18: “Networking” in a Small Town

Marlene Eick—speaker, coach, and podcaster for Millennial leaders, especially women connected to agriculture—is Rebecca’s guest today. They sit down to talk about how to “network” in a small town and though we tend to have a pretty narrow view of what that means—handing out business cards at stuffy corporate-like events—this isn’t the only way to look at it. Marlene’s hometown is Jenera, OH (pop. 400) and she transplanted to Wooster, OH, so she knows how interwoven the relationships can be in small towns and how difficult it can be to navigate that dynamic as a transplant. She also knows how our preconceived ideas can hold us back and offers some practical and important ideas for how to increase connection when you tell yourself that you already know everybody. We all need community and connection. When we can be honest about the thoughts and beliefs that might be holding us back from creating connection in our small towns, we open ourselves up to all the ways we can intentionally foster real relationships.