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.

Quick gut check: When was the last time you walked into a room and felt like you actually belonged there?

Not tolerated. Not professionally useful. Actually, genuinely, belonged.

That's the question at the heart of this week's episode and it's one that Polly Bilchuk and Oliver Dinero, founders of Unlock Collective, answered when they stopped looking for the answer and just built it.

This week on The Awkward Handshake, Megan and I sat down with Polly and Oliver to talk about their Queer Biz Meet-Ups, one of the most intentionally-designed, queer networking events we've ever been to. We dove deep into what it actually takes to create a space that works.

We talked about:
✨ Why "quarterly" is the secret (and why doing more would kill it)
✨ The anti-structure structure — and how a room full of rules-free people still ends up being amazing
✨ What "full body yes" means as a filter for every decision you make
✨ The bathroom conversation that honestly changed how we think about safe spaces
✨ Why community over competition isn't just a saying — it's a referral strategy

One of the biggest things we took away from this episode: predictability is an act of care.

Polly and Oliver don't change what works. They keep showing up, keep the format simple, keep the vibe consistent. And after years of doing that? People trust it. And trust is what fills a room.

(We also got real about the noise problem at events. Spoiler: even the best organizers can't soundproof a bar. Healing for all of us.)

🎧 Listen to Episode 15: Unlock Collective Built Portland’s Most Trusted Queer Network​

From there, you can listen in your browser or open it in your favorite podcast app.

Connect with Polly + Oliver: ​
​Unlock Collective
​​Instagram​

And if you've been waiting to start the thing — the group, the event, the community — that you keep wishing existed?

Polly and Oliver’s take was: You can't create something and then just take it away from people. So start simple. Stay consistent. And just get the first one done.

If you enjoyed the episode, we’d love it if you left a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more thoughtful, interesting humans find the show.

Talk soon,
Mary + Megan