COMMUNITY with Emily Merrell: Creating community, finding (and leaning on) your people, and building relationships beyond “networking”
Julie and Casey sit down with Six Degrees Society founder Emily Merrell to talk about building communities, the best way to network, and how to host an event to foster connection. Along the way we get the epic stories behind how she met her husband in New Orleans doing everything wrong, and what happens when your dream wedding gets evacuated 30 minutes before the ceremony.
TOP TAKEAWAYS
Show up as a human, not a human representation of a brand
Take the awkward out of networking situations by providing structure.
Be a good host by thinking of what your guests’ needs are—they’re simpler than you think!
Our adult lives all come down to summer camp skills.
The lessons we learn from jobs like retail, hospitality and babysitting are treasure troves of information on how we human.
More volume does not equal better networking. You can make deep connections even if you don’t have access to as many events as say, NYC.
Take care of your communities! Offer first, but don’t be afraid to ask either.
Sometimes doing the wrong thing is the way to make a memorable connection.
Use what you have on hand to come up with small talk . . . seriously anything (even penis straws).
Lesson: How to "Host"
About Emily Merrell:
HEY, I’M EMILY!
I'm Chief Networker and Founder of Six Degrees Society. People also (lovingly) refer to me as "20 questions" because I've always loved figuring out people's stories.
While working in the fashion industry, I dreamt up a place where individuals could come together from all industries, all backgrounds and show up who they are —unapologetically. Nothing makes me happier than connecting people who could mutually make each other's lives more enjoyable.
In addition to Six Degrees Society, I also work with companies, founders, and more who are looking to build a strong community of their own, plan retreats to inspire their own teams, or need a mentor in their own business journey.