One year ago, I packed up my life in Tennessee and moved to Pennsylvania.
At the same time, I was celebrating nearly 14 years in business with Beyond Engagement Social Media Solutions.
What many people do not realize is this:
When you move to a new city, even with years of experience, awards, speaking engagements, and relationships behind you, you still have to rebuild trust from scratch.
In Tennessee, people knew me. They understood my energy, my work ethic, my expertise, and what I had to offer. People knew, liked, and trusted me because I had spent over 13 years intentionally building relationships and visibility there.
Moving to Pennsylvania meant starting over socially and professionally.
And honestly? It was lonely at times.
I knew it would take work, but I do not think people fully understand how emotionally challenging it can feel to walk into rooms where nobody knows your name, especially after spending years building a reputation elsewhere.
What scared me the most was wondering:
“Will people here understand the value I bring?”
The culture was different.
The networking style was different.
The business landscape was different.
But I kept reminding myself of something important:
I literally needed to follow the same advice I wrote about years ago in the chapter I co-authored in “The Most Amazing Marketing Book Ever.”
I have always talked about the importance of being intentional and memorable.
Now I had to live it in real time.
What Helped Me Build Relationships Faster
One of the best decisions I made was transferring my Junior League membership from Tennessee to the Junior League of Lehigh Valley.
That immediately gave me community.
Joining the Chamber of Commerce was another major turning point. Within a week, I connected with influential people in the community and eventually had the opportunity to become a keynote speaker for one of their events.
That one opportunity led to speaking in front of nearly 90 attendees.
Here is what I learned quickly:
Most people are afraid of networking events.
Truthfully, even I get intimidated sometimes.
But relationship building became easier when I stopped trying to meet everyone and started focusing on intentionally connecting with the right people.
I began identifying people who were known connectors in the community.
I would literally ask:
“Who do you think I should meet?”
Then I would immediately follow up and connect with them on LinkedIn.
That follow up piece is where most people fail.
Networking does not end at the event.
That is actually where it begins.
The Highest ROI Was Not What People Expected
What gave me the biggest return was not trying to sell people.
It was creating opportunities for people to experience my expertise.
I hosted intimate LinkedIn workshops that were intentionally low cost so they were accessible and not cost prohibitive.
People who had known me for only a few months suddenly understood exactly what I offered because they experienced it firsthand.
That changed everything.
People finally got to SEE my expertise instead of just hearing about it.
That visibility matters.
What I Would Do in My First 90 Days If I Moved Again
If I had to start over in a brand new city tomorrow, this is exactly what I would do:
- Join the Chamber of Commerce immediately.
- Follow local people of influence on LinkedIn.
- Identify major community events and pay attention to who is being tagged in photos.
- Follow the speakers, sponsors, organizers, and connectors behind those events.
- Attend events consistently, even when it feels uncomfortable.
- Follow up one week later, then again one month later.
- Volunteer or join organizations that naturally create relationships and community.
- Create your own opportunities instead of waiting to be invited.
That last point changed everything for me.
The Germany Story I Almost Talked Myself Out Of
Last year, I had the opportunity to travel to Germany.
Most people would have treated it as just another trip.
Instead, I messaged a professor at a local university and asked:
“Do you need a speaker?”
I had absolutely nothing to lose.
That single message turned into an international speaking opportunity.
When I came back, people viewed me differently.
Not because I was magically more talented overnight, but because I was willing to put myself out there before I felt fully ready.
That experience reminded me of something important:
Visibility often belongs to the people willing to raise their hand first.
Visibility Means Something Different to Me Now
This past year changed how I think about visibility.
A lot of people approach networking thinking they need to meet as many people as possible.
That has never been my philosophy.
I care more about memorable engagement than mass exposure.
I would rather build meaningful relationships with the right people than briefly interact with hundreds of people who will never remember me.
Visibility with purpose means building trust intentionally.
It means following up.
Remembering details about people.
Sending thank you cards.
Sending birthday cards.
Checking in after meetings.
Supporting people publicly online.
Showing genuine interest in others.
Ironically, those “small fuzzy things” stand out even more now in a world dominated by AI and automation.
The Networking Rooms I’ve Outgrown
This move also forced me to evaluate what types of networking environments actually align with my goals.
There are plenty of free networking events, and some can absolutely lead to valuable relationships.
But I realized that the rooms that helped me grow the most personally and professionally were often the paid events, workshops, leadership groups, and intentional communities.
Even if the investment was only $25, those rooms usually attracted people who were serious about growth, collaboration, and investing in themselves.
Those are the environments where I thrive.
For The Person Reading This Late At Night Feeling Discouraged
If you are feeling invisible right now…
If you recently moved…
If you are rebuilding…
If business feels slow…
If you are questioning yourself…
Please hear this:
You do not need to know everyone.
You simply need to intentionally connect with the right people consistently over time.
Relationships compound.
Trust compounds.
Visibility compounds.
One year later, I can confidently say this:
You absolutely can rebuild.
One relationship at a time.
If this article resonated with you, chances are you may be navigating your own season of growth, reinvention, or visibility building.
Helping professionals and organizations become more visible with purpose is exactly what I do through speaking engagements, LinkedIn strategy sessions, workshops, and visibility consulting.
Feel free to connect with me!
If this season of rebuilding, visibility, or professional reinvention resonated with you, feel free to download my complimentary 90-Day Visibility & Relationship Building Blueprint checklist for additional practical strategies and reflection points.
