This week could change everything

Week 8: Lucky Number 8

Things are in motion. It’s a big networking week for me and the biz because we have conferences lined up 4 out of 5 days this work week. The social battery is going to take a hit, but it’s a big week in fashion tech events globally, so we’ve got to step up. Networking is one of the most important parts of starting any business, so if you can get an “all-access pass” to all of the people you want to be around, DO IT.

The two events I have coming up are a) PI Live Fashion Tech Show: a global event sitting at the intersection of fashion and technology, bringing together leading brands and visionaries shaping the future of the industry, and b) ReCon: the world’s first resale conference, hosting some of the biggest names in the circular fashion space.

Now, I’m an introverted extrovert, so the idea of being ON in a room full of people you need to approach and mingle with can feel a little overstimulating. But the opportunity is there, and it needs to be seized.

Showing up to every single networking event you’re invited to isn’t hustle, it’s noise. Early on, it’s tempting to say yes to everything. Every panel, every drink, every breakfast briefing. It feels productive and it looks like momentum, but if you’re walking into rooms without intention, you’re essentially just collecting business cards and burning energy.

The best events are the ones where you can calculate the actual ROI on your career, your business, your time. It means looking at where you are right now, what you need, and who you need to know, then asking honestly: is this the right room for me?

Sometimes the answer is no. And that’s not a missed opportunity, that’s strategy.

A little preparation never hurts

I’ll be honest with you, I’m a bit nervous about this week. Not in a paralysing way, but that low hum of anxiety that sits in your chest when the stakes feel real. I know this is nothing like pitching for a formal raise, but every conversation you have about what you’re building is technically a pitch. These aren’t casual meetups. These are rooms full of industry leaders, founders, and decision-makers who have been in this space for years and these people could quite literally change the trajectory of your career.

Which brings me back to one of my personal theories: that every opportunity and every person is only really one degree of separation away.

So, this past week I’ve been doing the research on who’s attending, what they’ve built and what they care about, thinking through the conversations I want to have, and what I want to say when someone asks me what I’m building. Because here’s the thing: you can get into the right room and still waste the opportunity if you show up underprepared. Knowing your stuff, knowing your story, and knowing who you want to connect with transforms anxiety into focus.

Preparation isn’t about scripting every conversation (honestly, who has time for that?) And you don’t want to come across as inauthentic or too rigid either. It’s more about walking into the room with enough confidence to be present, curious, and actually listen, rather than being so in your head that you miss the moment happening right in front of you.

And if someone asks you something you don’t fully know the answer to? Be upfront about it. A simple “that’s a great question, I’m still figuring that out” is far more memorable than a fumbled non-answer. Or better yet, turn it back to them and ask how they would approach it or what they’ve seen work(in their own experience). More often than not, that kind of honesty opens up a real conversation rather than closing one down.

The right rooms

I’m going in with open eyes and a clearer sense of what I’m there to learn and who I’m there to meet. I’ll save the full breakdown for next week because trust me, I’m sure I’ll have a lot to say after five days of this.

I’ll save the full breakdown for next week, because trust me, I’ll have plenty to say after five days of this.

If you’re building something, put yourself out there. Networking is a superpower, and finding the rooms that align with where your business is heading is one of the surest ways to move yourself and your career further forward.

You don’t need to be everywhere. You just need to be in the right place, at the right time, for the right reasons.

Walk in prepared. Back yourself. And go all in.

A Final Note

In his book, The Diary of a CEO, Steven Bartlett talks about building your career in five stages:

1. knowledge

2. skills

3. network

4. resources

5. reputation - in that order.

The network bucket doesn’t come first. It comes after you’ve put in the work to know your stuff and develop your craft. So before your next event, ask yourself: have I filled my first two buckets? Because the most powerful thing you can walk into a room with isn’t a business card, it’s something genuinely worth talking about.

Do the work first, then go find your room.

xx KP