Networking with Creatives Outside of the Motion Design Industry

Networking = Building Relationships 

This definition is so much better than how so many people attempt to "network". Turning into a business card spitting machine is not networking. Pitching the sale to a stranger is not networking. 

Meeting a hand letterer and finding common ground within your interests and talking about how devastated you both with how LOST ended is networking. Sure, business cards are exchanged. But so is your heart. 

I went to Creative South last week. It's a three day conference which is accurately sub-titled...

"Come As Friends, Leave As Family."

Conferences are one of the best ways to start new relationships and build onto old ones. 

Day 010 of #100DaysOfSaylorMotion

I was one of a handful of motion designers. This conference is geared toward graphic designers, web designers and hand letterers. 

I decided to go because I wanted to meet a bunch of friends that I've made through Sean McCabe's seanwes Community. 19 community members ended up coming. And I got to talk one-on-one with almost all of them. And I met several other fantastic designers from all over the place. 

We grabbed coffee, ate pizza, even ditched the conference for hours on end. While the speakers were great and I learned a good deal from them, I went to build relationships. 

At least half of my internet friends are motion designers. I'm comfortable talking about motion design things all day. But meeting with graphic designers, hand letterers, app developers, copy writers, photographers, and film makers gave me something I don't get every day.

A new perspective.  

Each discipline sees the world slightly differently. And when we talked about our struggles, we often had the clarity of an outside opinion. 

I came away from Creative South energized like never before. I also came home with new ideas for personal projects and collaborations lined up. 

Leaving was tough. I made some really good connections friends.     

If you get the chance to go to a conference, motion design or not, take the time to meet people, hear their story, get to know them. Build relationships. Go in with a long term mindset. 

P.S. If we met at Creative South, it was a pleasure. If you weren't there or we didn't meet, maybe one day we can :)

P.P.S. This photo was taken setup by and taken with Cory McCabe's camera.