In 2 days, I’m hosting a FREE webinar on Wednesday, August 5 at 6pm CT. Click the button below to register!

Networking gets a bad rap… especially if you’re an introvert!

Growing up, I was not only an introvert but I was incredibly shy.

Networking felt intimidating and completely unnatural. But over the years, I took intentional steps to build that muscle, step out of my comfort zone, and figure out a approach to connection that actually felt authentic to me.

Now?

I love it and it’s not because I love small talk. It’s because I see every conversation as a chance to learn about someone and figure out how I can add value to their journey.

Back in my sophomore year of college, I got my first real proof of how powerful networking can be.

It was Spring 2014, and my student org, SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers), was hosting a regional conference. Quick side note: I don’t have a drop of hispanic blood in my body, but the familia welcomed me with open arms, and I was heavily involved and loved every minute of it and still connected with people from this organization over 10 years later!

While hanging out in the hotel lobby, I randomly struck up a conversation with an Iowa State alum currently working at Cargill. What I thought would be a quick greeting turned into a 30-minute sit-down and we bonded over the similarities and differences of our college experiences. We reconnected at the conference the next day, but his company only had co-ops open at the time, and I wasn't ready to take the next semester off.

Fast forward to Fall 2014 at the Career Fair, I walked past the Cargill booth and saw him again. He was swamped, but we made eye contact and exchanged a head nod. I was invited to an info session his company was hosting that night. That evening at the info session, he spotted me in the crowd and said, "Good to see you back!"

Long story short, I end up landing an interview for a co-op in Spring of 2015 and was selected for the site where he worked at in Wichita, KS which was a full circle moment for me and he was a huge help for the 7 months I was there!

I know now that single connection helped me land an interview and eventually my first industry engineering experience, because he specifically vouched for me because our initial chat and my prep at their booth made me stand out as something Cargill was looking for!

One random, authentic conversation changed my entire career trajectory. Since then, I’ve had opportunities come to me because of relationships I’ve built in person and online and I want to show people how to be more intentional with networking even if you’re an introvert!

You may be sitting there thinking networking isn’t for you, I’m living proof that you can master it without pretending to be an extrovert or completely draining your social battery.

That’s why I’m hosting a live webinar: Skip the Small Talk: Authentic Networking for Introverts.

I’ll be sharing the exact steps I used to go from a shy kid to a confident networker—no awkward elevator pitches required.

See you Wednesday!

P.S. The final episode of IncrediPaul Leadership dropped last week, but I’m far from done podcasting!

I’m officially launching my new show, the Be Incredible Podcast, on Monday, September 7th! Check out the brand-new cover art below 👇

Until then, I’ll be highlighting some past interview features in the coming weeks, plus a brand-new episode where I guested on another show dropping next week. Stay tuned!

In this episode, Paul Faronbi aka IncrediPaul discusses the importance of networking and building genuine connections with people. He emphasizes the need to focus on others and add value to them, rather than solely focusing on oneself. Paul shares tips on how to network effectively, including asking questions, finding common ground, and actively listening. He also highlights the significance of body language and tone in communication. Paul concludes by emphasizing the continuous journey of learning and growth.

MORE & JOIN WAITLIST

Reminder new episodes come out every Monday at 6am Central Time. Check it out by going to incredipaul.org/podcast or stream on the following platforms: YouTube, Apple, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon and More.

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