Networking When You’re an Extroverted Introvert

So a fun fact about me… yes I am starting this blog post with the term Fun Fact… I’m what you’d call an extroverted introvert—someone who loves connection but also gets really self-conscious at networking events. I want to blend in, I worry about what to say, or what I just said while putting my foot in my mouth, I need help deciding what to wear, and half the time I feel like I’m barely holding it together with sweaty palms. If you’re reading this and thinking, “Yep… that’s me too,” you’re not alone.

Turns out, we’re not imagining it. According to Entrepreneur Business Blog around 40% of successful entrepreneurs identify as introverts—even though most networking advice is geared toward extroverts. That gap between expectation and experience? It’s real. So if you’re an introvert who owns a business and hates networking, you’re perfectly normal. In fact, it might even be your secret strength.

Rather than try to fake my way through small talk, I’ve had to come up with strategies that feel authentic to me. Sometimes it means I awkwardly go up to groups of people I have never met, introduce myself and immediately ask them who they are, what they do, and laugh at the awkwardness in the first five seconds. It also means that sometimes I message people right at the event with a quick, “Hey, it was great to meet you at so and so event”.

Actually, some of you probably have that in your inbox from me right now LOL.  Other times, I make notes on the back of a business card, or I’ll text myself a detail I don’t want to forget, like what trip someone just got back from or who I thought they should connect with. If I’m really interested in getting to know someone, I don’t hesitate to follow up a week later. It doesn’t always have to be a meeting request—sometimes it’s as simple as a LinkedIn message, a comment on a post, or even bringing up the wicked silvery ankle boots they wore that are still living rent-free in my brain.

The most important shift for me has been changing how I view networking. Instead of looking at what someone can do for me, which feels uber icky to me, I look at how I can support them, or sometimes, just how I can make a new friend. Some of my best business besties started exactly that way.

Networking isn’t just about bringing in business. It’s about connection. It’s not a cattle call, it doesn’t need to be performative, and it doesn’t have to be exhausting small talk. It can be as simple as showing up, being curious, making a note or two, and following up in a way that feels natural to you. Over time, those small, intentional moves lead to real relationships, meaningful collaborations, and friendships that can last for years.

So if networking has ever felt uncomfortable or awkward for you, know this—you’re not the only one, and you’re not doing it wrong. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be authentic. That’s where the real connection happens.