Not All Networking Meetings Are A Win

Once upon a time, I said yes to a networking meeting, and within three minutes, I regretted it.

I say yes to every phone call. I never turn down a chance to meet someone new, but not all networking calls are created equal. And that's okay — we're all different humans just trying to make connections, and we're not all going to connect.

This particular call was one where I was turned off quickly. It almost felt like the individual tried to create a persona bigger than who they were. When you try to be authentic in all aspects of your life, meeting someone who isn't being real just is a turn-off.

But I paused and remembered that the maximum time I was going to spend was up to an hour. Rather than throw away the whole meeting, I changed my mindset and decided to plow through.

Here is the truth: there are no wasted meetings — except sometimes there are. Sometimes you're going to meet someone that is just blah. You are not going to be a match with everyone you sit across from, and you should not expect to be.

The mistake is thinking that every coffee, call, or lunch is supposed to lead to a job, a deal, or some big revelation. That expectation ruins the whole point of networking in the first place.

The real value is in the "what if." What if this person knows someone you should know? What if something they say sparks a thought you needed? What if the simple act of showing up keeps you in the habit of staying open, staying curious, and staying connected?

I have met people who, in the moment, I thought were never going to be a fit. A year later, they reached out, and the lens changed, and they became a great business relationship. That is why you take the meeting. That is why you keep saying yes.

Networking is not about collecting best friends. It is about connecting dots. Some you will connect with later, some you will never connect with at all, and some will sit in the background until the right time comes along.

So yes, there are times when a meeting feels like a drag. But the real waste would be saying no in the first place. You just need to keep showing up.