Networking for Artists: Making Meaningful Contacts

The Best Networking Tool A story about 2 musicians... One spends her days methodically messaging industry executives, sending carefully crafted emails to A&R representatives, and attending every networking event where someone important might appear. She has a perfect pitch deck of her music career and business cards with her SoundCloud link. The other spends those same hours in a room writing songs that matter to her. Some days, the songs are terrible. Other days, they're just OK. Once in a while, they capture something true. The first musician's networking strategy might work. The second musician isn't even trying to network. Yet it's almost always the second one who ends up on the big stage. In 2023, Gracie Abrams joined Taylor Swift's record-breaking Eras Tour as an opening act, performing in massive stadiums for crowds of 70,000+ fans night after night. It was a career-defining opportunity… The kind that launches people into new orbits. How did she land this coveted spot? She didn't. Not directly, at least. Years earlier, Gracie was writing songs in her bedroom, recording voice memos, and eventually releasing music that felt honest to her. She wasn't trying to impress Taylor Swift; she was trying to express something true. But Taylor, it turns out, was listening. She became a fan of Gracie’s music, started promoting it, and eventually the two formed a genuine creative connection. They collaborated on a song for Gracie's debut album, with Taylor as a co-writer. When the time came to select opening acts for the biggest tour in music history, Taylor chose someone whose work had already spoken for itself. The networking happened, but it was entirely backwards from how we typically imagine it. We tend to think of networking as something deliberate, an activity you schedule between 6 and 8 PM on a Thursday (name tags, wine, etc). It's seen as a separate function from the actual work. But the most powerful networking rarely works this way. The greatest networking opportunity in existence is to create something so good that people who could help your career can't ignore it. This is counterintuitive because it requires patience and offers no guarantees. There's no immediate feedback loop. You can't measure its effectiveness with business cards collected or LinkedIn connections added. It's networking by working in public view, creating things of value, and trusting that the right people will eventually notice. They're coming to you because they see value in what you create. This shift in relationship leverage changes everything. The conversation starts from a place of mutual respect rather than one-sided need. The greatest networking happens when you stop trying to network and instead focus on creating work worthy of the people you want to connect with. Make it so good you can't be ignored.

The Art of the Meaningful Connection at industry events 🎨 Attending industry events can be a game-changer for building your network, but making authentic connections takes more than just showing up. Here are five strategies that have helped me connect with the right people and build lasting relationships: 1. Do Your Homework ✍🏼 Before the event, research who’s attending. Identify key people you’d like to meet and learn a bit about their background. This makes starting a conversation easier and more intentional. 2. Find Common Ground 👊🏼 Look for shared experiences — maybe you attended the same university, root for the same sports team, or have mutual connections. Finding commonalities makes conversations feel more natural and memorable. 3. Ask Great Questions ❓ Instead of leading with what you do, ask thoughtful questions about their work, challenges, or goals. People love sharing their experiences, and genuine curiosity leaves a lasting impression. 4. Give Before You Ask 👏🏼 Offer value first — whether that’s sharing a resource, introducing them to someone in your network, or providing insights on a topic they’re interested in. Reciprocity builds trust. 5. Follow Up with Purpose 💬 After the event, send a personalized message referencing your conversation. Whether it’s a LinkedIn connection request, an email, or a quick note — thoughtful follow-up helps turn brief encounters into meaningful relationships. Feel free to add 👊🏼 Pictured with one of my faves: Joy Keller

Too many screenwriters network with open hands. You can see it in the comments of my posts, and I see it in dozens of emails and DM’s in my inbox every day. There are too many hopeful writers that need and want help. No one with access has time to give to them all.  Instead of getting lost in a sea of artists clamoring for favors, analyze where your experiences, insights, and connections can move other people closer to their goals. Whether you’re meeting someone new or talking to a friend, as soon as you hear a need of theirs, start immediately strategizing how you can help them solve their problems and get ahead.  Not the other way around.   When you show up to networking conversations by calculating whether a person’s job or connections can be a beneficial steppingstone for you, they can feel it. It doesn’t feel good.  It’s why networking gets a bad rap among sensitive, well-meaning artists.  No one likes interacting with a sleazy social climbing person. But if you focus instead on what you can for someone else (with no expectation of receiving anything in return), you generate goodwill that will pay off dividends later in unexpected ways.  Don’t think you have anything to offer anyone? You do. It doesn’t have to be big, influential, or even entertainment-related. Just try it in the next conversation you have with a friend or acquaintance in any context. Ask about their goals and projects. What are their frustrations? What challenges are they facing in their life? Do they have any trips, plans, or dreams that they’re working towards? When they open up to you, see if you know anyone you can offer to introduce them to who might help them.  Or offer to lend them a book or send them an article on the subject with helpful information. Connect them with any resources or recommendations that they’ll find useful. You can even show up for them in a supportive way if they have an event, a show, or a publication (no matter how small).  If, in the middle of the conversation, you can’t think of anything helpful immediately off the top of your head, write a note to yourself. Record who this person is and what their needs are. Now that this action item is simmering in the back of your mind, you will probably meet someone or get inspiration later today or in a few days. You can always go back to that person with something helpful. It shows that you’re thinking about them and that you genuinely care about their needs. And this helps build your habit of constantly strategizing over how to help others. *** Want more actionable advice on how to build a network in the Entertainment Industry (Even if you live outside Los Angeles)? Check out the deep dive I wrote on exactly this topic! Link in the comments below.

The Art of Intentional Networking: It’s Not About Who You Know—It’s About How You Show Up I talk a lot about networking, and that's because most networking events I attend still feel transactional: a business card exchange, a LinkedIn request with no follow-up, and a conversation that ends when the event does. But that's not how real relationships are built. Intentional networking is different. It’s not about collecting contacts but about showing up purposefully and creating meaningful connections. Intentional Networking means... Listening first. Too often, people come into conversations ready to pitch. What if we approached networking with curiosity instead? Asking better questions leads to better relationships. Adding value without expectation. The most impactful connections I’ve made weren’t built on “what can you do for me?” but rather “how can I support you?” Genuine generosity has a way of coming full circle. Following up with authenticity. A quick “great to meet you” email is fine, but a personal note about what resonated in our conversation? That’s how you stand out. In the events world, the magic isn’t just in the big moments—it’s in the details. The same applies to networking. A single meaningful connection can open more doors than a hundred surface-level ones ever will. What’s one intentional connection you’ve made that changed the game for you?