The Reinforcing Enthusiasm of Being Around People with Ideas or Networking

Only When Negotiating

This morning I attended a great talk by Joyce Colson and hosted by Startup Women Boulder. I don’t why I am such a ninny going to these things; it may be because it’s early, or that I don’t know what to say when people ask what are you doing, or that I can be social nimrod sometimes but despite or in spite of this I always leave this particular networking event feeling jazzed.

Joyce gave a great talk about negotiating, highlighting some key points where she feels women are weakest: we talk too much, we offer too much, and don’t always trust our belly brain (gut).  Her main point is to keep quiet, ask questions, of course, but to err on the side of listening.  She mentioned that age-old truism about women wanting to be liked, wanting the work and how that can undermine our value both in terms of how we value ourselves and our work but also how our value is perceived by potential clients. In other words, how can you expect respect from others, if you don’t respect yourself; I know I have heard that one before often followed by “If your friends jumped off a cliff would you?”

Joyce even kindly handed out tips and best practices for us to take with us; it was simply a great morning spent with some very interesting women. If you haven’t been before and are a woman in a start-up, creating a start-up, thinking about a start-up then this is a great group to meet.