By Jeff Brink, January 16, 2024

I love in-person networking. The excitement of meeting others, exchanging background information (and perhaps testimonies), discussing opportunities or challenges, contemplating other helpful connections, and looking for ways to help people gets my blood percolating.

Years ago, while living in Minnesota, I began a healthy rhythm of scheduling at least one coffee meeting per week with someone either already in my network or recently introduced. These in-person meetings aimed to get better acquainted, share professional information, discuss needs and challenges, and look for ways to help one another.

I was amazed, not that the coffee warmed my frostbit hands and jump-started the day, but by how energized and encouraged I would feel every single time – regardless of whether I was the primary giver or recipient of encouragement, wisdom, introductions, or prayer. Although the caffeine buzz faded in hours, the meeting stimulation lasted for days. This feeling comes because we were made for relationships. To work in God’s image is to work in relationships with other people (Genesis 1:27). Much of what we’re to gain, learn, and experience from healthy relationships reflects the kind of connection God wants to have with us.

I strongly recommend adopting a similar networking rhythm of meeting someone weekly over coffee.

You may ask, why morning coffee shop meetups versus other times or venues? In short, meeting over coffee is easy, inexpensive, and practical. Scheduling is so much easier before the workday gets started. It’s a lesser commitment than other times of the day or night.  It’s easier to focus without food and server interruptions, and the cost is a fraction of lunch or dinner. Plus, a coffee meeting sets the tone for the day and maybe the week.

In-person meetings usually provide a mutual benefit. As Christians, we should lead with a servant’s heart posture – asking how and where we can serve this individual. Although there is no one-size-fits-all formula for how to structure these conversations, try to do the following:

Listen more than you talk
Share what’s happening with your work and personal life
Encourage as opportunities arise
Advise when appropriate
Connect and make helpful introductions to others
Pray for or with them

Still considering resolutions for the New Year?  Set a goal of one coffee connect meeting per week. Expand your network while growing your relationships with others and with God. The stimulation will last well beyond the caffeine.