I used to think of myself as an introvert — until a long stretch of isolation made it clear that I'm actually a pretty social person who just prefers being around people I already feel comfortable with. That distinction matters, because it's shaped how I approach networking ever since. I tend to observe a room before jumping into a conversation, chiming in once I sense I'll be well received. That can feel awkward in the moment, even if nobody else notices or overthinks it the way I do. Over the years I've found a handful of settings that make networking feel natural instead of forced, and I still lean on all five today.
Get involved with an organization
When I moved to a new city, I found an organization whose mission I genuinely cared about and started showing up to meetings and volunteering. The early conversations were about the cause itself, but they organically opened into conversations about everything else — careers, hobbies, life outside the organization entirely. That shared starting point made it so much easier to talk to people, because there was already a built-in reason to be in the room together, and a circle of people with genuinely overlapping interests formed almost without effort.
Join a meetup group
Meetup-style groups put you in a room with people who are either brand new to an activity or genuinely passionate about it, and that combination is great for conversation. I joined a kayaking group with a mix of beginners and experienced paddlers, and it's turned into far more than a weekend hobby. Those outings have led to conversations about careers and interests outside kayaking entirely, and more than one person in that group has recommended me for something based purely on getting to know me over a few paddles.
Go to a conference — even by yourself
This one is hardest for people who lean introverted, myself included. Walking into a room full of strangers with no one to lean on is genuinely uncomfortable. But the first time I went to a conference solo, it turned out most attendees were in the exact same position — there by themselves, looking to learn and meet people. The best conferences plan for this: mine ran virtual networking sessions before the in-person event, which let me connect with a handful of people ahead of time so I already had familiar faces to sit with once I arrived. Some of my longest-running friendships and business partnerships started at that single conference, and they wouldn't have happened if I'd stayed home because the idea of going alone felt too intimidating.
Business networking events
Business networking events tend to attract people who are there with intent — they're not just filling time, they're looking to build relationships that move their work forward. Because these events are often local, following up is easy: a quick coffee, a shared connection, or simply staying in touch through a straightforward email list can turn a five-minute conversation into a long-term relationship, professional or otherwise.
Throw your own event
When we first started our business, we wanted to get our name in front of the local community, so we threw our own party. It was as grassroots as it gets — we went door to door to hundreds of local businesses with an invitation to stop by for complimentary drinks and conversation. I ended up playing hostess for the night: greeting people at the door, handing out name tags, and making sure everyone left with a genuinely good goodie box. Hosting forced me to meet every single person who walked in, and because it was our event, conversation flowed easily — nobody had to wonder whether they belonged there. It remains one of my favorite networking memories, and it's still the format I recommend most to anyone starting out. If you want to try something similar, hosting your own event is a lot more manageable than it sounds once you have the right tools to plan, promote, and track who's coming.
The connections you don't expect
None of these five approaches guaranteed a specific outcome going in — that's part of what makes networking hard to plan for and easy to undervalue. The organization I volunteered with didn't lead directly to business, but it introduced me to someone who did. The conference I almost skipped became the source of a partnership I still rely on years later. The pattern I keep noticing is that the value rarely shows up where you expect it, which is exactly why it's worth showing up consistently rather than only when you have a specific ask in mind.
The further I get in business, the more I understand how much your network shapes what's possible. Get involved somewhere that matters to you, say yes to the conference even if it's uncomfortable, and don't underestimate what a single new connection — or a party you throw yourself — can do for you and your work.