I just flew home from Prague after a month’s workation in Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Germany, and the Czech Republic. My abroad “tank” has been refilled and now I’m looking forward to spending time with my husband, going to the beach, and eating tacos!

(Is there a food you always crave when you get home from abroad? For me it’s tacos.)

I’m also looking forward to hosting our first Small Group Networking Sessions. My goal is to bring small groups of SPS community members together so they can get to know each other, share ideas and projects, get input on career, travel or global life questions, and have some networking fun in a low-stress virtual environment.

Our first session is tomorrow and the others are spread out over the next few weeks. There are still a few spaces left – click here to see the schedule!

Here are 7 reasons you should join us this month:

1. You’ll reap the rewards now…and later.

Effective networking – the kind that gets you an internship, your next job, a connection to a book publisher, an international home exchange – isn’t about meeting tons of people and collecting hundreds of business cards. It’s about establishing solid relationships, which take time to develop. Our small group sessions kickstart the process of creating deep relationships that continue to pay off down the road.

 

2. You’re not *just* meeting with the people in your session.

By getting to know the people in your small group session, you’re closer to their entire network. Our networking sessions help you establish meaningful connections that can lead to even more connections. Plus, if you’re in Session #1 and there’s someone in Session #3 who I think you should meet, I’ll connect you via email.

 

3. You don’t have to go anywhere.

These sessions are virtual, so you can join from anywhere – your office, your home, the coffee shop. And they’re informal, so yoga pants are completely acceptable. If you join during your lunch break, feel free to eat lunch. If you’re in an evening session, you’re welcome to bring your favorite beverage. 

The SPS Featured Blogger session that sparked the idea for our Networking Sessions.

4. Mentor and be mentored in the same hour.

We all want to “give back” as much as we welcome support, input, and guidance from others. Yet it often feels like we either give or we get. With our networking sessions you can do both.

 

5. You don’t have to prepare anything.

These sessions are high on energy and low on stress. We’ll have some structure (introductions, ice breaker, sharing) but we’ll balance that with seeing where the conversation takes us. You’ll have the opportunity to share your social media and contact information with the group, but there’s nothing specific you have to prepare. 

 

6. You’ll open the door to possibility.

I’ve found that 1) everyone has a story, 2) everyone has something to teach me, and 3) some of my best connections came from people I didn’t expect to meet. I used to go to conferences with the goal to meet a specific person, but I started realizing that I often enjoyed connecting with the person sitting next to me at lunch even more. Not knowing who is in your session ahead of time keeps you open to possibility. 

 

7. Small group = deeper connections.

This isn’t a cocktail reception where you make small talk with a bunch of people whose names you won’t remember. It’s not a busy webinar chat where you don’t know who you’re chatting with. Our video conferencing sessions give you the opportunity to go beyond superficial chitchat to something deeper and more meaningful.

SPS community members are smart, kind, adventurous people who live all over the world. I know you’d enjoy getting to know any of the other people in our community.

There are 5 sessions on 5 different days so you can join the session that works best with your schedule. Reserve your seat here!

Questions? Email me at smallplanetstudio@gmail.com