Remember when networking meant a stack of business cards and a firm handshake?

I was cleaning out my desk and found a box of 500 cards I had printed back in 2015 for a big local chamber event. I probably handed out 200 that night and followed up with maybe 20 emails. Fast forward to last month, I connected with over 50 relevant people just by being active in two specific LinkedIn groups for a week. The shift from physical, one-off events to ongoing, topic-focused online communities has been huge. It feels less about collecting contacts and more about building actual conversations. Has anyone else found a niche online group that's become their main source for genuine connections?

3 comments

3 Comments

carr.elliot1mo ago

Disagree hard, those online groups are just echo chambers. Nothing beats a real handshake for building trust.

henderson.oscar1mo ago

Seriously? How do you even find people to shake hands with anymore without those groups? My whole local business network started online.

elliot_thomas821mo ago

Ever try a local chamber of commerce meeting?