Hey Reader,

This is the weekly announcement for The Awkward Handshake, a podcast & community all about networking that I co-host. If you want to opt-out of these podcast & networking community updates, CLICK HERE.

We made it.

Twenty episodes, one cross-country flight, and more awkward conversations than we can count. Season 1 of The Awkward Handshake is officially in the books—and for our finale, Megan and I sat down to do what we do best: process out loud.

No guest this week. Just us, our notes, and some hard-won opinions about what it actually takes to build a network that works.

Here's what kept coming up, episode after episode:

✨ Networking is a skill and you're never done building it.
✨ Are you connecting with humans or talking at them? There's a difference, and people can feel it instantly.
✨ Showing up consistently (generously, not desperately) is the whole game. You don't get to complain about having no clients if you're also not leaving the house.
✨ The ultimate networking goal: people who hype you up in rooms you're not even in.
✨ Scarcity is a lie. Your "competition" is probably not even serving your market.

We also talked about what the Yes Friend really does for you... and why having one person who'll tell you the truth on the drive home is worth more than a hundred business cards.

(Plus: we finally figured out Megan is an extrovert. She is still processing this information. 😜)

🎧 Listen to Episode 20: What Actually Works in Networking (After 20 Episodes)

Thank you for being here for all of it. 🤗 The conversations in the room and the ones you had with us in your earbuds. We built something here, and we couldn't have done it without you listening, sharing, and showing up.

If you haven't yet, a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts goes a long way. It helps more thoughtful humans find the show before we're back.

Talk soon,
Mary + Megan

P.S. - If you're in the Portland-Vancouver metro area and you want to join us for quality networking, you can RSVP for a new format called CollabLab on Thursday, May 28th. We'll see you there!