The Jillian Group

The concept of networking is interesting because it means different things to different people. To me, networking is a way to provide service to others.

Therefore, when I think of building or growing a network, I imagine planting and nurturing a garden. Some seeds will bloom 10 years later and become oak trees, others will sprout beautiful wildflowers.

I think about all the possibilities to connect dots and create opportunities. This is the essence of what One Handshake is about.

Alone, we can plant many seeds and create multiple harvests, but when we do this together, as a community, the yield is exponentially greater

Imagine being part of a community that took an active interest in helping you connect with the people and opportunities you seek?

You never know how a connection might circle back years later.

I met Dorien Morin-van Dam in 2017 at Social Media Marketing World. I was coordinating the networking team, and she had been selected for the volunteer networking group, a specialized team focused on helping attendees feel welcome and connected.

She stood out right away: thoughtful, prepared, and fully present.

Fast forward to today. Dorien now hosts Strategy Talks, and I now live in the Netherlands (her home country). Neither of us could’ve predicted that back when we met in San Diego.

We recently reconnected and swapped podcast interviews within a week of each other.

In this Strategy Talks episode, we talked about:
🔹 Rebuilding a network from scratch in a new country
🔹 The story behind my TEDx talk
🔹 Why congruence and sustainability matter in business
🔹 How long-term relationships often shape growth in ways you can’t plan for

Dorien is a thoughtful, discerning host, and I’m grateful to be part of her podcast lineup. I appreciated the chance to reconnect, reflect, and share some of what I’ve learned about building relationships that truly sustain us.

🎧 You can listen to our conversation here:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strategy-talks/id1615667911
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com//podcasts

And if you’d like to hear Dorien’s story on reinvention, pricing, and building a business after 40, you can find her episode on my One Handshake podcast here:

👉 https://one-handshake.simplecast.com/episodes/36-building-a-business-after-40-real-lessons-on-reinvention-pricing-and-trust-they-dont-teach-in-business-school

No matter how frigid, dark, or long - winter passes and reveals the beauty of new possibilities.



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