Emily Merrell @ Six Degrees Society takes the guesswork out of networking by handpicking your connections
Tell us what you do!
At Six Degrees Society we take the guesswork out of networking by handpicking who you meet during a networking event. Pre- event you’ll receive the bios, pics, job titles and companies of individuals pre-event as well as the names of the people you will be matched with. No more networking with strangers but individuals you are meant to meet. Following the matches we host programming that ranges from personal, professional and lifestyle development.
What motivated you to become an entrepreneur? Is having your own business something you always wanted?
I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur but I didn’t know what I wanted to do as an entrepreneur. I was motivated by the creative freedom of creating something from scratch, from shaping culture and experiences. I also loved the autonomy of entrepreneurship and the decision making process involved with entrepreneurs. Unlike the corporate world where you had to seek approval from several layers, entrepreneurship was something where you can pivot day to day.
How did you come up with your business idea? What inspired you?
I came up with my business out of a necessity I saw in the networking world. It started off as a passion before it was monetized and before I considered it my business. I was sick and tired of networking and people approaching me asking about the company I worked for, I never felt like I could delve deeper into who I was, or what I wanted but was constantly representing a company I worked for. At our events our individuals show up as their whole self, that means their side hustling self, their hobby self and their job. They can put whatever face forward they prefer.
What were you doing before this? How did it prepare you for the entrepreneurial life?
Before Six Degrees Society I worked in Special Events and Marketing in Fashion. It was a tremendous help in preparing me for the events I plan and teaching me to recognize the value of a key audience to vendors and brands. My past jobs also set me up in a fortuitous way with key partners and contacts.
How do you generate new ideas to stay relevant on the market? Is it important to innovate in your space?
For me I find new ideas VERY easy. I have the pleasure of meeting fantastic women every single day and it’s quite easy to morph a meeting into a blog post, event or partnership. In planning our events I try to monitor what’s relevant in terms of conversation from a personal, professional and lifestyle perspective.
What are some pros and cons of having (OR not having) entrepreneurial parents? Both of my parents were entrepreneurs and worked out of the house. The pros are that I was exposed to hard work and self motivation at a very young age. I also was able to be exposed to a mom and dad who had flexibility to be involved in our lives more than before 9am and after 5pm. Entrepreneurial parents always felt “normal” and I was more shocked when people told me their parent worked for someone else.