Imagine the doors that could open if you started making connections today, instead of waiting. Networking shouldn't be a reaction to crises—it's about building meaningful relationships, showcasing your skills, and confidently owning your story.
In this episode of the Power, Purpose & Prosperity Podcast, Sabine speaks with Molly Creese about the power of intentionally fostering mutually beneficial in-person and virtual relationships. Molly is the CEO and founder of We Network Services LLC., board advisor, director of professional development, networking expert, and podcaster. She helps women and young professionals quantum leap in their careers through career planning and coaching.
Listen in to learn how to build brand visibility on LinkedIn by creating content that establishes you as an expert, and how to overcome the fear of criticism and be confident in telling your story in networking rooms.
Key Takeaways:
What You Will Learn in This Episode:
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Connect with Molly:
Website: https://www.wenetworkservices.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-creese
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BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
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HOST INFO:
Sabine Gedeon is a transformative figure in leadership and personal development and serves as the CEO of Gedeon Enterprises. With nearly two decades of experience, she guides clients in startups and Fortune 500 companies. Sabine's unique approach combines human-centered principles with tech-enabled solutions, delivering customized programs for leaders at all levels to tackle crucial leadership and talent development challenges.
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ADDITIONAL SUPPORT:
Download Free Resources - https://sabinegedeon/gifts
Get Coaching Support: https://meetwithsabine.as.me/Discovery
Imagine the doors that could open if you started making connections today, instead of waiting. Networking shouldn't be a reaction to crises—it's about building meaningful relationships, showcasing your skills, and confidently owning your story.
In this episode of the Power, Purpose & Prosperity Podcast, Sabine speaks with Molly Creese about the power of intentionally fostering mutually beneficial in-person and virtual relationships. Molly is the CEO and founder of We Network Services LLC., board advisor, director of professional development, networking expert, and podcaster. She helps women and young professionals quantum leap in their careers through career planning and coaching.
Listen in to learn how to build brand visibility on LinkedIn by creating content that establishes you as an expert, and how to overcome the fear of criticism and be confident in telling your story in networking rooms.
Key Takeaways:
What You Will Learn in This Episode:
***************
Connect with Molly:
Website: https://www.wenetworkservices.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-creese
***************
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
*************
HOST INFO:
Sabine Gedeon is a transformative figure in leadership and personal development and serves as the CEO of Gedeon Enterprises. With nearly two decades of experience, she guides clients in startups and Fortune 500 companies. Sabine's unique approach combines human-centered principles with tech-enabled solutions, delivering customized programs for leaders at all levels to tackle crucial leadership and talent development challenges.
*************
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT:
Download Free Resources - https://sabinegedeon/gifts
Get Coaching Support: https://meetwithsabine.as.me/Discovery
Are you tired of playing small and ready to step confidently into your greatness and share your unique brilliance with the world? Well, you're in the right place. I'm your host Sabine Gideon, and I've dedicated nearly two decades empowering individuals and leaders as they confidently navigate the twists and turns of life and career transitions. If you're seeking direction, connection, or just a little push to play bigger, consider this podcast, your VIP path to a community that genuinely understands your journey. Join me every week for candid conversations and practical guidance designed to help you navigate the challenges of life and business, foster a growth mindset, and cultivate meaningful connections. It's time to embrace your inherent power, define your unique purpose, and prosper in every aspect of your life. Let's get started.
Sabine:Excited to be back with another installment of the Navigating Networks series. If you are completely new to me again, I am Sabine Gideon. I am the founder of Gideon Enterprises, a professional development and coaching firm, and obviously the host of Power, Purpose, and Prosperity. And today I have another fabulous guest. Powerhouse, uh, who will be talking all things networking. Uh, we had a wonderful conversation a little while back and it turns out she's just as passionate, of course, about networking as me, and also had to learn the value of networking in a very similar, uh, manner. And so I will introduce you to Molly crease, who is the CEO and founder of we network services, LLC, a company focused on professional development, helping businesswomen quantum leap in their careers and businesses through strategic coaching, network building, and women empowerment events. Molly is also the director of professional development for the Metro New York chapter of the national black MBA, and is often seen as the nexus and motivator of people focusing on helping individuals build their professional brand to forge great impact and growth with that. Welcome to the show. Molly. Thank you. I'm excited to be here. Same here. Same here. So I gave the high level overview of your bio, but I would love for you to share the cliff notes version of your career journey and you know, some of the twists and turns that led you to doing the work that you do today.
Molly:Okay. So I'm going to give the, um, the short version cause it can be extensive. But, uh, if you hear an accent, I am originally from the Caribbean. I am from St. Vincent and the Grenadines. And I came to the U S in 2004 with a focus to study business finance. So my background is in business and finance. I went to Monroe college, did my MBA at LIU. And so what I realized is that. When you're in the Caribbean, you learn about doing the work and putting in the hard work and getting the results. You get a good job after that. And when I left grad school, I realized that my Accolades in terms of my degree was not just gonna be enough for where I wanted to go in my career and how I wanted to create an impact. And I soon realized that networking was going to be a big portion of it. And so, um, Me forming We Network Services was part of that. I was going to networking events. I was going to conferences and I was seeing people like me having that same struggle of selling themselves of really coming over authentic and saying this is who I am and this is what I want to do. And this is what I'm passionate about. So we network services started with that. We started with Putting a twist on networking because a lot of people don't love networking. They find it awkward. They find it a lot of work to do. And so I was creating events that would make it a lot a little bit more easier and less awkward for people to network to meet people in similar industries to meet meet like minded people and help them to push forward in their journey and in their career growth. So that's the cliff notes of it all.
Sabine:Thank you so much for sharing that a fellow Island girl. So I love that we're having this conversation and, you know, we're halfway across the country from each other, but nonetheless, I'm glad we we've been able to connect. And so you've touched on a really important point around the, um, The hard way of guess of realizing that like networking was important, but then also realizing that so many people dislike networking. And I know I would, I say everything post pandemic pre pandemic,, post that or pre that area, there was a stigma around networking or there was. a way of networking that a lot of people apparently didn't feel comfortable with, you know, post the pandemic, I feel like there's been an opportunity to redefine how we network, um, how we build relationships. You know, I, I usually say relationship building because I know people get really upset when they hear the word networking, but nonetheless, it is such a critical key. To our success, regardless of whether we're in business or whether we're in corporate. So I'm curious in terms of some of the resistance that you've gotten, or maybe not resistance, but the fears that people share when it comes to networking. What, what are some of those?
Molly:I think one of the things is like you talk about post, um, COVID and stuff like that. I think one of the things that people did not realize and didn't understand, and I had to explain this to, to one of my colleagues. And when I was talking to her about networking, she was like, isn't that working nepotism. And so a lot of people had that idea that networking, um, You network with someone because you want a job or you want to ask them for something. And that's the only reason why you network. And so it turned a lot of people off because you're just networking to come to me, to ask me for something. And then after that, I don't hear from you. I don't see you. And some people still do that, but I look at. networking, like you said, as relationship building. And when you're building a relationship, whether it be social or in dating or whatever, you're trying to get to know that person. You're trying to see if that person aligns with your values and aligns with what you wanted to do. And so it's not a one way relationship. It's a two way relationship. And so getting that understanding of networking and going into it for the right reasons. I think is going to be, uh, people is going to gravitate to networking better if they understand that better. I think also too, one of the issues is that you have some people who are not accustomed to putting themselves out there. Um, you might be an introvert. You might be someone who don't like going into a crowd and, and just talking about yourself. Uh, a lot of women face that. We don't like. Talking about ourselves. We feel it's bragging. It's boasting. We're showboating. And so we shy away from it. But I always say go into networking as a conversation. You're just having a conversation. Yes. The questions are going to come up. What you do, why you do it, what you involved in. But if you Enter into it like an organic conversation and you just be yourself about it. It's not going to come off as robotic and it's not going to come off as daunting as some people find it to be.
Sabine:Great points. Thank you for sharing that. So I love the, the start of it is that like, you don't start networking or you don't create the intention to network because you need something. Um, it's almost like that, that saying that like the best time to get a new job is when you have a new job, like you don't wait until you need it to start doing that. So that's an important piece. You know, there's the always be networking. Right. And it's really just always be creating relationships. You know, we're saying networking and I know one of the things that are usually anchored in people's minds are, Oh, networking. I'm going to an event. I'm exchanging business cards. I'm being asked, you know, what do you do? And I have to figure out my 30 minute elevator, uh, speed or pitch or 32nd. No, please. No one, no one created a 30 minute one, uh, a 32nd elevator pitch or whatever. And really essentially that's not what this. This environment is anymore. I mean, I do a lot of networking. Matter of fact, I have to tell the audience. I, when I decided I wanted to do this, um, this series, I went on and I was looking for, okay, who am I? Network is like, this is their bread and butter. Like, this is what they do. This is what they talk about. They are comfortable. They are confident when it comes to networking. And I don't believe that we were first connections at the time, but you were a mutual connections, or we had several mutual connections. And so I just simply reached out to Molly. I was just like, Hey, I'm looking to do the series during women's history month. We're going to focus on networking, how we can help women, you know, ease into it, gain the tools, the practical tips to do it. Would you be willing to come on? And she said, yes. And here we are today. And so in this case, yes, I, I went to her because I. I needed something, but also I know me, right? And if you're, you've been around me for a long time and you've listened to the show a long time, Molly's going to be in my life for a long time. She may have not known it when she accepted that request, but she is going to be in my life for a very long time. So, you know, you have to look at it as, okay, maybe the initial outreach, maybe because you need something, but But also with the mindset of maybe if I have to be the one to ask for something in the first, like the first time around, what am I going to do? Or what am I prepared to give back to support this person in whatever endeavor it is that they're, um, that they're focused on. So thank you for sharing that.
Molly:And I love, I love that you said that because I also, I always say there are I try, I segment my con um, my connections and there are direct connections and there are indirect connections because we're networking virtually and we're also networking in person. And you might have those connections that you are on top of all the time, like the people that you are in connection with maybe every month. Uh, maybe every three months or quarterly or however you want to do it, I would say those are your direct connections. Those are your core circle, your inner circle. Those are the people that you're making sure that you're building that relationship with and you're fostering those relationships and remembering that at one point you might need help and that another. Point those very same people might need help and being able to do that barter barter exchange And really foster that relationship is what I say is going to be very important Then you have those indirect connections that are people that you might meet on linkedin On instagram, you're just clicking a button and connecting or you're just sending a message and connecting You're liking their post you put your you're commenting under their post so that they see You're paying attention to what they're doing. You're not necessarily talking to them every day or every month But you're still keeping that line of connection open and those indirect can become direct at points case in point Me and you for an example, but being able to know how to do that. And I always say, you got to take an audit. You got to edit your network and see who you need to bring into that, into that direct, um, pool of your inner circle and really build those relationships.
Sabine:Absolutely. And I love that you shared that. I've shared this before on the show. I have a similar uh, framework where it's like you're, you're fab five, right? The coast closest people to you, because, you know, they say you're the sum of the top five people that you spend the most time with. Then is your core 50. Right. So that's your, circle of influence, if you will, or what you would consider your inner circle. And then the essential 100 is more of the indirect, the more broader, it's a lot more fluid and people go in and out because the truth is, you know, depending on life circumstances or life changes, you may fall out of contact with someone or. You know, maybe the direction that you've gone in or that person has gone in, there's really not synergy anymore. And so you may decide, all right, well, that's someone that, for Mother's Day and all the events, like I might reach out to, uh, but that's not going to be someone that I'm connecting with on a regular basis. And so I think it's very important, especially You know, if you want to be strategic with your networking and not feel like you are pulled, in 100 directions, in addition to the things that you have to do, that if you can segment out the people that you connect with on a regular basis, be consistent, um, give as well as ask. And then of course that broader network, making sure they're just little touch points. I share with clients all the time that it doesn't have to be a, you know, coffee meeting. For every person, right? It doesn't have to even be a zoom meeting for every person. A quick note, like, Hey, was thinking about you hope all as well. Right. Those are little things that you're touching base and you're connecting with people that keep you top of mind.
Molly:Yes.
Sabine:Awesome. So now that the world is opening up, I know people are tired of hearing that term. Um, but there are a lot more, you know, conferences, networking events, in person stuff happening. Think people are moving things that were primarily, um, online in terms of like networking communities or communities in general. Now we're meeting in person. So are you seeing a big difference in terms of People's willingness to go back out and network versus are they still kind of like, uh, I'd rather be online and I'd rather be behind the screen.
Molly:So the circle I'm in and the people I'm around definitely want to go back out and network. They're tired of being inside. They want to go outside. So I'm hoping that that's the case for everyone, because I am saying, and I make it a point for myself in 2024 to say, I am going to be out. I'm going to be making more connections. I'm going to be making appearances. I'm going to even put myself out of my comfort zone and going to spaces that I don't necessarily go in because I don't know. What opportunities might be waiting for me on the other side. So I'm saying to people, if you haven't done that yet, and you're still afraid of going out, if even you want to put a mask on and go out in person, go out in person because nothing, nothing beats that in person touch to touch connection. Because when you're able to look someone in the face and really have a conversation, it is powerful. And that message gets across. So I'm saying be outside, be intentional, be purposeful, and be strategic in your networking and, and go out there, go to as many in person events as you can. And a way to do this, and a way to be strategic is to first, Know what your goal is and what you want to accomplish and put a plan in place. Say, I'm going to go to at least two networking events in person per month or however you want to do it and the rest I'm going to do virtual, but have a plan in place to really put yourself out there and let people know who you are and be visible with your brand.
Sabine:Yeah, I love that. Um, I've shared this, uh, recently with, uh, with another guest. I'm, I'm, I realized at some point over the, during the pandemic that I developed the social anxiety and I didn't want to be out. And so I recently broken through that praise God. Um, and now I'm like, I want to be at everything, but I'm being intentional about it because I, there have been other seasons in my life where it was just like, if it was a networking event, if somebody was Something was happening. I was like, okay, I'm going to make time. I'm going to make room. And as you know, you will quickly burn out, um, by doing that. And so, and it's also hard because it's not just about going through the event. It's all the followup with people after the event, if you're doing it smart, of course. Um, so now I've decided, you know, going into Q2, that my focus is going to be, let me identify. Five areas of interest. And so that would be, you know, anything related to women, uh, something in business, like there's a black chamber here. And so I've just, I've narrowed it down to five specific areas of interest and am testing out different communities within those five areas of interest these are the organizations, associations, communities, you name it, that I'm going to commit to building relationships with people there. And so for some people, you might be thinking, okay, I don't, I don't have time for five. And that's fine. Pick two, pick three, pick whatever number works for you, but do it based on something that you are interested in. It doesn't have to be a tie to your industry, but if you want it to be, it can, um, it can be tied to if you enjoy playing pickleball and there's a group that plays pickleball, just be intentional and make sure that it aligns with something that. Is important to you then that way you will commit and you'll want to do it You won't see it as networking. You won't see it as a chore I should say you'll see it as something that you're going to get value out of you want to do you want to be there And essentially, you know that you'll get some um some value as well
Molly:Yeah, and it's it's important to put yourself out there. Uh, I always have this quote. I don't know who said it Or maybe it's my quote. I don't know, but I always say, uh, the reward is greater than the risk of putting yourself out there. You might try to analyze risk after risk, but why don't analyze the rewards? The rewards is that you get to meet people. You get to put yourself in situations that you would not otherwise get. do. And then out of those situations can become opportunities. And it's not just about you getting a business deal or you getting a job. It's about you making another connection with a human being. It's about you creating an impact in someone else's life, right? It's about you leaving your stamp and your legacy on this world. Right. And it's about you just, you just showing of yourself and giving of yourself to others. And if we look at it that way, then networking is not so difficult.
Sabine:Absolutely. And so I'm curious because obviously you have your business, right? Where you teach on stuff like this. You also have your, your full time gig, right? Where it's professional development for that. So how are you balancing? the life of the entrepreneur, the life of the employee and the networking and everything else that you have going on.
Molly:So we come from a background where we have three and four jobs, right? That is like normal to us. We, if we're not doing more than one thing, we're not comfortable and we don't feel like we're working hard. So I think that's part of it. I think another part of it too, is that, right. Some sometimes some of it don't feel like work because if you're doing something that you love and that you know is really helping people and that's going to live on even when you've gone off of this earth, uh, it's not work. And I look at it that way. I look at These things that I do that are not my full-time job. I don't look at them as work because they're things that I really wanted them and that I love to do. Um, my full-time job is in accounting and finance'cause that my, that's my background and stuff like that. But I've been mentoring and coaching for a long time because my upbringing. Is of a Christian home background upbringing, uh, teaching Sunday school, worship leading, um, Bible study, all of that stuff. So I've always been in, been in the area of leading and teaching and, and wanting to help people. And so transitioning that, uh, kind of a skill into coaching and being able to talk to people and listen to people and being, be able to touch them in a way that. No one else would that in itself is a testament to, um, how being doing that kind of a work can have that great impact in people's lives. And so it's not work for me when I'm doing it. So that's kind of how the balance the balance goes.
Sabine:Yeah, so it sounds like when in those instances because you're in flow, right? Like it's not, it's not draining your energy. So you have an unlimited resource to be able to do
Molly:it. But I also have to remember that it does, it do drain your resource because in, in, in, The way I coach and when I coach, I give all of myself. And sometimes when you finish with a coaching session, you literally have to go and sit down and recollect yourself. And so what is important for me to do is to take that five minute, that 10 minute break, but I want to do some yoga. Or I get up and I go outside and I take a walk in the park and you just clear your mind, clear your head. It's important to do that self care and to take that personal time. So you might not have a lot of time to do that, but it's important to do that. Whether it be five minutes, 10 minutes, half an hour, It's important to do that factor in sometimes for your friends as well for your family and make sure that you are balancing personal and professional because if it's just professional then you're going to be drained. You're going to be burned out.
Sabine:Absolutely. Um, so shifting gears just a little here. you know, I talk a lot about LinkedIn. I, I will say I'm not a LinkedIn trainer. I have just been on the platform for a very long time and I'm very active. Mm-Hmm, So what role does LinkedIn play for you with regards. to networking, building relationships, supporting you both personally and professionally.
Molly:LinkedIn is a big part of it. I've met some really amazing people on LinkedIn and we have AI today and our phones today. One of the apps on my phone is LinkedIn and I check LinkedIn every day. Um, when I'm leaving for work and I'm on the, I'm on the bus going to the train station, I'm checking my LinkedIn to see what updates. Are there and so what i've done is that i've made it a part of my to do list every day every day I create a to do list and networking is part of it and linkedin is part of that networking So I I develop a strategy where I will go on linkedin whether it be for two minutes or one minute Three minutes, however long I have and I will scroll through There's some little buttons that you can click on and it says top and it reasoned I will click on the reason to see what recent posts there have been who post What posts I agree with and I will either like or make a connection Comment. And then LinkedIn is really good at giving you people that you should connect to. So what I do is that I go and I look at those people. I look at their, their profiles. I see if they align with what I'm looking to do. And I connect with them. I send them a quick note. And there are also people that would reach out to you and say, Hey, I would love to connect. I've seen your profile. I've seen the great work that you're doing. I would love to connect. You have to be strategic and be able to decipher those because some of them are usually sales, um, messages as well. So you have to learn how to be able to weed those out and, and, and, and if it's something that you want, okay. And so LinkedIn is a big part of my virtual networking, um, component of networking. And yeah, like I said, I do it every day.
Sabine:I love that. I love that. It's it's part of your daily process. Um, and I think it makes it easier to be consistent when you have a set time that you're in there on a regular basis versus if it's just like, you know, okay, when I get a break or when I'm on lunch or when I'm whatever, and then you don't actually take that time. Do you, um, do you spend a lot of time as far as obviously you're connecting with people, but With regards to the platform, have you implemented any strategies that are specific to, you know, either, you know, creating your own newsletter or responding to those like, um, subject matter expert prompts? Like that's something that I've seen that people have been using to kind of build their, uh, leadership. Yeah. Yeah.
Molly:Definitely. If you want to build your online presence and you want to build your brand, you definitely have to be active and you have to create a schedule. And I love LinkedIn. Uh, Because before that I was writing and I was doing blogs and stuff. And when they brought in the right article, a portion of it, I was happy because I was like, okay, now I can push out an article maybe every month or every three months or when I want to. And so I think I've written like 10 or 12 articles so far. Since I've done that, I've called it, um, Molly's tasty content or something like that, where I will, um, talk about career, talk about job search. I'll talk about networking. I'll, I'll do some articles where it's motivational, like a recent one I did about self care. you are. Uh, where reference the lion king and black panther in in the saying, show me who you are. So I do those kind of, uh, um, articles because I think they're important and people read them because sometimes people need to see that they need an article, they need an outlet where they can read something and gain some information. And I think it's It's important to do videos as well, so that people see you're talking, uh, these kind of things is why people are going to see that you are an expert in your field, an expert at what you do. This is going to allow people to reach out to you for opportunities and to come in your inbox and say, Molly, can you Be part of my podcast and stuff like that too And so i've I have a podcast as well that I call the network hour where I talk to women as well About various different topics and I post it on facebook so that other women can see And enjoy that and get information out of that so it's definitely a good platform for you to build your personal brand because A lot of recruiters when they're looking for you You For job, they look at your LinkedIn when someone is looking at you to speak at their conference or whatever, they look at your LinkedIn and then stuff like this. You can put on your featured on your, on your profile and all of this can be featured so that when people go to it, it's right there for them to see what you're doing and what you're involved in. And I think it's very important for visibility and building your brand. So yeah,
Sabine:absolutely, absolutely. And that goes back to what you mentioned before, right? So Some of the, uh, hesitance that people have is the, you know, I don't, I don't want to put myself out there. Like, I don't want to sound like I'm bragging or anything like that. And the thing is like, no one will know if you don't tell them exactly. That's, that's the bottom line of it. It's almost like you have to tell him you think about, you know, especially when we're younger, I don't watch TV too much now. Like how many times was there a McDonald's commercial? How many times was there a car commercial? How many times did you like hear or watch the same thing over and over again? So you knew the jingle, you knew the words, you knew the script, you knew all that stuff, right? Like, that's the same thing. Like, That's how you build that recognition so that people know what it is that you have going on. Uh, the guest that I had a couple of weeks back, um, Aria, you know, when I asked her about her usage of LinkedIn, she was just like, I've only been on the platform for about three or four months. And I, I, I thought, well, we had been connected for a very long time. I thought she was a master at LinkedIn because she was always on my feed, but the reason why she was always on my feed was because she's always commenting on someone else's. She's liking, she's reposting. And so, you know, LinkedIn is putting that on, on my feed as well. And so here, I thought she like, She's a pro. She's like, no, I just, I just support other people in what they're doing. And that's how, you know, she's showing up. So, you know, every now and then she'll do her own posts, of course. So it's not about feeling like you have to figure out like, how am I going to write a whole article or how am I going to write a creative post to stop the squirrel? No, just be active.
Molly:Exactly. And this is why I don't understand. Sometimes this is what I don't understand with people. They say, oh, it's daunting. It's so much work to do. But yet you're on, you're on TikTok scrolling. You're on Instagram scrolling. You're, you're messaging your friends on a daily. You're doing all these things. And you can't find five minutes to do that for you. For your brand, for your own brand, you're going to the stores. You're buying stuff. You're telling your friends, Oh, did you see this latest shoe? Did you see this latest designer bag? You're hearing stories and you're relaying those stories. Why is it so hard for you? To relay your own story and your own brand and tell people about you. And it's because we have been conditioned to not talk about ourselves, especially women. We have been told that we need to stay in the background. We need to be silent. We can't be out and about with it because we're aggressive. We're asking for too much and you need to let the men lead and let the men do this. And so. Because we have been indoctrinated with that for years from since we were little girls, you are the submissive, you are the helpmate. And so we grow up with that. And even within our own careers and within our own businesses, we fail to put ourselves out there. We fail to show people what we can do because of the fear of criticism, because of fear of people talking about us and who do we think we are and stuff like that. And so, We are gradually getting away from it because we're seeing more and more women talking and being outspoken. But that is something that we definitely have to come away from and be comfortable in telling our own stories. And frankly, showing out a little bit, you've done the work, you work hard for it. Talk about it.
Sabine:Yes, own the room. And so it just has to be a level of confidence. I know there, there's, um, I don't have resistance around the whole fake it till you make it thing. Like, I think in, in some contexts, like it's, it's, it's not useful, but in other contexts, it has to be that like, sometimes the only way to build confidence is. To fake the confidence. Like that's the only way that your subconscious mind will register record like, Oh, she's really serious. She really does believe that, you know, she is this, this, this, and the third. And so I'm here, I'm here for the shout it as many times as possible. Shout it as loud as needed and make sure that the rooms that you're shouting it out in. That those are the rooms that are going to reverberate what you want back to you. Um, I think the other power in networking and we haven't touched upon this is that's often missed is that it's not just about the one on one connection that you make, whether, you know, you're building the relationship with someone through LinkedIn, you're building the relationship that you met, you know, with someone that you met at a conference or whatever the case may be. The thing is like, you know, one thing that I always ask people, especially if they're business owners. Once we do like a virtual coffee is okay. How will I know the right customer for you? Like what, what will that person be going through so that when they tell me this, I'll know that that's the right person for you. So I think there's. Also a power in in networking that is often missed in not just necessarily you having to be the person to be the connector But also people remembering. Oh, okay. So molly does this molly does that? Okay. Yes next time we have an event Molly is going to be the one that, that we, that we grab onto. So it's not just remember, it's not, don't be short sighted. I guess that's what I'm trying to say. Don't be short sighted in, Oh, well, if I share who I am here, then I don't know if I can share it here or whatever. It's more of a share as much as you can, because the more people you tell about who you are, what you do, what you're interested in, the more people they will then tell about who you are, what you're interested in and what you're looking to do next.
Molly:Yeah. And we have to be aware of the secret champions learning in the background. That's why it's important for you to be active and it's important for you to build your brand because you don't know who's looking at you in the background. You don't know who's looking at your LinkedIn profile. Um, well, they might show up if you have premium and all that stuff, but there are people who would anonymously look at your profile. They would read your articles. They would see your posts. And it will inspire them. These are your champions in the background because these are the people that are calling your name When they're in the room in the boardrooms in the employment rooms wherever rooms they are And you don't even know they're calling your name But they're calling your name because they've seen something that have impacted them in such a great way that they're pitching your name for a speaker series. They're pitching your name for a job. They're pitching your name for this. And before long, someone calls you and they're like, can you do this? And you're like, uh, I got your name from such and such. And you're like, who? Because these are champions in the background. They don't necessarily need to be in your circle, but they are sponsoring you from afar. They championing you from afar and they setting you up for opportunities. So if you never talk about yourself, if you're never active, if you're never building that online brand and that online presence, then these champions can't find you. And then you're doing yourself a disservice.
Sabine:Absolutely. Absolutely. And they, they can't find you. They can't support you. They can't, it can't be that person for you. I I've, I've shared this before, but even just a couple of weeks ago, um, I met someone and it was like a virtual coffee. Someone else introduced us and I was, you know, asking her like, okay, well, what is it that you're doing? What are you going to focus on? Um, gave her some, uh, unsolicited advice on how to like navigate that. And then like maybe a couple of days later, someone in my, um, on my phone. Feed was just like, Hey, I'm looking for podcast guests to do dot, dot, dot, which it was, um, exactly what it is that she said that she wanted to do. And so I was just like, okay, here's the information. I'll make the introduction as a followup. Right. And so you want to, it's, it's the work smarter, not harder. You want to look at. Your role in networking and building these relationships. Um, again, it's two sided, right? It's, it's the, what you're going to give and what you're going to get, but it's a ripple effect. It's, it's something that will pay off years and years down the line. Um, like this podcast, right? We're going to record it. We're going to release it. Guess what? Five years from now. Someone will go to podcast number. I think this will be one, one 10. Someone will go to podcast one 10 and they'll listen to it. And then they'll meet Molly, right. For the very first time, you have to look at these as seeds that you are planting, um, within that relationship with the person, but also, you know, for opportunities that'll, that'll come down the door. I don't know anyone. I personally don't know anyone, they may exist, but I don't know anyone personally who has really advanced in their careers or in their businesses without the support of others, um, without the support of maybe someone making a recommendation, someone opening the door, someone naming their name behind closed doors. Right? Like I, I, I myself, and I'm a product of that. Like. Um, some people I know, some people I don't even know. So, you know, you have to look at it from the standpoint of as you want to grow or as you're looking to grow, you need the support of others to do so. And maybe it starts with just coming on LinkedIn like Molly does. Checking it first thing in the morning, connecting with people, commenting, liking, then maybe it advances to, you know, writing your own articles or just responding to those prompts here on LinkedIn. Um, maybe it escalates then to you being on podcast interviews, whatever that looks like for you, whatever that trajectory is. Start, start, don't wait until you have a need. Don't wait until you know, you're in a space of crisis or scarcity to then be like, who can help me?
Molly:Exactly. That's the word of the day. Start.
Sabine:Yes. So with that, I want to be mindful of your time. So we're going to shift over to the, uh, blitz session here. So three questions, two minutes, so first one up. Knowing what you know now, given your experiences, the work that you've done, life experience that have come through, if you could go back to a younger version of Molly and give her a key piece of advice, what might that be?
Molly:I would tell her to not be scared. A younger Molly was really scared. She was really, um, introverted, really sheltered, and she did not go after Everything that she wanted and that was in her part in her path. So I would say to that younger Molly, don't be scared. You can do it and to just put yourself out there. I
Sabine:love that. I love that. And as we look ahead, right? With everything that you're doing now, everything that you hope to do and accomplish when you're looking back over your life and everything that you've done, what do you want the narrative to be?
Molly:Oh, I want the narrative to be when I'm no longer here. I want people to, well, people are going to miss me, of course, but I want the narrative to be that she did a good work and she touched a lot of people's lives. That's what I, um, I think that's what a place here on this earth to do to make it better than when I came and how how I found it. And so I want to leave it better and being able to leave it better is to leave, um, ducats, leave, leave. Um, potions in people's life that can carry on from generation to generation. And so being able to touch someone, whether it be through my coaching session, whether it be through the events I have through the partnerships I have, I want to be able to touch people and leave that legacy that she did a good work and she helped a lot of people. And that should be what I leave when I, when I left this earth.
Sabine:I love that very honorable legacy to leave. And then lastly, have there been any books or a book in particular that has been pivotal for you in your development, whether personally or professionally?
Molly:So, um, it might, this might be simple, but I really love John C. Maxwell, how successful people think. I think I read it like about once every three months, because sometimes you need a quick pick me out to remind you of certain things. And when you feel like you're shifting into some negative negativity gear, you need a book that's going to pick you up and put you back on, on track. And this is a quick read. And that is why I love it. I also love Tuesdays with Mari by, uh, Mitch, Mitch album. And I love it because he was talking about. Taking time, he was teaching this young guy and he was saying one of his regret and talking about taking time to smell the roses. And a lot of times we are going, going, going so much in life that we forget to pause and we forget to take time to smell the roses. And so we don't take that time until an illness stricken us. And then we're, we are forced. to take that time. And so I'm saying, don't be forced to take that time. Remember to take that time before it gets down to that and really smell the roses, take a walk in the park, join a gym, do something that you will Didn't want to do a jump out of an airplane, whatever you want to do, take that time to enjoy life and enjoy yourself.
Sabine:Oh, I love that too. Very inspirational books. I actually have the John Maxwell one. Um, it's been a while since I read it and that's why one of the few books now that I have on hard copy. I will add that second one. Cause that sounds very inspirational and a wonderful reminder, especially now that Spring is starting to spring. A Well, Molly, I do, um, want to share with the audience how they can get in touch with you, how they can listen in on your podcast and anything else that you have going on.
Molly:Okay, so my podcast is called the network hour it's on spotify and wherever you get your um podcast Uh, we would have to do this again Uh, they can connect with me on linkedin as well. And also my website is renetworkservices. com and so, yeah, connect with me on LinkedIn and I would love to hear from
Sabine:you. Awesome. All right. So we will be, for those who are listening in on the podcast, you can find all of the links to connect with Molly on LinkedIn. In the show notes. And when you do connect with her on LinkedIn, be sure to send a note, let her know that you heard her on the power purpose prosperity podcast. Um, and so one, so that she'll accept. And then two, so that you have, you have some common ground to begin the conversation and the relationship with. Um, so we'll, we will include all those links in addition to the links to the books. Um, Molly, thank you so much for coming on today and sharing your experience, um, your knowledge and your expertise. Before I let you go, is there any last words of wisdom that you want to leave with the audience?
Molly:Uh, this was awesome. Thank you so much. I want to say, let's see if I have a quote here. Um, it's not about what you know, but it's about who you know, who knows you and how who can vouch for your value. So put yourself out there, be intentional, be purposeful, let people see who you are and let those. Champions there that are looking in the background, give them an opportunity to offer you opportunities. And I believe in that, that
Sabine:love it. Mic drop moment. All right. For those of you who are listening on the podcast, we will be back next week with another fabulous female powerhouse. Have a wonderful rest of the day and we will talk soon. Take care.
Hope you enjoyed this week's episode. If you found today's conversation helpful, or got a piece of insight that you plan to implement in your life, I'd love to hear from you. Connect with me on LinkedIn at Sabine Gideon and send me a message, or feel free to leave a review on either Apple or Spotify. I also invite you to share this episode with anyone in your network, another powerhouse, possibly who you think might benefit from today's conversation. Lastly, as always, any links, any resources, or any upcoming training is included in the show notes. So be sure to check that before you leave today until we chat again, have a blessed and powerful week.