. Dedicate 30 mins daily for follow-up’s and relationship maintenance 

2. Content Strategy

   1. Share year-end reflections on Linkedin

   2. Create a series of “Year in Review” content that provides value

   3. Engage with others’ end-of-year posts. 

3. Relationship Building

   1. Send personalized holiday messages referencing specific conversations 

   2. Share articles or resources for others’ 2025 goals

   3. Offer to make introductions that could help others’ 2025 goals

Confessions of a Connector 🙊

I’m a newb when it comes to this whole fundraising game but I saw a post from an investor on my Linkedin feed looking to fund a unicorn. Here’s a screenshot of what the end looked like:

The requirements were simple. Submit a 15 second video pitch. No more, no less.

So, I thought 🤔- why not match his energy? Check out👇

Of course, this was a few weeks ago and I haven’t heard back yet. So, it’s probably fair to say - not all that glitters is gold.