Alisha Chauhan

At the beginning of the semester, I had a typical view of networking. It meant shaking hands at events, adding people on LinkedIn, and maybe dropping a message when I needed a reference. But after attending the Digital Media Marketing Seminar Series, I’ve come to understand that real networking is about building trust, leading with curiosity, and showing up authentically.

Each speaker brought their own story, and every session shifted my thinking. Instead of seeing networking as a task, I began to see it as a mindset. As someone who aspires to grow in the world of marketing and perhaps even start my own agency one day, this shift in perspective couldn’t have come at a better time.

Where Stories Spark Strategy

One of the speakers who deeply impacted me was Jeanene Miniaci, a senior marketing leader at Molson Coors. Her career started in psychology, but she pivoted into experiential marketing through university brand ambassador work. I was especially inspired by her story of landing the Barbie account through persistence and passion, and later leading campaigns like Coors Light’s national relaunch and the Simply Spiked x Tyler Cameron collaboration. Jeanene reminded me that success in marketing is often about being bold, knowing when to pivot, and learning how to read both data and people.

Another speaker who stuck with me was Melina, a former CBC executive turned sustainability strategist. Her journey was a powerful reminder that careers evolve. After years leading high-impact campaigns for Hockey Night in Canada and FIFA, she moved to the UK, had a child, and began to wonder what purpose-driven marketing could look like. From cold-messaging professors to co-authoring two books, Melina showed that you do not have to wait until you feel like an expert. If you are curious and willing to try, you can grow into your next chapter.

Chase Dobbie, co-founder of Func Media, gave me a different kind of motivation. He talked about scaling a creative agency, working with brands like Lamborghini and Swiss Chalet, and how their success came from retention and reputation. What struck me most was his honesty about the challenges of scaling too quickly. It made me realize that growth should be intentional. Even though they made it work, it took months of juggling HR, clients, and operations before they found balance. That level of transparency was refreshing and encouraging.

My Personal Networking Shift

After hearing these speakers and reflecting on their paths, I knew I needed to stop being passive about my professional development. I started by updating my LinkedIn profile to better reflect my interests and voice. One of the initial steps I took was refreshing my LinkedIn profile to align more closely with my personal brand, The Vintage Visionary. I began sharing graphics that highlighted my blog posts from my personal website and offered insights on current industry trends.

I connected with speakers like Jeanene, Melina, Chase, and Marley, the co-founder of Lighthouse Tutoring, who spoke about entrepreneurship and burnout. I sent brief, thoughtful messages to thank them and ask one follow-up question. Some replied. Some didn’t. But the act of reaching out helped me build confidence and showed me that networking is not about instant results. It is about planting seeds.

I also joined several groups on LinkedIn to stay involved in the marketing community. These included:

• Canadian Marketing Association (CMA)
• The Marketing Millennials
• Fashion Marketing & Digital Media Group (FMG): A Meeting Place for Fashion & Marketing Professionals
• Canada Digital Marketing Professionals: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Edmonton

Each group gave me something different. Through the Canada Digital Marketing Professionals group, I found a post by Eleni Papadakis, a strategist at a boutique agency in Toronto. I commented on her post and eventually messaged her to ask about the transition from content creation to strategy. She gave me great insight and recommended a few books I have since started reading.

At a virtual AMA Toronto session, I met Lisa Chang, a marketing coordinator at Indigo. We had a quick chat about Gen Z marketing trends and later scheduled a coffee chat. She encouraged me to work on a small content portfolio using Canva and suggested creating mock strategies for brands I love. This was a lightbulb moment. It reminded me that I do not need to wait for a job to begin showcasing my skills.

Small Steps, Real Progress

To practice what I was learning, I offered to help a local vintage shop with their Instagram strategy. It was unpaid, but it gave me a chance to apply what I had learned from the seminars and research. I created a 30-day content calendar, tracked insights, and learned what actually worked in a real-life context. I plan to add this experience to my resume and continue volunteering with small businesses where possible.

I also explored mentorship through Ten Thousand Coffees, a platform recommended in class. There, I connected with a UX marketing coordinator from RBC Ventures who shared how UX and marketing overlap. We discussed the importance of storytelling in user flows and the value of empathy in brand messaging. It was an unexpected but meaningful connection.

What I’ve Learned About Networking

Networking is not a numbers game. It is about being intentional. It is about asking better questions, being genuinely interested in other people’s journeys, and showing up even when you feel uncertain.

I used to think I needed a perfect pitch to reach out to someone. Now, I know it is more important to be authentic. I learned to say things like “Your story really stuck with me” or “I’d love to hear your thoughts on this challenge I’m facing.” These small openings have led to real conversations.

This class taught me that opportunities don’t just happen. They are created through effort, curiosity, and sometimes a little discomfort. Whether it is volunteering, asking a question after a panel, or simply commenting on someone’s work, those actions compound over time.

Moving forward, I will keep using LinkedIn to build relationships, not just connections. I will attend more local events, keep following up with people I admire, and stay open to unexpected career paths. Most of all, I will keep learning from others who have walked the road before me.

Because what this semester really taught me is that marketing is not just about campaigns. It is about people. And the more I invest in those relationships, the more doors I can open for myself and hopefully for others one day too.