OTS 202: Worthy of Connection – Stephanie Thoma

Today’s guest has made a career out of helping others build connections. In particular, she teaches introverts how to have a sense of self-worth, find their tribe, and make strides toward the career of their dreams.

Growing up she was painfully shy and felt like an outsider. She didn’t believe it was possible to deeply and authentically connect with large numbers of people, so she rarely tried. That began to change as she stepped into leadership roles and a more outgoing part of herself started to emerge.

Since then, she’s been on a mission to reframe what it means to be an introvert, initially leading by example and now helping others. She founded Confident Introvert, a training and development company helping introverts with their networking skills through corporate workshops and webinars as well as private one-on-one networking strategy coaching.

To share her message, she recently published, the “Confident Introvert: A Practical Guide to Connecting with Others at Networking Events and Beyond.”

Please join me in welcoming Stephanie Thoma. 

Would you leave an honest rating and review on Apple Podcast? Or Stitcher? They are extremely helpful and I read each and every one of them. Thanks for the inspiration!

In this episode we discuss:

her thoughts on leadership “I learned from an early age to lead by example and figuring things out as I go."
how she teaches her clients to have a level of self-awareness while not living in a vacuum.
her journey from high school cross country captain to actively seeking out leadership opportunities in college.
her insight on how she feels her 8-year-old self would think about her success.
her turning point in her business when she spoke at a friend’s event and how that transformed her business.
her habits when it comes to nurturing connections.
her advice when it comes to empowering introverts to network.

Links

Stephanie Thoma on LinkedIn and Twitter.
www.stephaniethoma.com

Books mentioned in this episode:

“Confident Introvert: A Practical Guide to Connecting with Others at Networking Events and Beyond” by Stephanie Thoma

Other Resources

Listen to my episode with Morra Aarons-Mele

About Robbie:
Robbie Samuels is a keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, and relationship-based business strategy coach who has been recognized as a “networking expert” by Harvard Business Review Ascend, Forbes, Lifehacker, and Inc and as an "industry expert in the field of digital event design" by JDC Events. 
He created The 5% Advantage Program, a four-week experiential program that helps presenters grow in their confidence with Zoom technology, online facilitation, and virtual event design so they can reduce their tech angst and host more engaging online experiences that meet the purpose of the convening and participants' need for content and connection.

He is the host of #NoMoreBadZoom Virtual Happy Hour, a popular weekly virtual event that explores new ways to design engaging virtual experiences. He assists organizations with bringing their in-person events strategically online as a Virtual Event Design Consultant, Virtual Emcee, and Zoom Producer.
He is the author of the best-selling business book Croissants vs. Bagels: Strategic, Effective, and Inclusive Networking at Conferences and has been profiled in the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Fast Company. He writes for Harvard Business Review Ascend. His clients include associations, women's leadership summits, and corporations including Marriott, AmeriCorps, Hostelling International, and General Assembly.
He has been featured in several books including Stand Out: How to Find Your Breakthrough Idea and Build a Following Around It by Dorie Clark and The Connector’s Advantage: 7 Mindsets to Grow Your Influence and Impact by Michelle Tillis Lederman. He has guest lectured at many leading educational institutions including Harvard University, Brown University, Cornell University,