Speaker:
00:00:01
I was at a small cocktail party at a friend's house recently, where one of the
Speaker:
00:00:05
women I was talking to mentioned that she had just gotten back from hiking 35 miles.
Speaker:
00:00:11
Along the Appalachian trail.
Speaker:
00:00:13
Not something I would probably ever do, but I was intrigued
Speaker:
00:00:16
and wanting to learn more.
Speaker:
00:00:19
During the course of our conversation.
Speaker:
00:00:20
She mentioned that she had been the beneficiary of trail magic
Speaker:
00:00:25
three times on that 35 mile hike.
Speaker:
00:00:28
Trail magic is a term I'd never heard before.
Speaker:
00:00:32
But after she explained to me what it was, I I fell in love with the idea.
Speaker:
00:00:37
Of bringing this idea to you and seeing if we might incorporate trail magic.
Speaker:
00:00:43
Into our networking.
Speaker:
00:00:45
Welcome to episode 1 56 of this shit works.
Speaker:
00:00:48
A podcast dedicated to all things, networking, relationship
Speaker:
00:00:51
building and business development.
Speaker:
00:00:52
I'm your host, Julie Brown.
Speaker:
00:00:54
Speaker author and networking coach and on today's this shit work short.
Speaker:
00:00:59
I'm discussing how you can infuse trail magic into your networking adventures.
Speaker:
00:01:26
Let's start by defining what trail magic is.
Speaker:
00:01:30
Trail magic is the unforeseen help in support.
Speaker:
00:01:34
Uh, provided by others as you make your hike.
Speaker:
00:01:38
And this is something according to countless reports, journals, and
Speaker:
00:01:42
memoirs that can be accomplished in a number of different ways.
Speaker:
00:01:45
From somebody helping out with trail maintenance, to leaving a cooler with
Speaker:
00:01:50
food and cold drinks along the trail.
Speaker:
00:01:54
According to Appalachian trail history.org trail magic is
Speaker:
00:01:58
offered by trail angels though.
Speaker:
00:02:00
There is no officially established community of trail angels.
Speaker:
00:02:03
There are a community of people who have a passion for helping others on the trail.
Speaker:
00:02:09
Meaning that these so-called trail.
Speaker:
00:02:11
Angels are simply people who volunteer themselves their time and
Speaker:
00:02:16
their resources, financial or not.
Speaker:
00:02:18
To help their fellow human beings who are hiking along the Appalachian trail.
Speaker:
00:02:23
Trail angels immersed themselves in trail culture and with the hikers.
Speaker:
00:02:28
Giving to them through transportation, food, and genuine kindness, but
Speaker:
00:02:33
it's not done out of expectation for something in return.
Speaker:
00:02:36
Though everyone may have a different reason for becoming a trail angel.
Speaker:
00:02:40
The general consensus is that people do it out of kindness as a way to give back.
Speaker:
00:02:47
So.
Speaker:
00:02:48
How can we begin to bring this idea to our networking adventures?
Speaker:
00:02:53
If there's anything I know it's that networking is a journey and it takes time.
Speaker:
00:02:57
Wouldn't it be nice if along the way we encountered people who provided genuine
Speaker:
00:03:02
kindness assistance, advice, helping hand.
Speaker:
00:03:06
Something that lifted our spirits and made the journey easier and more enjoyable.
Speaker:
00:03:11
So.
Speaker:
00:03:12
With that here are some fun and easy ideas of ways to bring a
Speaker:
00:03:17
little trail magic to your network.
Speaker:
00:03:19
One.
Speaker:
00:03:20
Share your knowledge and expertise.
Speaker:
00:03:23
Are there little pieces of practical advice that you can give that
Speaker:
00:03:27
can help others in their career or their networking journey?
Speaker:
00:03:31
What do you know now that you wish you had learned earlier?
Speaker:
00:03:34
Think about that and pass that shit on.
Speaker:
00:03:38
Too.
Speaker:
00:03:39
Make introductions, don't hoard your connections, share them, connect other
Speaker:
00:03:45
people, facilitating connections.
Speaker:
00:03:47
Is one of the most helpful things you can do for someone as they
Speaker:
00:03:50
look to grow their network.
Speaker:
00:03:52
Three.
Speaker:
00:03:54
Provide unsolicited recommendations and endorsements don't know where to start.
Speaker:
00:04:00
Simply write a recommendation for a couple of people that you know, on LinkedIn or
Speaker:
00:04:06
say their name in a room of opportunities.
Speaker:
00:04:10
It's easy.
Speaker:
00:04:12
For.
Speaker:
00:04:13
Attend and promote their events.
Speaker:
00:04:16
Be there for them.
Speaker:
00:04:17
Show up, spread the word about them and what they are doing.
Speaker:
00:04:20
If they are putting on a webinar, go to it.
Speaker:
00:04:23
If they are participating in a panel discussion, be in the
Speaker:
00:04:26
audience and bring a friend.
Speaker:
00:04:28
Attend and promote their events.
Speaker:
00:04:31
Five.
Speaker:
00:04:32
Coming on the heels of attending and promoting events, celebrate
Speaker:
00:04:35
their successes, their milestones.
Speaker:
00:04:38
When they attain a goal.
Speaker:
00:04:40
Somebody else's success.
Speaker:
00:04:41
Doesn't take away from yours.
Speaker:
00:04:44
And six.
Speaker:
00:04:45
Be a good listener.
Speaker:
00:04:47
Sometimes.
Speaker:
00:04:48
The most important thing is just being heard.
Speaker:
00:04:52
Having somebody to listen to what you have to say.
Speaker:
00:04:56
Are there more ways to do this shit, then this six things I just said,
Speaker:
00:05:00
of course there is course there is.
Speaker:
00:05:02
But you can start here and then you can make up your own ways of adding
Speaker:
00:05:06
trail magic to the networking and career adventures of your contacts.
Speaker:
00:05:10
Remember, giving back to your network is a continuous process,
Speaker:
00:05:14
but it doesn't take grand sweeping gestures to make a difference.
Speaker:
00:05:19
It's in the little things you did.
Speaker:
00:05:21
Do every day, it's the small pieces of magic that you bring to the
Speaker:
00:05:24
adventure for the other person.
Speaker:
00:05:28
Okay.
Speaker:
00:05:29
This is technically the shit work short.
Speaker:
00:05:32
So there shouldn't be a drink of the week, but I'm going to tell you
Speaker:
00:05:35
that there is indeed a beer called trail magic made by monument city
Speaker:
00:05:40
brewing out of Baltimore, Maryland.
Speaker:
00:05:42
It's a hazy new England style IPA, which if you know anything about me, It's that
Speaker:
00:05:47
i hate ipa's so i won't be trying it But it blended so nicely with this episode
Speaker:
00:05:55
that i just Just Couldn't hold back i had to add it And i needed to let you know
Speaker:
00:05:58
about it All right friends that's all for this week I hope you liked what you
Speaker:
00:06:03
heard today and if you did please leave a review and subscribe to the podcast also
Speaker:
00:06:07
please remember to share this podcast with your friends to help it reach a larger
Speaker:
00:06:12
audience if you want more julie brown you can find my book The shit works on
Speaker:
00:06:16
amazon and barnes and noble you can find me on linkedin at julie brown bd just
Speaker:
00:06:20
let me know where you found me when you reach out I am julie brown underscore bd
Speaker:
00:06:24
on the instagram or you can just pop on over to my website julie brown bd.com.
Speaker:
00:06:30
To sign up for my newsletter which comes out every wednesday
Speaker:
00:06:33
and it is fucking hilarious Okay.
