Bachelorette Guide To Successful Networking

Networking is important.

It’s especially critical for women looking to grow and expand in different areas of their professional and personal lives too.

I’ve briefly covered this similar topic in previous blog posts, but I believe it’s something beneficial to be brought up again.

There’s so much power and progression in the world of networking.

I’ve networked with female business owners, college professors, corporate executives, and others who’ve dropped knowledge, guidance, information, and direction on me to help me move forward in areas I’ve felt stagnant, and additionally, assisted me in navigating new areas I’ve wanted to explore. It’s a blessing being able to have the opportunity to connect with others in fields or areas of expertise I’d like to get experience in, and I believe more women, who are interested in progressing, can do the same for themselves too. For successful networking…

Be On The Lookout For Events. If you want to get connected with other women who are doing big things, you have to get out more. Be on the lookout for local events in your area. Go to conferences, sign up for volunteer work, and just be open to who and what’s out there that you could benefit from. I’ve attended events that put me in touch with people I would have never met in passing if I was just indoors waiting for an opportunity to show up.

Ask Questions. Whenever I meet someone successful, I ask them questions. How did you get to where you are? Where did you go to school? Why did you choose that major? Why did you choose that career? What would be your advice for twentysomething-year-old women navigating the workplace, sexism, different prejudices, and more? How do you successfully manage your work-life balance? You’re not limited to my questions above, you can and should be thinking of questions of your own, but the more questions you ask, the more you can learn and in return used what you have learned and apply that information to your own life.

Study And Take Notes. I’m an incredibly observant person and I pay close attention to how successful women think, move, act, and respond to what’s happening around them. And I take plenty of notes. Most of the successful women I’ve had the opportunity to network with have shown me more than they’ve told me. I’ve learned the importance of documenting, how to avoid burning bridges, taking the high road vs. clapping back (even when a clap back may be justified), how to maintain my composure against opposition and disrespect, and how to remain humble. Take active steps to network and be intentional about connections that can help move you forward. It’s worth the investment.

The Day I Became A Kidney Donor

About a year ago, I had a dream my dad wanted to talk to our family about something serious. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to discuss, but I knew it was something I needed to prepare myself for. Around the time after I had this dream, I remember stopping by my parents place and sensing something was going on that they weren’t telling me. I tried to dismiss what I’d been feeling, but I couldn’t shake it. Something serious was happening. As I returned to my home after visiting them one day, I was in my kitchen washing dishes when a heaviness hit my heart like nothing I’d ever felt before. Something’s wrong with dad. That’s what that dream was about. God, what’s going on? As I continued washing dishes, I started crying and praying. Then in mid-spring, my dad held an unexpected family meeting that would change all our lives forever. He hesitated at first, and as his voice started cracking and he started crying, he said, “Well, I wanted to talk to ya’ll to tell you that I have kidney disea...

Thoughts From a Black Educator: Qualified, Credentialed, and Constantly Undermined

I’m a Black educator in my fifth year of teaching middle school English, and in my third as the 8th Grade English PLC (Professional Learning Community) Lead. And while I genuinely enjoy the purposeful work I get to do, seeing the growth of my scholars, and continuing to hone my skills in a content area I’ve loved since I was a little girl, I’ve had to confront some unpleasant experiences in this space. I’d been through much worse when I was an academic advisor at a Christian university. Racism, sexism, harassment, and workplace bullying were sadly norms in that environment. However, some of what I’ve experienced as a Black educator hasn’t been normal … It doesn’t seem normal to be the only Black educator in my department – in a predominantly Black school. One of my Black colleagues once said, “It should look like a Tyler Perry movie in here.” But it doesn’t. It didn’t feel normal being reprimanded in a meeting (during my second year of teaching) by an administrator who went in on...

The Day I Made A Will

When I was a teenager, I remember writing a list of my greatest fears. One of the things I listed was death. Looking back, it was an interesting item to list because inevitably, death is something each of us will face at some point in our lives. Even though it’s no longer a fear of mine, I understand why and how it’s not a comfortable thing for everyone to navigate. But regardless, this past summer I completed a detailed will. I signed it, had witnesses sign it, and got it notarized. As I was getting everything done, one of the witnesses looked at me and said, “You know, it’s just that you’re so young…” I’ve learned that death doesn’t care how young or how old you are. You can be five, fifteen, thirty, or fifty, and it’s still something that happens. Completing my will wasn’t scary. It gave me peace of mind having documentation in place stating my detailed directives and requests. A year ago, I had one of my kidneys removed. It was a surgery that came with risks that were presented cle...

Making Waves