How to make a fool of yourself at a networking event

When I finished my coaching certification in 2001, I knew absolutely nothing about marketing or networking.

One of my coaching mentors said I should start attending local networking events.

A few days later, my former boss from Cellular One told me about a new networking group his consulting firm started.

I attended one of the first meetings of the Bay Area Consultants Network ready to land my first coaching client.

The meeting started with everyone at each table sharing their elevator pitch.

Elevator pitch?

I started to sweat.

What is an elevator pitch?

What am I going to say?

Finally, it was my turn.

“I’m Ted Prodromou and I’m a life coach”

Nobody knew what a life coach was in 2001.

“I help people…”

I didn’t know what to say next.

They didn’t teach me this in certification.

I sat there in silence waiting for something brilliant to come to me.

It never did.

Finally, someone asked me what I did before I was a life coach.