Just Say Yes
Alex Hillman
Over the last week while Adam has been away on vacation, I’ve been thinking about what happens when you give someone room to try something small…and how often that turns into something you could have never planned for.
By way of example, today we’re talking about Jules. Jules has been an Indy Hall member for just a bit over a year, and back in the spring asked us about piloting a workshop for job seekers.
She painted a picture of our main community hall with around 30 people, a presentation mixed with breakouts for hands-on resume review and peer support.
I asked her how confident she was that she could sell 30 seats at $30 each…and she hesitated a bit. “Maybe? I’m not sure.”
Then I asked “If you got 10 people, would that still be worth doing?” She lit up again.
I suggested that if she could easily sell out 10 spots, then it was obvious that the next step could be a bigger and better version of her vision.
Not only did she take the advice, she ran with it. The first event back in the spring sold out handily, and she went on to host her second workshop: “You’re Not The Problem: How to Network in 2025.”
But that’s not even the best part.
Right after her workshop, we hosted our friends from We Love Philly for a special invite-only networking event designed to give their pre-apprentices the opportunity to practice their networking skills as well.
My friend Namarah from WLP (and her team of course) have crafted a version of a networking event that I wish I had experienced early in my career.
Not the usual “so uh what do you do?” and business card exchanges, but instead: youth and adults truly getting to connect, and practice curiosity and listening.
Best of all: attendees from Jules’ workshop could upgrade to participate in this event for just an extra ten bucks.
That’s the thing about this community we call Indy Hall, and the spaces we share with our members and partners. We have learned over the years that it’s powerful to say yes to the small, uncertain version of your idea.
We look for ways to turn that hesitant “maybe?” into a “let’s JFDI.”
That’s the power of the first small yes.
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