Forget Business Cards. Here’s How Women Build Collaborations That Work

Networking mistakes? Meghann’s collected them all like bad souvenirs. Stacks of business cards, too many lattes, and the kind of rooms where you feel more hunted than helped.

On Talking with Teri, she spills why the old playbook sucks and why collaboration (not card-collecting) is the real key. From archetypes to bold asks, here’s how women can create successful partnerships that actually fuel growth (and joy).

The Networking Hangover

Early on, Meghann bought into the traditional playbook: attending every event, collecting every card, saying yes to everything, all with a drink in hand. The result? Exhaustion.

Low-vibe networking where everyone’s there to sell and be sold to. No real trust. No real relationships. Definitely no growth.

So she ditched it.

Collaboration, Not Clients

Here’s the Dames twist: Stop. Hunting. For. Clients. It’s the biggest networking lie we’ve been sold and the fastest way to tank the energy in any room.

Instead, look for power partners: the women you can collaborate with to create bigger, better results. Think, joint projects, masterminds, or just someone who can celebrate wins and hold up a mirror when you need it.

Don’t waste your energy chasing golden eggs. Build relationships with the golden geese.

Archetypes Change the Game

One of Meghann’s secret weapons? The Dames’ archetype quiz. (thedames.co/quiz).

When you know your own collaboration style (and someone else’s), you can approach the relationship with strategy. You’ll know how to show up, what to lead with, and how to actually create synergy instead of clashing.

It’s not about putting on a façade of perfection. It’s about owning your quirks, shadows, and strengths, while holding space for others to do the same. That’s where real connection clicks and collaboration takes root.

Strategy Starts with the Ask

Want to know the #1 mistake women make in networking? Showing up without an ask.

When you say “let me think about it,” you’re signaling you don’t know what you need, and that’s a dead end.

Be clear: Do you need a collaborator? A mirror? A mastermind partner? Someone to help you troubleshoot a challenge? The more specific the ask, the easier it is for others to step up.

Women are wired to help, and you’ve got to give them something to respond to. No woman ever rolled her eyes at a clear ask. In fact, it lights us up. So go ahead… make the ask, spark the connection, and watch what unfolds.

Feel the Energy (and Know When to Exit)

If the energy feels off, you have full permission to step back. The real power move is exiting gracefully when a partnership is no longer serving you. That’s how you protect your energy, your time, and your joy.

Business cards don’t build businesses. Collaboration does.

And success? It’s not about perfect systems or grinding harder.

Meghann’s reminder on Talking with Teri was simple: ditch the grind, link arms with women who lift you higher, and let your quirks lead the way. That’s when business feels less like “work”… and a lot more like play.

Because when women collaborate instead of compete, business becomes the adventure it was always meant to be.