WWN by Anggie Salazar Ep03: Kelly Montoya

Hi Networkers! I'm Anggie, VP of Sales & Marketing at CROING l Creative Agency , a creative agency founded by Alejandra Salazar , and welcome to my newsletter, Women Who Network: Stories of Connection and Success.

Today, I'm super excited to introduce not only a special guest but also a client who is deeply loved by the entire CROING team: Kelly Montoya-Cherry She is Head of Partnerships for Venture Miami , the City of Miami's Economic Development Office focused on tech and innovation.

CROING has been Venture Miami’s social media agency for the last 2 years. In past editions of the newsletter, I’ve mentioned that VM organizes events and amazing initiatives to develop networking in Miami, especially within the tech community.

Why did we start this newsletter?

As I always say, networking has played a key role in my career, and I have found through many conversations that it is an area where many women still don't feel confident or need a little push to explore further.

At CROING, we are motivated to inspire and empower professional women to feel more confident in networking. By sharing stories and experiences, we can encourage more women to connect and grow together.

I’m confident that Kelly’s story will motivate many women to embrace networking with more confidence. 💜

Networking as a Garden of Connection

When I asked Kelly about her approach to networking she explained that her networking strategy has become more intentional over time. Early in her career, she would attend open events, which often felt overwhelming and left her questioning her place there. She began to curate the events she attended, focusing on who would be in the room and her purpose for being there.

Kelly: I love small, curated dinners. There's something special about sharing a meal with someone, where you can get to know them on a deeper level. I avoid large events and prefer intimate settings where you can engage in meaningful conversations.

Each event is a seed you plant, and over time, with care, those seeds grow into a whole garden of connections.

Regarding strategies for establishing genuine connections at these events, Kelly mentioned that she avoids starting conversations immediately upon arrival. Instead, she heads to the bar area where people are more relaxed and open to interaction. She also makes a point of welcoming others, particularly those who seem nervous or lost, inviting them into conversations to ensure they feel included.

How Listening and Nurturing Relationships Open Doors

When reflecting on how networking has influenced her career, Kelly believes that every opportunity and new door opening is a result of cultivating relationships.

Kelly: Even if you meet one person and don’t see immediate results, it’s about nurturing that relationship. Sometimes, a connection you made years ago can lead to unexpected opportunities.

Anggie: There is an anecdote about our initial connection with Venture Miami that I’d like to share with Kelly and all of you: A few years before we started working together at CROING, we were looking for partners and I met someone in LA that invited me to Soho House. We had a great conversation, and at the end, he recommended we join Breef. We applied and ended up working with the City of Miami, among other clients.

Kelly also highlighted the importance of listening during networking events.

Kelly: “My favorite thing about networking is simply listening to people. When you go to a networking event, listening to people honestly leads you to something else. For example, I learned about cryptocurrency from people I met at an event. Just listening to their excitement about their investments made me curious and eventually led me to explore new opportunities.”

In essence, Kelly believes that being attentive and open during networking can uncover transformative insights and opportunities.

The Power of Style: How Outfits and Confidence Boost Networking

While choosing an outfit might seem trivial, it plays a crucial role in networking. A well-chosen outfit can spark conversations and significantly boost one’s confidence, making genuine connections easier.

Kelly reinforces this idea, emphasizing that the way you dress impacts how others perceive you and how you feel about yourself.

Kelly: Feel good, feel yourself. Get ready and then go, right? Because if you feel good, you're gonna also portray that. So work on yourself first, figure out why it is that you don't want to go to this event. Do some inner work. And then when you're ready, go. But you have to do it. You gotta go for it. Don't sit on it. Just answer that question as to why you don't want to go and work on that.

Anggie: Well, thank you, Kelly. It was so helpful and to follow up on that. I think the outfit thing. It might sound at first to some people a little like, Oh, my God! Is the outfit so important? And it is because it can become even part of the networking approach of stuff, and you can get compliments, or you can give compliments on anyone's outfit, and it can start a conversation. And also, if you feel yourself in what you're wearing, it's gonna be so much easier to portray who you really are and to make everyone understand your vibe. And it's so much cooler if you feel like you are yourself in a great outfit. It's like an amazing starting point.

Kelly: Oh, yeah. I love it. Feel like a million bucks when you feel yourself. Yes. You portray, and people will be like, damn, that girl’s a million bucks. So it really does start with that and smell good. Be there just kind of like you. You want people to see you. That’s why you’re out there. If you don’t feel your best, stay home and work on it until you do.

Anggie: No, it’s amazing. And just out—we just went to Cannes in June, and we had these amazing shirts that say, “Wearing Latina Success.” And I wore it the first day, and they had five people approach me on what a wonderful shirt I had, and that the message was amazing and everything. And we were like, Oh, my God!

From Self-Doubt to Networking Power: Kelly’s Key Tips

Anggie: What advice would you give to women who are just starting their professional careers or hesitant to engage in networking?

Kelly: So that's a great question. And I would say, without getting too deep, I would ask her like, why is it that you're feeling this way, right? And I think you need to answer that question before you even go to this networking event. Right? And is it because you feel like maybe you're not confident enough? Is it because you feel like you have imposter syndrome? What is it that is stopping you? And you have to work on that.

Until that's no longer an issue. Because if you are feeling this, you're gonna project that into the room. And that's not what you want. So you have to work on yourself first. You know, and whatever that is, whether it's because you don't feel your best at that moment, or because you just don't feel like you know enough of the topic. You need to just work on that, and then go.

Kelly offers practical advice for overcoming networking concerns:

• Identify the Root Cause: “I would ask you why you’re feeling this way. Is it a lack of confidence or imposter syndrome? Understanding the root cause is essential before attending a networking event.”
• Work on Yourself: “You need to address those issues first because if you’re feeling insecure, it will project into the room. Work on yourself, whether it's improving your confidence or knowledge on a topic.”
• Prepare and Feel Good: “Get yourself a nice outfit and feel good about yourself. When you feel confident, it shows. Do the inner work, and then go for it. Don’t hesitate—just answer why you don’t want to go, work on it, and then take the step forward.”
• Handwritten notes: Kelly also highlighted the importance of Follow up and specially hand written notes as a way to stay in touch and build a relationship with your network

Kelly's insights underscore the importance of self-awareness and confidence in successful networking.

Thanks Kelly! As I always say: Don’t forget, your network is your net worth.

Stay tuned for more inspiring stories in our next edition of Women Who Network: Stories of Connection and Success every Tuesday and Thursday.

If you want to be part of or propose someone for this space, please email me at anggie@croing.com.

Until next time, keep networking and growing!

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