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3 Essential Networking Tips for Every Artist & Entrepreneur

With HUGFest on the horizon, our all-day event taking place next Tuesday, April 2nd in New York City, I thought this to be the perfect opportunity to remind each other why networking and community matters, and share with you some essential tips for growing your network.

Also, believe it or not, I am a massive introvert and socializing with others can sometimes feel daunting… even for me. Nonetheless, I am a full believer in the power of community —in fact, I just ran 2 pain-free half marathons after recovering from a hamstring injury that happened just four weeks ago, and I would not have found the strength and courage to do so if not for the friends I had who checked in on me and kept me accountable.

Ready to establish a strong community of your own? All that starts with networking, so without further ado, LFG!

#1: It’s the little things

Small touch points throughout the year can be a great way to stay in touch with your community and are important to networking. Little things like sending birthday cards, sharing an interesting article, or celebrating a new baby can build relationships that truly last. For instance, I don’t think the entire HUG Team will ever forget the creativity of artists Jackson Alves, when he sent us a beautifully hand crafted custom package .

Remember that a simple connection of reaching out, saying hello, and sharing gratitude can go a long way in building community. (Needless to say, our entire team is now full of Jackson fans for life!).

#2: Embrace your weirdness

If you find yourself experiencing imposter syndrome, you are not alone, especially when it comes to a business or professional setting.

But, let me get a little bit personal and tell you a story that you can learn from.

Ever since I was two years old, the one thing that I wanted to do was sing on Broadway. I would sing in a band in Silicon Valley, and people kept telling me to stop doing that because I needed to present myself as a serious businesswoman.

Often one of the only women in the room, my mentors would tell me that having a side passion or a side interest was distracting to my business career. And to succeed, I needed to act like the other people in the room and forget that side of me. But it's tough to ignore a side of you that is a core to who you are.

So, when the creative team for Rock of Ages on Broadway called to asked me to join the Broadway company as Regina, I nearly said NO because of my own imposter syndrome. Would I be taken seriously by my co-workers? How would the rest of the tech and startup industry view me?

But, I also knew that I had to do the things that scare me, and so I said YES. This all of a sudden made me unique and different from everyone else in the boardroom who had… let’s say, sameish personalities. I learned that by embracing my weirdness, I finally had something that people wanted to talk to me about that was authentically me.

 I’ve not looked back since.

#3: Always be growing (ABG)

A lot can change in one year if you commit to a process. I could have never done any of the running PRs I achieved or let alone had any of my business accomplishments without being surrounded by such an incredible community. ❤️

Networking can be hard and challenging. There have been times when I’ve tried to make conversation at a party and have it completely fall flat, making me want to hide myself away in utter embarrassment. It can also suck when people turn down your invites to do things together or worse - just straight out, ghost you! Whatever fears you may have of networking and putting yourself out there, don’t let that deter you.

But like anything else worth doing in life, networking is too a process. So don’t be disheartened if your initial attempts to find your community are unsuccessful. After all, all the best things in life take time and commitment.

With that, do yourself a favor and commit to ALWAYS BE GROWING (ABG) and apply that philosophy to how you build connections with others. Other than a good night's rest, very few things happen overnight.

Closing thoughts

Networking and building community is never easy. Despite all of that, I urge you to keep showing up - learning, relearning, adjusting, and moving forward towards your goals, whatever they may be.

If there is one thing you take away from this article, remember that your network truly is your net worth. Social media tools are be a great way to network with people, but remember, even in this digital world, nothing beats face to face interaction. So put your phone down, and get offline.

If you are going to be in New York City next week, I’m giving you the perfect opportunity! You can practice networking with me. I also challenge you to make at least 3 new friends at HUGFest.

Artist Grants and Opportunities

• 🎉 Showcase your work at HUGFest Line the walls of our art exhibition at our one day celebration of art and technology at our inaugural HUGFest. Learn more and submit here.

• 💕 Calling all neurodivergent artists! Showcase your work at a charity gala at the New York Stock Exchange on Apr 10! Learn more and submit here.

• 📚 Publish your own solo art book Work with our publishing partner Snap Collective to design and bring your work to print in an art book worthy of any coffee table and library. Learn more and submit here.

• 🏙️ Exhibition opportunity in New York City Unhrd and Transient Labs are looking for artists to showcase in their digital art exhibition on Apr 5. Learn more and submit here.

• 💰 HUG is offering $500 USD grants to two artists each month in exchange for artwork to raffle off to our community. Learn more and meet all our HUG Visionaries here.

Other Open Calls

• Creator:Chipped competition by IYK: Physical creators can win $10,000 for pitching a physical product they would like to add an NFC chip to and explore digital & physical interactions. Learn more.

This Week’s Art Drops

Did you know that these are just 8 of hundreds of art drops on HUG? Get a full list of this week’s art drops from HUG here.