The Creative Introvert’s Guide to Navigating Conferences
3 tips for starting new conversations with confidence
‘Networking.’ Every introverted professional’s favourite word.
If it makes you cringe just a little, then navigating through awkward encounters in a room filled with professional strangers may be intimidating.
Yes, we do it to promote our work and build meaningful connections. But for reserved creatives, it’s easier to face an empty canvas than vacant stares.
How do you put yourself out there and make noise when you thrive in the silence of solitude?
Our recent adventures at the Annecy Animation Festival (thanks Interreg Cap 3D II!) led our team of introverted creatives to practice 3 things that helped make networking and socializing a lot easier: Mentally preparing for hundreds of new encounters, being confident in our work, and realizing we’re not in this alone.
Prepare your mind
When stepping into the dreaded territory of networking, fear of the worst-case scenario — getting snubbed or being ignored, can be paralyzing. But with the right mindset, we can quiet our anxieties and be our natural, awesome selves. So what does this mental prep look like? Well, two things:
*CUE EYE OF THE TIGER INTRO MUSIC*
1. Setting realistic goals for each encounter. Focusing on quality interactions rather than trying to meet everyone in the room. It’s better to have 3 meaningful interactions than 10 superficial ones where they’ll forget your name by the end of the day.
2. Visualizing smooth conversations and envisioning yourself gracefully navigating through social settings. Essentially, practicing in your mind before the real thing so you begin to believe you can do it. This mental rehearsal doesn’t mean the convo will go exactly as you expect, but it can help boost you up to get started. Midway through, you might be surprised at how much easier it is than you expected.
Prepare your work
“I met a few young creatives who were not able to give me their professional contacts or show me their portfolio or online content,” Gashwayne (Line Producer) recalls. “My main advice would be to go prepared with content or networking materials, such as physical or digital business cards, as well as a social media page or website.”
If you are not a talker, that’s fine. Let your work speak for you. How do you prefer to share your work? What ways feel authentic to you? Social media, online platforms, and one-on-one connections can be powerful tools for introverted creators to showcase their work and build a supportive community.
You don’t have to be an extrovert to shine, but you do have to believe in the value of your creations and make them available. Your perspective may offer a fresh and meaningful approach that resonates deeply with others. When you confidently stand behind your work, it becomes a powerful statement of your identity and artistic expression.
Remember we’re all in this together
You’re not alone. There are countless other creatives out there who also prefer alone time and lo-fi music.
“We know there are people out there doing what we’re doing, however, we tend to think that everyone is an expert, doing great, and doesn’t need anything,” Gashwayne (Line Producer) shared. “Instead, I learnt that most of us want the same things; we all want deals, connections, and money to be prosperous. Also, we are mostly passionate about what we are doing as animators, creators and artists. Attending the festival helped me to humanize many of the unknown persons in the industry.”
We all feel the same anxieties and hopes when we’re just starting out. And the experts at Annecy with more experience are pretty graceful since they remember when they were just starting too. Here’s how Joelle (Animation Director) describes the vibe at Annecy:
‘We are all just awkward people coming together for one kumbaya.’
Knowing that you’re part of a community of creatives who appreciate quiet time, meaningful conversations, and all things animation, helps you feel validated and accepted. It’s like finding your tribe. And there’s nothing more empowering than a relaxed group of talented folks all introverting and creating together.
Thanks for reading. Hope this helps bring your inner creative out of the cave of introversion.
Have any tips on channeling your social superpowers? Comment below and let us know what else we missed that might help someone.
And keep an eye out for more updates on our ListenMi Views blog and IG @listenminow.
Have a creative day!
This post was contributed by Jadia Lattery and Kenia Mattis.
Jadia is ListenMi’s operations coordinator. When she’s not busy supporting the team on projects, she’s aimlessly scrolling through Tik Tok to see what trend she can jump on next!
Kenia is a co-founder of ListenMi, a storytelling company developing animations to inspire, entertain and bring people closer.
Give this post some👏 👏👏 and keep in touch to see more of the team’s work on Twitter & Instagram.
