So it’s been a minute since I wrote something here. (And by a minute I mean a year, almost to the day? Wild.)
This Monday, I shared the exciting news on various socials that I left my previous job to take on a big new adventure: I’m co-founding a new game studio with two amazing partners. We’re currently on the journey towards funding, bringing together our initial team, and building out our organization. It’s been a whirlwind ride already, and I’m learning so many new things every day. I haven’t been this excited in some time—and this is a place and feeling that I’ve grown to relish. Whenever I’ve started on something that had me grow in leaps an bounds (my first play, going to grad school, jumping into the game industry), it’s felt like this—that dizzying, good kind of nerves.
One of the coolest parts of announcing something new has been all of the amazing folks who’ve chimed in with their support, and also their interest in joining in and working together. I’ve had so many wonderful chats with old friends and new contacts about the potential of the future. It’s all a little dizzying.
But I’ve also had a few conversations that made me think about how folks reach out, build new relationships, and the dreaded “networking” word.
If you follow me on socials, forgive the cross post, but I’ll end my post with the thoughts below.
(After the requisite Nyx pic, of course. I have not forgotten our promise.)
I find myself pretty allergic to the term "networking," as nothing is more transparent and unpleasant than people nakedly approaching you in a transactional and "what can you do for me" way. But that shouldn't be what networking means.
When I get cold DMs that translate to "can you give me a job RIGHT NOW today" it's disheartening bc 1) the answer is usually "no, we're not hiring for that right this second," and 2) it's clear you value the present opportunity more than a potential genuine connection.
I get it. We all live in the capitalistic grinder where the need to secure the next source of income can feel ever-present and pressing. But if you separate the "job hunt and hustle" from "networking and building relationships," I think you'll find more success at both.
Networking isn't picking fruit off trees. It's planting the seeds that, with time and care, may blossom unexpectedly in the future to bear fruit.
It isn't asking for things; it's asking questions.
It's approaching with genuine curiosity. Sharing how you can help each other.
Nothing sparks more joy than meeting creatives and cool people at various stages of their career, then thinking of them when an opportunity arises later on that they're the perfect fit for.
But it's really hard to do that for folks who only ever reach out asking for things.
When I lived in LA, the regularity with which I'd encounter people at parties that would size you up and decide if you were worth talking to or not based on who they thought you were or what you could do for them was nauseating.
But I also made so many genuine friends who have gone on to do amazing things, and who I'm still in touch with today. We've collaborated on a wide range of projects, and whenever people are looking for talented creatives, I can't WAIT to try to open a door and make an introduction.
TLDR: #networking isn't asking for things. It's asking questions with genuine curiosity and openness. It's building deep connections. It's planting seeds for the long term. It's helping others as much as it is seeking help. 💙