Do you have to be the face of your business to succeed
at networking?

When people think about networking, they often imagine a busy room, lots of quick conversations and the pressure to be “on” the whole time.

For some business owners, that’s energising. For others, it takes a significant amount of energy.

I sit somewhere in the middle. I value connection and community, but large events and lots of new faces can feel overwhelming, something many introverted and neurodivergent business owners will recognise.

That’s one of the reasons my role within Zokit often looks a little different.
You’ll rarely see me working the room for two hours at a mixer. Instead, I’m often behind the scenes, particularly at the National Business Expo, making sure speakers are briefed, exhibitors have what they need, timings work and the details are taken care of so the day runs smoothly.

That role suits both my strengths and my energy. And it’s a good reminder that networking doesn’t only happen in the most visible way.

Zokit works because there isn’t just one way to show up

One of the things I value about Zokit as a membership community is the range of ways you can be involved:

● monthly in-person mixers
● weekly one-hour Zoom meetings
● pop-up and informal gatherings
● the annual Expo
● opportunities to volunteer or help host

You don’t have to attend everything.
You don’t have to participate in the same way as everyone else.

For neurodivergent business owners in particular, having different formats matters.
A structured one-hour Zoom can feel more manageable than a large room.
Volunteering at an event can provide a clear role and reduce social uncertainty.
Smaller gatherings can allow for deeper, more meaningful conversations.

All of these are valid ways to build relationships.

Visibility isn’t only about being centre stage

In business, there can be an unspoken belief that you have to be the most visible person in the room to get results. But communities like Zokit run on a mix of strengths:

● people who connect
● people who host
● people who organise
● people who follow up
● people who notice the details
● people who create calm when things get busy

The Expo, for example, only works because there is a team of volunteers alongside the
people on the stage and on the stands.

Being part of that team is also a powerful way to meet people. There’s a shared purpose, a clear role and a natural reason to talk to others, something that can make networking feel more accessible for those who find unstructured environments challenging.

Playing to complementary strengths

Neil Lloyd, founder of Zokit, is brilliant at bringing people together and creating energy in the room.My strengths are structure, logistics and making sure nothing falls through the cracks.

Neither role is better.
Both are needed.

This is something I see often in my own work with business owners, many of whom are neurodivergent or managing fluctuating energy due to health or life demands.

When we try to do everything, the visibility, the admin, the planning, the delivery, we end up working against our strengths rather than with them.

When we collaborate, everything becomes more sustainable.

A different way to build relationships

If traditional networking feels difficult, it doesn’t mean community isn’t for you.
It might just mean your version looks different.

Your contribution might be:
● volunteering at an event
● co-hosting an online meeting
● attending smaller gatherings
● focusing on follow-up conversations
● supporting the organisation behind the scenes

Connection isn’t measured by how many people you speak to in a room.
It’s measured by the relationships you build over time.

A membership community like Zokit makes that easier because you see the same people
regularly and can engage in ways that work for you.

Designing a way of working that works for you

In my own work, I support business owners to build ways of working that match their
strengths, energy and capacity.

That often includes letting go of the idea that there is only one “right” way to network, to be visible or to grow.

Some people will always love the buzz of a busy room. Others will do their best work in structured, supportive or behind-the-scenes roles.

Business communities are stronger when both are valued.

You don’t have to do it all

If you take one thing from this, let it be this:

You don’t have to show up in the same way as everyone else to belong or to succeed.

Find the spaces, formats and roles that allow you to contribute at your best, whether that’s at a mixer, on Zoom, at the Expo, or as part of the team that makes things happen.

Because the most effective networking isn’t about being the most visible person. It’s about being in the right place, in the right way, for you.

Siân Faire is a Wellbeing in Business Mentor and creator of the Human Doing into Human Being® approach. She supports business owners, particularly those who are neurodivergent
or managing fluctuating energy, to design sustainable ways of working that play to their strengths. Siân works behind the scenes on the Zokit National Business Expo, helping to coordinate the operational detail that allows the event and its members to thrive.

Find our more about Siân’s business at sianfaire.co.uk

Photography by Jo Davies