John Davidson says genuine "authenticity" is the key to successful networking. Listen to Alex's full interview Tuesday, August 18, 2020, here - or on your favorite podcast platform.

In this episode, your host, Alex, speaks with John Davidson about networking and how to connect with people on their level. They discuss what not to do when connecting with people and it involves not asking for that selfie if you can help it. If you find yourself in a role where networking is vital to your career, but you just don't know how to do it, then this is the episode for you.

John Davidson has led an extremely diverse life from being a professional skateboarder to doing a TEDx talk and now as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Esports Trade Association. He has traversed all different industries and has learned how each group of people networks slightly differently. For him, networking is all about relationship building and serving others before selling them on something. John says you have to be genuine with people and that's how you build a long term, mutual relationship with them.

He is an active speaker on gaming and youth marketing, is formerly the Head of Partnerships at Game Stop and currently leads Esports for PRG, the world's leading event technology company. Ever the multipotentialite, John is also an advisor for Stadia Ventures and Dallas Influencers in Sports and Entertainment. Through a diverse career in skateboarding, video production, marketing and business development, John has a unique perspective and understanding of sub-cultures and consumer behavior.

Stay up-to-date on all of John's happenings by following his journey.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-davidson-42953846/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/j0hndavids0n?lang=en

Esports Trade Association Conference: https://bit.ly/2CpVLuo

Michael Lark, a "serial networker" , gives Alex S. his tips and tricks for expanding networks, getting to know people, striking conversations, and flourishing. EPISODE 3 is available Tuesday, August 25, at 6 a.m.

In this episode, Michael Lark talks about his journey to learn how to network. He is a fellow introvert and didn't find networking easy to do at first. However, he points out that everything requires practice and he started putting himself out there and engaging in conversations he might not have otherwise joined. He now has a huge network and get most of his professional photography gigs through word of mouth. He also discusses how to build your personal brand.

Michael is currently a full-time operations analyst and IT administrator for a Fire Department. Born and raised in Dallas, he received his Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Business and Information Systems and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington. In addition to his job with the Fire Department, Michael is also a professional sports photographer and owner of Dallas Sports Fanatic, LLC, and Dallas Dance Fanatic.

In 2013, Michael began building his personal brand on social media (Twitter/Instagram) as a go-to for news, rumors, insights, and commentary on the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Cowboys, as well as other professional sports, teams, and players. MavsFanatic.com brought Michael on as a staff writer and social media coordinator in May 2014, partnering with Ryan Wilson as co-owner of the site.

In the summer of 2017, Mavs Fanatic transformed into Dallas Sports Fanatic, a credentialed media organization covering all Dallas-area college and professional sports. That year, Michael also started his own freelance photography company, Michael Lark Photography, specializing in sports and entertainment photography, digital media, and video production.

Michael has shot several charity events, conducted hundreds of private photoshoots, having shot several NBA and NFL players, Dallas Mavericks Dancers, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, as well as private portrait shoots, live events, weddings, and many more.

As a freelance sports photographer, Michael has covered the 2017 Byron Nelson, 2017 Colonial Invitational, 2018 Cotton Bowl, 2018 MLB All-Star Game, and 2018 NFL Draft. He's shot freelance for the Big 12 Conference, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Seattle Sounders, Houston Dynamo, FC Dallas, Dallas Mavericks, Allen Americans Ice Angels, and Texas Rangers.

Follow along with him on his journey:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themichaellark/
https://www.instagram.com/themichaellarkphotography/

Website: https://www.dallassportsfanatic.com/

Law School student Sarah Francois tells Alex about her misgivings about social media, and how she deals with them.

Sarah Francois is a third-year student at Brooklyn Law School. During her time at Brooklyn Law School, she has served as a member of the Brooklyn Journal of International Law and the Black Law Students Association. Prior to law school, she obtained an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and a B.A. in English. She was a part of the founding teams of both the NYU poetry slam team and the University of Denver poetry slam team. In her very rare spare time, she streams on Twitch.tv while playing Hearthstone.

She is a self-proclaimed introvert and finds networking frustrating at times. On various occasions she has been told she is not doing enough to network, but she feels she is doing all she can to get in front of the people she can who will give her genuine understanding of the working world she wishes to pursue. We discuss her frustrations, triumphs, and her unique ability to be genuine in all interactions in her life.

Follow along with Sarah and her journey:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legallyplucky/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francoissarah/

Casey tells Alex about how she deals with family and cats while working from home

On this episode we discuss Working From Home and how to do it effectively. We speak with Sandy Zinn who has been working from home since 2012/2013, but working from anywhere since the early 2000s when he was covering the Olympics and Golf for ESPN. For him, it is all about balance and making sure you don't get sucked too deeply into either work problems or family problems at any one time. When he is working then he is all in, but remembers to take breaks and go all into non-work relate responsibilities like taking his dog on a walk.