Pulse September 2016 | Page 55

Networking is a necessary art at Conference to connect with peers and share best practices. ver heard people say “small talk” is not their cup of tea? The idea of starting a conversation with a total stranger is often challenging, especially when attending a large event like the ISPA Conference & Expo wherein attendees are rushing to check off items on their must-do list in three eventful days. But those who want to make the most out of their Conference experience know there’s no way around it—networking is a necessary art when attending Conference. “Networking at the ISPA Conference & Expo, which truly attracts the best-of-the-best in our industry, can open doors to others who may not be as accessible outside the ISPA Conference,” says Lynda Solien Wolfe, Performance Health’s vice president for massage and spa. “Nothing propels a successful career as quickly as a strong, influential circle of friends.” For Director, Kohler Waters Spas & Development Garrett Mersberger, networking is a way to connect with industry peers not only to share best practices, but also learn from spa leaders. Celluma by BioPhotas President & CEO Patrick Johnson thinks networking is a way to expand one’s knowledge and understanding about the industry. “We generally ‘know what we know’ and ‘know what we don’t know,’ but we often E ‘don’t know what we don’t know.’ Talking to others in the industry will help us fill in the blanks, while potentially identifying blanks we didn’t even know we had,” Johnson says. Research Before Connecting Do not make the common mistake of thinking that the networking process starts the moment you extend your hand for a hand shake. In truth, effective networking begins before you even introduce yourself. It pays to research industry “Be fully disclosed. Don’t be covert in your networking. Let people know who you are, what you are up to and what you are interested in connecting about.” — PATRICK JOHNSON, Celluma by BioPhotas leaders, peers or potential business partners you’d like to connect on-site. “LinkedIn is a great tool that we utilize to keep up on September 2016 ■ PULSE 53