Next week, bb is heading to her first AfroTech—a conference that brings together Black professionals, entrepreneurs, creators, and leaders across technology and business.
It’s the first conference I’m fully investing in for my personal and business growth, and I’m giddy with excitement!
The ticket is purchased. The flight and hotel are booked. The badge is ready. And, not to be overlooked, the outfits have been PLANNED. 💅🏽
This one is coming out of my pocket, so I’ve been thinking as carefully about how I’ll spend my time as about what I’ll wear.
I chose sessions to help me grow my business, strengthen my client work, and stretch my thinking as a creator—with room for networking. Because apparently, attending every session leaves very little time to actually talk to anyone. Who knew?
Then my executive coach, LaVonda, and I talked about how I wanted to show up once I got there.
Which led to a commitment that might surprise you:
I’m not eating lunch or dinner alone for the entire conference.
Here’s what I know about myself: I travel alone comfortably. I can walk into a room by myself. I can strike up a conversation pretty easily.
But when I get a little nervous, I can lean a little too heavily on that independence.
I’ll happily get my tea, find a seat, open my laptop, and get some work done.
Look at me! So productive! So self-sufficient!
And conveniently unavailable for the conversation I came there to have.
Being comfortable on my own is something I value. But at a conference where one of my goals is to meet people, I need to notice when that comfort becomes my escape hatch.
My lunch-and-dinner commitment means I’ll have to ask someone if they have plans. Accept an invitation. Suggest grabbing a bite after a session. Make the first move when it would be easier to order something and retreat to my room.
I’ve committed to LaVonda. I’ve committed to myself. And now I’ve told you, so apparently we’re all involved.
This is one of the things I appreciate about having a coach. “I want to network more” sounds lovely. It also gives me plenty of room to decide that a few conversations and a handful of LinkedIn connections count as done.
A specific commitment gives me something to follow through on, especially when I’m tempted to disappear behind my laptop.
And sharing a meal gives us time to get beyond job titles and LinkedIn connections. I want to make friends, too. Every conversation doesn’t need a pitch or a business outcome attached.
If you have an event coming up, what would that kind of intention look like for you?
Maybe you’re excellent at attending sessions but quick to disappear during the breaks. Maybe you stay beside the work bestie you came with. Maybe you collect connections and never follow up.
Before you go, try this:
Know why you’re going. What do you want to learn, explore, or understand? Use that to choose where you spend your time.
Leave room for people. Keep some space between sessions. The breaks and meals deserve a place in your plans, too.
Choose one action that stretches you. Introduce yourself before opening your laptop. Invite someone to lunch. Attend a session without your usual conference buddy beside you.
Make it specific. “Be more outgoing” is hard to act on. “Ask someone to join me for lunch” gives you something to do.
You can be good at connecting with people and still need a little accountability to do it.
The future has arrived!
Workday’s new recruiting technology can continuously monitor open roles and resurface qualified people, including past applicants. That means an application you submitted months ago could put you into consideration for a future opportunity.
Helpful? Absolutely. Also a reason to think twice before firing off that “close enough” résumé.
In this week’s Monday Market Brief, I broke down what’s changing—and why every application is becoming part of your professional paper trail.
What’s one thing you could do differently this week to give connection a chance?
Maybe it’s inviting a colleague to coffee, lingering after church, or finally making plans with someone you keep meaning to see. A small change in your routine can make room for someone new.
I’m going to AfroTech to learn. I’m also going to practice showing up a little differently. Next time, I’ll tell you what I learned—and how this whole lunch-and-dinner commitment went.
Until then, travel in grace, knowing you are surrounded by love.
Work with me 1:1 → Step into a focused alignment experience to clarify your direction and intentionally reposition your leadership. I’m currently scheduling for late October and have 1 spot left!
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