The Networking Room I Almost Walked Out Of

Thirty men. Three women. One room.

Two years ago, I walked into a business event to hear a talk and meet some new faces.

When the presentation ended and networking kicked off, something predictable happened. The other two women in the room instinctively drifted toward me. We sat together, chatted for ten minutes, and formed a comfortable little island.

Then, they stood up.

"We’re heading out," one of them said. "Are you coming?"

"No, I’m going to stay," I replied. "I came here to meet everyone and learn what people are building."

They looked at me, flabbergasted.

"You’re going to stand in a room with 30 men and network all night by yourself?"

"Yep."

They walked out. I stayed.

Was I nervous? Absolutely. Every introverted instinct begged me to walk out that door, go home, and stay safe in my comfort zone.

Instead, I took a deep breath, stepped into the crowd, and started opening up conversations. I asked what people were building, what challenges they were facing, and what kept them up at night.

A few of those conversations turned into real, long-term connections. Over the next two years, we occasionally kept in touch: trading updates, sharing wins, and following each other’s progress.

Fast forward to late last year.

I hit publish on LinkedIn, announcing the launch of my fractional COO practice, holding my breath.

My inner voice immediately started spiraling:

Is anyone actually going to read this? Does anyone even need this? What if no one reaches out?

Ping.

A DM notification popped up almost instantly.

I opened it. It was Sam, one of the founders from that room two years ago. The room I almost walked out of.

"Dhana, saw your post. I’ve been looking for someone like you. Let’s setup a Zoom call"

That single networking session, and the decision to stay in that room, delivered my very first fractional COO client.

One moment of choosing courage over comfort gave me a fresh start in a brand-new business.

You don't need to be fearless to succeed. Be scared but do it anyway.