You’ve joined BCA, and suddenly there are a lot of new people in your world. Welcome emails. Invitations to get together. Faces you recognize, names you don’t quite remember, and a calendar you’re still figuring out how to fit into your life.
You’re excited. You may also be wondering, “How am I supposed to do all of this?”
>> Remember: It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
You will find your rhythm, you don’t have to figure everything out in your first month. Give yourself time to become part of the family.
You will find yourself saying “Yes, I met the roofing guy” or “The interior designer—she was so nice! I cannot remember her name.” We know. There are a lot of people to meet. At first, you might remember someone’s industry, where you sat together, or a story they told you. Their name might take a little longer. That’s okay.
Eventually, you learned all your friends’ names. The same thing happens here. You see someone again. You pick up the conversation. You learn a little more about them. Before long, you’re looking across the room for a person you’re excited to see.
And if you forget a name? Ask. Nobody needs you to pretend.
Your inbox might get a little busy.
BCA members want to welcome you. That can mean several emails and requests for one-on-one time arriving at once.
You do not have to schedule them all immediately. A quick response is perfectly fine:
“Thank you for reaching out! I’m excited to get to know everyone. I’m getting settled in and pacing my one-on-ones, but I’d love to find a time to connect.”
That’s enough. Acknowledge the welcome, then make plans at a pace you can sustain.
And when you reach out to another member, extend that same grace. A busy calendar is a busy calendar. Give each other room.
You will find your rhythm.
Some weeks, you’ll have time for lunch with another member. Other weeks, getting to a BCA gathering will be what you can manage.
As you settle in, you’ll learn how BCA fits into your schedule. You’ll discover which experiences you enjoy, where conversations come naturally, and how much time you can realistically give.
Keep making room for it. If work pulls you away for a while, come back. You don’t need a grand reentry or an explanation.
Your rhythm will develop through experience.
Let a conversation be a conversation.
You don’t need a polished presentation for every one-on-one. You don’t need to leave with a business opportunity, either.
Have lunch. Ask questions. Tell stories. Learn about someone’s family, their company, or how they ended up doing what they do.
Sometimes you’ll discover an immediate connection. Sometimes you’ll simply have a nice time with someone you’ll be glad to see again.
Give those relationships room to grow. That’s what we mean when we say, “Build relationships before you need them.”
Ask us. Seriously.
That is what Celeste is here for! If you’re wondering what to attend, how to get involved, or who that person was you met last week, reach out to Celeste or any of the BCA team.
You’re learning a new community. We expect questions, and we’re here to help you get comfortable.
You can even ask us to identify “the roofing guy.” We’ve heard that one before.
Give yourself the full year.
A few months from now, you’ll walk into a room and recognize more faces. Conversations will pick up where they left off. Someone will remember something you told them, and you’ll realize you’re getting to know each other.
It happens gradually.
So enjoy being new. Respond when someone welcomes you. Make time to get together. Ask a name twice if you need to.
You’ll find your rhythm. You’ll learn the names. And somewhere along the way, you’ll start to understand why we call this a family.