When Your Best Friend Becomes Your Best Business Move (And Why That Changes Everything About Networking)

Currently writing this from a coffee shop in NYC where my bestie just roasted me for ordering a $7 latte. Worth every penny when you’re plotting world domination together.

Here’s what no one tells you about networking: the best connections aren’t made at networking events.

I’m spending this week with my best friend, and we’re deep in collaboration mode on expanding my business (She Leads Brand Co.) into something that supports women-led businesses in ways that actually matter. Between the branding photo shoots, the late-night strategy sessions, and yes, those $7 lattes, I’ve been thinking about how we’ve completely gotten networking backwards.

The Networking Lie We’ve All Bought Into

We’ve been taught that networking is about:

• Collecting business cards like Pokémon cards
• Perfecting our 30-second elevator pitch
• Showing up to mixers with a goal of meeting X number of people
• Following up with LinkedIn connections who’ll forget us in 48 hours

But here’s the truth bomb: Real networking isn’t networking at all. It’s relationship archaeology.

The connections that actually move your business forward? They’re already in your life, waiting to be excavated. That college roommate who now runs a marketing agency. The neighbor who mentioned she’s launching a consulting firm. The friend who keeps saying “we should do something together” – and you both mean it, but life gets in the way.

Why We Keep Playing Small (And How Fear Dresses Up as “Being Realistic”)

Alex and I have been talking about this collaboration for two years. TWO YEARS. You know what finally made it happen? I got tired of my own excuses.

Fear loves to wear business casual. It shows up as:

• “I need to research the market more”
• “Maybe next quarter when things settle down”
• “I should probably wait until I have more experience”
• “What if people don’t take me seriously?”

But here’s what I’ve learned during this NYC trip: Your fear of being too big is someone else’s barrier to getting the support they need.

Every time you shrink your vision, you’re not just limiting yourself – you’re limiting the women who could benefit from what you’re building. That’s not humility; that’s selfishness with good PR.

The Soul-Fed Connection Difference

Working with someone who genuinely gets you isn’t just nice – it’s a competitive advantage. When my friend and I brainstorm, we don’t just think about profit margins and market share. We think about the woman who’s been told her business idea is “too niche” or the entrepreneur who’s convinced she needs to choose between success and authenticity.

These connections that feed your soul? They also feed your business in ways that transactional networking never could:

• Authentic collaboration over forced partnerships
• Shared vision that goes beyond just making money
• Mutual support that weathers both successes and setbacks
• Creative energy that comes from genuine excitement about shared goals

The Anti-Networking Strategy That Actually Works

Instead of asking “How can I network better?” start asking:

• “Who in my existing circle has complementary skills or vision?”
• “What conversations have I been avoiding because they feel too big?”
• “Which relationships could I invest in more deeply?”
• “Who believes in what I’m building as much as I do?”

This week, Alex and I aren’t just planning a business expansion – we’re designing something that honors both our strengths and serves women who are tired of choosing between profit and purpose.

Your Next Move (Hint: It’s Probably Not What You Think)

Stop collecting connections. Start deepening them.

That text you’ve been meaning to send? Send it. That coffee meeting you’ve been putting off? Schedule it. That collaboration you’ve been “thinking about”? Start talking about it.

The women-led businesses that are going to change everything aren’t being built by people who networked their way to the top. They’re being built by people who chose connection over collection, depth over breadth, and soul-feeding relationships over soul-sucking small talk.

Your network isn’t your net worth – it’s your support system, your creative catalyst, and sometimes, your kick-in-the-pants accountability partner who won’t let you play small anymore.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some world domination to plot. With my best friend. Over another overpriced latte.

What’s one relationship in your life that could become a powerful business collaboration? Drop a comment and tell me about it – I’d love to celebrate the connection with you.

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P.S. – If you want to see behind-the-scenes of what building authentic business relationships actually looks like, follow along with our branding photo adventure on Instagram. Spoiler alert: There’s probably more laughing than networking “experts” would approve of. We’re good with that.