293: Is networking your most powerful marketing strategy? | Amy Vaughan

Fan of networking? 

Whether you like it or not, you can’t deny the power of coming together with the intent to connect, add value and see each other grow. 

When we put ourselves out there, that is when we feel less lonely, feel more inspired and as a byproduct? Gain great business exposure. 

This episode of The Content Queen Podcast is all about how to leverage networking for connection in business. Our special guest, Amy Vaughan, owns a global networking group so you know she has a lot of value to share in this space. 

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah.

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KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇

✨ How to leverage networking 

✨ Why it becomes your biggest marketing strategy and your saviour in lonely times 

✨ How you can put yourself out there 

✨ Why women in business need to network more 

SHOW RESOURCES 👇

If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @contentqueenmariah⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Other than that, enjoy - chat next week 💕

ABOUT THE GUEST 👇

A rebel with a cause and creative force who transforms both brands and leaders- Amy brings 15+ years of enterprise creative leadership to purpose-driven innovation. As an award-winning Creative Director, Amy has created campaigns for global brands including Ford, P&G, Walmart, and Humana, consistently pushing boundaries while delivering measurable impact.

Today, she serves multiple missions: As CEO of Together Digital, she leads a platform that empowers 500+ women in digital and tech through strategic networking and community building. As an executive coach, she guides creative leaders and entrepreneurs to lead with authenticity, helping them navigate the intersection of innovation, purpose, and operational excellence.

PODCAST TRANSCRIPTION

This is episode 293, and I'm talking to the amazing Amy Vaughan, owner of a a global networking community, all about networking and is it the most powerful marketing strategy that you could have. Welcome to the Content Queen podcast. I'm your host, Mariah, entrepreneur storyteller. Digital Nomad creator of Content Bootcamp and founder of Content Queen.

I'm here to teach you how to share your unique story, create content, and market your business with strategy through the channels that work for you. Each week, I will deliver a story to help you connect to a powerful strategy around marketing, business, and content creation. I will also be joined by amazing souls and entrepreneurs who are here to share their own journey, along with actual steps to help you take your business to a whole new level through amazing storytelling.

Powerful aligned marketing and content strategy. Let's do it. Hello gang. I told you we're gonna have a good episode all about networking. I have [00:01:00] found myself go through waves and I want to share this because I think we can all resonate. Because obviously if you are creating lots of content for your business or you think, oh yeah, social media just means that I don't have to go out and about and do things, and you end up spending a lot of time on these digital spaces.

Now there's nothing wrong with that, but then it can become a little bit isolating, a little bit lonely, and then you feel like you're not able to really share. Who you are and what you're about through a video. So going out there and having zoom sessions with people or in person does make such a difference.

And I always find I go through the, these waves of like networking heaps and then like going into my cave and not networking. As much, and I'm really extroverted. And one of the things that Amy says in this podcast is like, networking is uncomfortable for everyone no matter what. And it's so true. I think what happens is, yeah, we, we go, oh yeah, need lots of networking need to do, get myself out there.[00:02:00] 

And then we kind of go, okay, yep, that's enough. Or if you are looking for business, you might go, oh yeah, I've gotten some good business and I can retrieve back to my cave. But that's not what it's about. Networking is. About connection and as a byproduct, of course, you can get potential clients. Now is networking your most powerful strategy marketing strategy?

It's not about the sales, it's about marketing yourself and getting yourself out there and building your legacy from beyond just content. I had this sort of theory of, you know, after networking, what are you doing to maintain relationships? So some people are on these social media platforms because they do network a lot, and social media is a great way for them to connect with people afterwards and continue the relationship or collaborate or share more about what they're doing.

If someone was super interested in partnering up with them or buying from them, then your social media is a great. Space also sharing all the stuff that you're doing. We love seeing people [00:03:00] out and about and getting out there and meeting new people. So I wanted Amy to come on to chat because she. Is the CEO of an amazing platform connecting women.

She's very passionate about bringing women together, so I thought it was awesome to get her on and chat. So a rebel with a cause and creative force who transforms both brands and leaders. Amy brings 15 plus years of enterprise creative leadership to purpose-driven innovation. As an award-winning creative director, Amy has created campaigns for global brands across Ford p and g, Walmart, and Humana, consistently pushing boundaries through delivering measurable impact.

Today, she serves multiple missions as the CEO of Together Digital. She leads a platform that empowers 500 plus women in digital and tech through strategic marketing and community building, and as an executive coach. She guides creative leaders and entrepreneurs to lead with authenticity, helping them [00:04:00] navigate the intersection of innovation, purpose, and operational excellence.

Let's hear from Amy 'cause she has a wealth of knowledge to share with us. Well, thank you, Amy, for coming on the podcast. I'm really excited to talk to you today. For those that don't know you, who are you? And yeah, tell us a little bit more about your business journey. 

Amy: Absolutely. So my name is Amy Vaughn and I am the owner and Chief Empowerment officer that still stands for CEO of Together Digital, which is a national network for women who work in digital marketing, advertising, and technology.

I am also a mom of two kiddos, eight and 12, and just because there's just not enough titles in the world, I guess, or jobs for me to do, I am also now the Managing Director of the Marketer Collaborative, which is a coworking space dedicated to marketers that offers, um. Podcast, studio content studios, basically all the amenities of a large agency for independent contractors, freelancers, and small independent agencies.

So awesome. [00:05:00] Yeah. Yeah. Doing a lot. That is so awesome. 

Mariah: I love that. That's like a dream of ours. Two one days to open something in Australia for like digital nomads and Yeah. So Uhhuh have to pick your brain one day on that. That sounds so cool. Absolutely. Absolutely love that. And how did you get into business and working for yourself?

Amy: Yeah, it's an interesting story in the fact that the business that I own and operate right now together digital, um, I'm not the founder, um, I was a member of the organization first. I was working as a creative director working in digital marketing and advertising for a lot of like large CPG brands, um, like p and g, mostly here in Cincinnati, but also some automotive.

Board, um, did some financial with different banks, and I became a member after I had my second kiddo. I really felt the need, um, for more connection, especially with women. I was the only female creative director within our agency, and I was the only mom and one of very few parents. Um, and anybody that is in the industry will tell you it's, it's pretty high in the [00:06:00] hours.

Um, and also, you know, just takes a lot of time, attention, drive, um, hard work. It's a kind of an all consuming industry, which is like a love-hate thing for me. But I definitely learned after my second kiddo that, you know, I thought, oh, what's one more kid? We already have one. Oh. Twice the work and you know, my priorities just shifted, not in the sense that I wasn't prioritizing work as much.

If anything, I was better at being organized and detailed with my time after I became a mom than before. But nonetheless, moms get dinged when they become moms. Um, and I was feeling that as well. And so the together digital community found me. Through LinkedIn, the founder reached out and just shared her story and experience of, uh, experiencing some sexual harassment, discrimination in the workplace.

Um, I heard her, I heard her story among so many others. I was fortunate. I had a lot of fantastic male allies and champions. What I was lacking is the more women in my world. And so I joined and after about two years, two and a half [00:07:00] years. Of, uh, being board president for the Cincinnati chapter that I helped to start, uh, the founder decided to run for Congress and when I asked her what she was going to do about with together digital, I said, we need this.

I need this. She says, you're gonna run it. Um, so she had given me that opportunity because she had heard that. You know, I was a non-traditional student. I went back to college after about a two and a half year gap, or two year gap, which is a long time in the us We don't, we don't take gap years here, right?

We're just go, go, go all the time. And so when I was going to school, I was going to school full time at night. And working during the day. And so while I was getting my degree in advertising, I was also getting kind of like a in job experience, uh, running a graphic design firm as the office manager. And I think that was actually the backbone of teaching me how to run a business.

Mm-hmm. Doing the accounts. Payable, accounts receivable, um, managing taxes and payroll and hiring and all these different things that your typical college student probably wouldn't be doing while going to [00:08:00] school. Um, so it's just really kind of cool how the combination of all of my experience has really led to, you know, not just opportunities within the industry, but eventually an opportunity within together digital to run it.

And after the first year I became partner. After the second year I bought the business and then I've been running it since 2 20 21. Um. So it's an amazing community. Um, we have women all over the world, actually. It is mostly based in the US but you know, that's the beauty of now and what we have going here in the world is that we can connect from anywhere.

And I think this makes networking very accessible to women. Um, so it's been really cool to see the evolution, and I know we'll get into that soon too. The evolution of how women Connect network, grow themselves, their careers. Businesses. But yeah, for me it was really interesting. I, if you would've asked me 10 years ago if I would be owning and running a business, not much less one, but now two, I probably would've laughed at you.

Yeah. And said at the end, there's no way. 

Mariah: Yeah. It's amazing. That's so cool. And I totally resonate with what you say about networking because what I've noticed, like being a content marketer for [00:09:00] many different businesses is I think what really helps it grow and evolve. Is when women can get themselves out there and be part of community.

Mm-hmm. Not just from business opportunities, but for like that mindset. And, um, you know, the, the clients that I always say that I work the best with are the ones that are like, cool. You do the, your thing and I'll give you what you need for the marketing and the content and whatever, and I'll do my thing.

Which is like connecting, networking, being out there in front of people because I think they both compliment each other so well. I know. Sometimes in my business when I've had breaks from marketing, I do really notice it. Obviously with like connection, loneliness, but then also like business growth. Like I actually do notice that sometimes my business lulls if I'm not putting myself out there enough and, and getting myself in front of the right people.

I know that's me personally. I know everyone's obviously so different with like, I'm so extroverted it's not even funny. Like I love being around people. Sure. So, um, but yeah, I would love to talk about kind of how networking can really help. Women in business from so many angles. So since, you know, being [00:10:00] part of together digital and then obviously now running it, how have you seen these women in business kind of evolve and grow and expand, um, in, you know, all the ways?

Amy: It's been super awe inspiring and, and sometimes really shocking and amazing. And, and it's really why I keep doing what I'm doing even when it gets hard. 'cause I literally took things over. Three months before the pandemic, a small mission-based business. And then it's like, let's figure this out. Uh, and I'm so glad that I did because the results have been phenomenal.

I think this new era of marketing, or sorry, of networking that I would really like to see happen in the world is where we break down the old systems and ways in which we network. 'cause there's a lot of reasons why as women we do avoid it because it's full of landmines. I mean, great example, the founder of this organization was told by her boss that he couldn't be alone in a room with her because it.

She didn't know. He didn't know what would happen. You know, I've heard of women getting hit on at networking events. You're walking through dark alleys to way find, to find an event, you know, and [00:11:00] there's just a lot, you know, there's, there's usually drinking involved. It's usually in a loud environment, so it's like not inclusive if you are hard of hearing, if you're not able-bodied, if you're not a drinker.

There's just so much about it that is like just littered. With red flags and landmines for women and any minority group. However, on the other side of that is the opportunity to feel more deeply connected to find solidarity. Running a business is a lonely endeavor. You shouldn't be trying to do it all and be it all, um, because you can't, unfortunately, it absolutely takes a village even with your business and your career.

And so being able to have a group of people. Whatever that looks like for you to be able to ask for what you need without guilt or shame, and to be able to give without any judgment or competition. We have seen some really stellar, um, lifts within our women's business. Great example. We're women in digital, right?

So we love numbers and data. One of my members who is out in Denver, which is no longer technically a chapter, so she's like on her own little island. [00:12:00] A handful of other Denver members out there, but she has been connecting with members across the country to build up her business portfolio. She does website building and maintenance, but she doesn't do design and branding.

So when a client came to her and said, Hey, we need some help with this. She's like, that's not me, but this gal over here in Orlando. Sarah is amazing. They went in, pitched the work together, won the client, doubled their business, won awards with it, and of course, she's crunched the numbers. She is getting right now a 3000% return on her member dues from all the new business referrals that she's getting now.

You can't just, it's not a light switch. You can't just walk into the room, turn on the lights and say, I'm in a community. I'm in a network. Where's my business? It does take time, but it gives time back, right? Mm-hmm. Because now people are sending her referrals, but it's because we all know love and trust Danelle, and she just shows up on Slack.

If somebody asks a question and needs help Danelle's there. 

Mariah: Yeah. 

Amy: You know, if there's an online virtual event that she can jump onto, [00:13:00] she will be there. And she's asking, but she's also. Giving. And I think for women especially, just making that practice is such an important thing because men and networking, that's all they're doing is they're helping each other out.

They're hooking each other up with what the other one needs, and we need to feel comfortable doing the same. Mm-hmm. Even though we might not do it in the same ways. 

Mariah: Yeah. Oh, I love that. It's, it's such a good story. And as you say, like, you know, there's so many, you know, groups out there. I mean, in Australia we've got quite a few and yeah.

Mm-hmm. I'm like guilty of like joining them and then you don't like put in the work to show up for them and then you go like, oh yeah. You know, like I, I'm not utilizing this enough. And I think, you know, we, we rely so much on social media to give us, like, in our minds, right? Like, I'm gonna join social media and I'm gonna like have all these clients.

And, and I happens with clients that come to me all the time, like, yep. Social is gonna save my business. And it's kind of like social is, or content or marketing in that regard. Mm-hmm. Is one element [00:14:00] of your overall plan. And I kind of had this like, um. Sort of concept for people. And it was probably around 2023 or 2024, I can't remember if it was last year, but it was like, you know, there's um, a day in the calendar, it's like international networking week or something, Uhhuh.

And I was like, you know what? I wanna do a post on this, um, about how social media, say for example, you go in these groups, you're networking, and then someone follows you on LinkedIn, they follow you on Instagram, like whatever that looks like. And then mm-hmm. You never post on social media, you don't do anything you don't like.

You know, post about the event you went to. You don't tag the people you caught up with. I think this is really big on LinkedIn. Mm-hmm. And then you go, oh, well I didn't get much from that. Because I, you know, maybe I didn't engage in that person, but that's the power of social media, right? You can, after the event, follow the person.

They can continue to see your content, your Instagram stories, your LinkedIn posts, so you are continuing to nurture people and, and engage with them well and truly after the event, or. Anything has occurred, even in your group, I imagine, obviously you've got your psych channel, but I imagine [00:15:00] lots of the women support each other on social media.

They like each other's content, and that's like mm-hmm. Top of mind. So I wanted to know your thoughts around this sort of utilizing, I guess, networking as part of your, you know, connection, but also in the funnel. Like, if I go to a networking event, how can I mm-hmm. Nurture these people after a new social media as a tool to continue to connect?

'cause now, like obviously we're. Not always meeting in person. It might be online, but especially as you're saying like there's different around, um, the US and the world where you, um, together digital kind of hang out or hang out with the certain people. Yeah. I I just wanted to know your thoughts on how networking works in this sort of marketing strategy.

Amy: No, that's great. Um, I think at the end of the day, I'm doing a talk next week at Content Marketing World in San Diego, and it is a lot about what I call it genetic, um, marketing framework. And it's really about, it's not about big. Multi-channel strategies. It's not about being everywhere and everything all at once.

It's [00:16:00] really about taking the voice and listening to first, listening to the voice of your customer, and then sharing those experiences, problems, and or solutions through their eyes, through their story, making them the hero because when they speak the problem, so when I go to another woman and I say.

Owning a business is isolating. They're like, check. Yes. Being a woman in a very male dominated industry that is has demanding hours, is hard as a woman. Yep. Check. I feel that when you talk about the problems that they're facing and the ways in which you can solve them in a genuine, I just want to help you way, first of all, when you're networking with people, you shouldn't be looking to hand out business cards.

You shouldn't be looking to add followers. That is not. The point. We are relational beings. We want to buy from people that we trust. So I would say just remember that people are buying you, not your product or service. 'cause I'm sorry, but at the end of the day, there's a whole hell of a lot of content marketers out there.

I'm gonna be with three, just 3000 of them next week. And we're all trying to get to the same place. However, people will choose to work [00:17:00] with you because of you, and if they know you. So my recommendation for leveraging networking into your marketing strategy is always be thinking, where can I be adding value?

Where can I be connecting others? Where can I be generous? Because here's the thing is you give and people will return the favor. That's like a whole part of our human psyche, right? There's a great book out there actually called Using Behavioral Psychology, um, for Marketing by Nancy Har Hut, who actually speaks at that conference as well.

On my podcast talks about the law of reciprocity. We as humans, when people do for us, we want to do for them, and gratitude. It's just our nature. And so really look at networking as that opportunity to build and establish trust, credibility, but also to provide opportunities and support for others. And then just watch as it comes back to you watch as you are the name they mention when you're not in a room, which is really what us women need.

Right? Because when it comes to, I was doing some research for my book that I was writing about, closing the Networking Gap, [00:18:00] and they say women don't rise through the ranks of companies by leading projects or being with executives. They get promoted on third party referrals. They get. Promoted because usually another man in the room says she's the one, she's the one we need to promote.

She's the one that we need to hire. She's the one that we need to make the leader of this project. Um, so all the research is pointing towards that. And while it's kind of sucky, it's a good insight so that we know, again, building trust. Building credibility, adding value. Those three things I think are just really paramount no matter what you're doing in your marketing, um, but also within your networking to make sure that you're remaining consistent.

And then people know who, who you are and what you do. And so when somebody says websites, we all go to Danelle. When somebody says SEO, we all know Missy and Cleveland. When someone says design, we know Sarah and Orlando and I could go. On and on. Um, because there's this whole Rolodex all of a sudden. Um, for those of you who are younger than 30 Rolodex, that was the place we used to keep everybody's information Before we had cell phones [00:19:00] on little cards, and now you've got this whole inventory of amazing women that you know and trust that at a moment's notice you could throw over to somebody for and get them new work in an instant.

Like they don't have to spend half as much time searching for that client. They don't have to spend as much time pitching that client. Because they just know. It's like a trust thing. I say when I send somebody to somebody, they're like, oh, well Amy sent her so she has to be good. Mm-hmm. And I'm like, that's great.

That's great. That's what trust can do for you. 

Mariah: Yeah. No, that's awesome. And it's so true, like with, you know, networking, there's so many reasons why you would do it, right? There's not just like one, oh, well, I'm going to get clients, or This is what it's gonna help. It's like a byproduct of putting yourself out there.

Right. And that's where, yeah. I was actually literally having this conversation yesterday of like, I'm doing these free workshops at the moment around Australia. I travel in my bus and, um, love it. We stay in caravan parks and do, and I'm doing them for free. And it's just, it's just because, like, I really wanna put myself out there.

I wanna, um, help people, help small [00:20:00] businesses. I know how much small businesses struggle with. Content social media. Mm-hmm. They're just not that way inclined. Like if you start your business to become business owner, not a content creator. Yeah. Um, so yeah, and, and just do it because I really love it and I mean, I love That's wonderful being in the room with people.

And I think when you have that mindset with networking, that's when you do actually see the benefits rather than going in with like, I'm gonna get all these clients and this is gonna help me. Um, yes. You mentioned the networking gap, and I'm mindful of time, but I would just be cur really curious for you to explain.

So you're writing a book at the moment, um mm-hmm. What is the networking gap? Like? What, what is this about? 

Amy: Yeah, so one of the things I observed once I, we got outta COVID and I was, we were back in person, I joined the Goldman Sachs and Thousand Small Businesses program, which is essentially like a 14 week bootcamp mini MBA for you and your business, and it's completely free.

It was amazing. And I met for the first time a whole handful of, uh, multitude of, um. Business owners, small business owners, everything from barbecue to law [00:21:00] to wa, full body waxing to roofing. And it was really great because I got to hear and see so much about the group. And one thing that really stuck me, stuck with me and struck me was that how little the women owned businesses were networking.

They were the ones, if they, it was like a partnered thing where they had a male partner or their husband was running the business with them. Every single one of those businesses that had two founders and it was the wife and the husband or a partner, and it was a woman. The the women are the one that came, were the ones that came to do the work.

But then you would talk to them and they were just not very well connected or networked, maybe with the exception of a couple. Mm-hmm. Um, and their businesses are doing the best, the ones that were well networked. And I also just get to hear and see, you know, we create a safe space within together digital for you, whether you are female identified.

Over 50, you know, under 25 if you are neurodivergent. We really try to create a space that anyone and everyone walking into our virtual or physical rooms feel seen and heard. That's not an easy thing to do. Um, and so I just really noticed that there was a gap. [00:22:00] Women are not spending the same amount of time, energy, and effort networking as men because the systems and the ways in which we network are not set up for women after work.

Drinks do not work for moms. Sorry. They just don't. I had one coworker tell me once she got told she would never get a promotion because she wouldn't stay after work for bourbons because she chose to go pick up her children from school when her husband worked second shift or third shift, whichever. But I'm like, that's just ridiculous.

Mm-hmm. Um, so yeah, to me. Addressing the gap is really about, one, noticing that it's there, and two, figuring out how do we close it. And I don't think it's a, it's just a, there's like a simple answer to that. It's like you have to learn how to network from the inside out. You have to understand who you are, what value you bring, what your values are.

That'll help you walk into the room, whatever room that is, with some sense of confidence and self. And then it also feels less icky, I think, that way. 'cause you're just genuinely being you and you're attracting the kinds of people that you want to work with and that want to work with you. Um, but then I also think there's just some systematic things that need to [00:23:00] change.

We need to look at the ways in which we do events. We need to look at the ways in which we kind of talk about networking and do networking. Can we not do speed networking anymore? Please. It's so nerve wracking and I hate small talk, so that's just my own personal request. Yeah. But just really looking at the ways in which we do it and say, how can we do it differently?

So one last example that I have to share is like, just how. Networking and doing it even virtually, like this really does go beyond borders. I have a friend now one of my nearest dearest friends who lives in Costa Rica last year because she facilitated one of our content, uh, master classes on branded content through podcasts, which is the person who helped me get on your show.

Mm-hmm. I went to go visit her in Costa Rica. Two weeks ago, she's built the website for my other new business, the marketer, collaborative coworking space. And I have sent her, I, I don't even know how many, I've lost track of how many clients. She's gotten a ton of new business because I'm like, Molly's the best.

Her process is fantastic. If you have a podcast or you wanna be a guest, you need to go to her and her team. And in [00:24:00] return, she's become our podcast sponsor and producer. And you know, it's just like it. And we've met in person twice. And it's just wild. And I literally went and stayed at her house in Costa Rica for a week, um, after knowing each other, not even a year.

Yeah, it's been amazing. 

Mariah: I love that. I actually, one of my, one of the women I met on Instagram through like a group that we're part of, I lived with, I moved in with her. So we lived together for seven months and we met on Instagram. I love it. Through like a connected. Coaching group that we're part of. So yeah, you just never know where your next best friend is gonna come from.

Um, absolutely. I absolutely love that. I have one last question, and then I'd love for you to share how people can, um, follow you and Yeah. Learn about what you do. Um, what about for the, the women that are like, oh, I feel like I'm not very good. Like, I don't like networking. I feels really cliquey. I don't want, you know.

Mm-hmm. How do I join a new group? How do I find these groups? Like, yeah. What advice do you give to these women? 

Amy: Absolutely, I totally understand. I, um, was bullied by a lot of [00:25:00] girls growing up, and so I actually avoided women for the longest time because of the cliques and because of the cattiness and the subversive meanness we're really good at being mean, but behind each other's back.

So guys, it was just easier to hang with, I felt personally. Um, as far as finding those groups, I think referrals are always a great way to go. Talk to people that you know and trust, find out what communities they're a part of. Where do they get value? What do they, how do they get the value? And then. You know, give them a try.

Um, for me, I think, um, when it comes to not being comfortable with networking, you have to understand. I don't really know any, anybody is truly comfortable at networking all the time. Mm. And if they are, they're not doing it right. 'cause they're not getting vulnerable, they're not getting deep, they're staying surface level.

So I would say that, um, when it comes to networking, like in my book, I'm doing like this whole workbook section of how to network from the inside out. Like I said earlier, understand who you are, what are your values, what value do you bring? And I think if you come in from that. [00:26:00] Giver mindset and saying, I'm just gonna make one new friend when I walk outta here.

Um, that really helps. Don't like set too high a goals. Don't set standards to where you know you're gonna fail. One of my other fun favorite hacks, for those of you who are maybe verts, verts, or introverts, um, look for the lonely person in the room. And, um, look for the only person in the room and go to them and make that person your friend, because nobody wants to be left out.

And honestly, also, the one other thing I'll say real quick is don't dismiss any connection. You never know. I was just talking to, uh, another founder friend of mine who owns an AI company and she went to a university to do a talk. And the kid, he's like, you're amazing. I like what you're doing so much. I wanna introduce you to my dad.

His dad is like the president of some big international bank, and so like now she has a new client lead from a college student. So don't dismiss any connection. You never know where it's going to lead you. [00:27:00] 

Mariah: Oh, that's, that's ama That is so true. Like you can't dismiss anybody in the room. I absolutely love that.

So thank you so much. And how can people find you, connect with you and learn more about what you're doing and yeah. Your book. 

Amy: Absolute. Yeah. Yeah. So, um, I hate to say it, the book is kind of on hold for the moment. That's fine. Um, I'm working with my publishing company on edits. I know, and people are like, when's the book coming?

When's the book coming? I'm like, oh my gosh, we're so close. But then this whole other marketer, collaborative, coworking space community came up and it was just like, we gotta jump, jump on it. So if you wanna connect with me, of course I'm a networking queen, right. So you can check me out on LinkedIn. Um, easy to find Amy P.

Vaughn, V-A-U-G-H-A-N. There's a sneaky extra a in there. Um, check out together, digital at, together in digital.com. And then if you're in or around the Cincinnati area, the marketer colab.com is our co-working space, um, as well. Mariah, you're welcome to check it out if you ever wanna chat more about it.

Yeah. Um, I'm learning a lot. So I'm [00:28:00] always happy to share all my learnings with you if you ever decide to take the leap and do it. 

Mariah: Absolutely. Yeah. That's definitely our, our 10 year plan. Uh, we're in a bus at the moment so there's no coworking happening. Um, but thank you so much, Amy, for joining.

Absolutely. Loved hearing about Yeah. What you've created. It's, it's absolutely incredible and I really look forward to like seeing it evolve and yeah. Seeing how women can come together and, you know, 'cause we create so much magic together. Just, um, you know, we need to support each other more, so I absolutely love that.

Thank you. Okay. What did you think? Are you inspired and motivated to network? Because. Literally after this interview that I ran, that I did, and it was very recently, I had seen in my calendar a networking event, which sometimes if you get, I get really busy, I go, oh, I don't have time to go to it. I'll just, it's online, so I'll just sit this one out.

And I'm like, Nope, you could go to it. And I loved it and it was amazing. So, you know, a lot of us are part of networking groups and sometimes we just, uh, leave it outta the calendar or forget to prioritize it, but. It's just a [00:29:00] great way to connect with people, and I love it when I go and then after I'm like, oh my God, I need to do more of that.

So sometimes you've just got to. Trust yourself and trust that if you know you are busy, you will find the time back. Um, you know, a lot of the times that happens, I think, oh, I could do this quickly instead, and then in the end I'm like, no, it'll get done. So just trust that that will happen because you just never know who's on that call, but you just don't like, again, it's not, it's, it's about helping others like you just dunno who you could help in other ways other than just selling your services.

Commit to the networking events. If you're not part of a networking group or any kind of women in business group, I totally recommend that you get involved in one. Some people say it can be really hard to find them. It absolutely isn't. If you set the intention and you start doing some research or. As Amy said, ask people around like, what groups are you part of?

Where, where do you enjoy hanging out? And just give it a go [00:30:00] sometimes. Some of them you can pay monthly. Um, some of them are free to go to like certain sessions. So just see what it's about and um, give it a go. Put yourself out there. It is an interesting and often lonely journey doing entrepreneurship, and you absolutely don't have to do it alone.

So. Let this be your motivation to get started, and then of course. Use social media as a social media platform and connect with these people and continue to nurture those relationships, but be a content queen of King, and remember that developing your strategy and story develops your business. Thank you so much for joining me today.

Please don't forget to share this with all your business and entrepreneurial friends. You can do this by adding it to your Insta Stories and tagging us at content Queen Mariah, or just simply tell 'em about it. Hit share button. If you leave a comment on how you found this episode, if you have any questions, please do.

I love hearing from you, and it gives you motivation to keep going and keep sharing episodes, but it also means that guests like Amy can [00:31:00] find me because we're in the chart. A lot of these, uh, podcast pictures come from finding the podcast, and to do that I have to rank in some way. So if you loved having, if you love having people like Amy on the show, please leave a cheeky rate review.

I know a lot of you just do the five stars, but actually having that written review does help a lot as well. And also because how reviews work is, it depends on your country. So if you are in the United States and you search my podcast, you might not see many reviews. And it's because the people in the United States haven't left a review, but people in Australia have.

So if I can get people around different countries leaving reviews, that does really make a difference. Follow me on Instagram and connect with me on TikTok. Let me know if there are any topics you want me to talk about. I've been having some amazing dms with some of you, so I've got a lot of inspiration on topics, so I will keep working on those and I will talk to you next week.

Bye.

PodcastMariah MacInnesmarketing, marketing advice, how to be authentic online, business ownerComment