Beyond the Business & Birthday Disaster

Being 22 years old and being able to do marketing for a wonderful finance firm that happens to have a event on two days before my birthday is awesome, what is even more awesome is that I get asked to go on this trip and be able to finally take this "adult step" in my career where I can sorta take this opportunity and see what people are doing in my industry. However Debanked Miami turned out to be more than just a "routine" industry event for me, I saw the lack of effort in people trying to create a genuine human connections amidst the professional setting. This event opened my eyes to the shared human experiences that often get overshadowed in all the talk of industry focused conversations and the people always looking for an angle to use or be used for business setting.

Before going to this event we had a dinner at Luna which was a pasta place which had the most delicious wine and wonderful pasta. In this diner I focused on being present with my coworkers as I only see them maybe two to three months out of the year along with only seeing them on google meets & zoom calls. This dinner was a dinner where we were all coached on to talk to people in our industry and what to actively look for but however I sat there amazed on serious this all was. I regularly look to engage in conversation so I knew that I wasn't really worried but hear how my coworkers stressed certain key points made me think of how this event is really to see people for what they do in our industry and nothing more. It sounds sad I know but really I can assure my coworkers are wonderful people but this event was huge to them and they wanted to rock it for our business so I completely understand.

When getting to the event I had to do a lot of content and filiming but I tried to get active and engaged in conversations that went beyond the typical business talk. Instead of diving straight into business-related discussions, I took the time to understand the person beyond their professional title. I wanted to hear their experiences and challenges in business and how they felt with the way the indsutry is going and how they are adjusting with it and a bunch more questions that allowed me to find a common ground that paved the way for more authentic connections. I asked about their passions, interests, and even their personal experiences and why they do what they do and if they still have this fire to still work in our industry or even do the job that they do. You wouldn't believe the faces that lit up and the eyes that opened wide and how this little shift in focus allowed me to connect with people on a human level, fostering relationships that extended beyond the confines of a business card. (Yes by all means these people wanted to work with me and find out more about the marketing and the firm I work out so of course huge business plus but being able to have that real connection during the day)

As the trip was coming to an end, my birthday is here on a friday (how wonderful) however it turned into being a complete nightmare. I got stuck in the airport and having missed two flights, one of which I was SPRINTING towards the gate only to watch it close on me as I walked up to it. Of course the felings of shame, frustration and defeat sank in. However, this unexpected delay turned out to be a blessing in disguise. With time on my hands, I reflected on the trip, the people I met, and the genuine converstaionts that I was able to have and how that although you can feel this immense imposter syndrome at industry events or even feel over all the yapping of the fakeness in peoples voices you can still carve out your own experinces and have those geniune connections needed to nurish your soul and make life full.

This Debanked Miami was more than a business trip; it was a journey that let me know how importance the of human connections and how making that first move to weave in humaness in what seems a impossible setting at this event. By acknowledging the shared thoughts and experiences that bind us all, I learned that networking goes beyond exchanging business cards. Turning 23 on what seemed like the longest day ever really allowed me to see that unforeseen circumstances that take over it's a blessing in disguse because you really can reflect and allow you to apperciate things in your life and use that time to think like I did when I was sitting on the floor waiting for a flight home. However next time you do yourself at an work event, remember: the person on the other side of the conversation is likely thinking the same thoughts, so how would you be able to connect on a human level and make your networking experience more meaningful and thoughtful?

The Longest Day:

Weaving Conversations:

Breaking the real ice.

They didn't know what EBITA is...