Traveling solo can be the scariest, most liberating, life-changing experience of your life. It will push you out of your comfort zone. The friendships I was able to make during a recent five-day trip were nothing but unexpected. They showed me the importance of connecting with other women in business and reassured me that there are plenty of self-made amazing women in business who have accomplished extraordinary achievements in their lives.
Here are some takeaways for other female business leaders and entrepreneurs from three of my encounters:
Networking Is Key
My trip began with an eight-hour flight delay on my way down to West Palm, Florida. It was the best and worst part of my travel. I sat next to a woman named Stasia who had been the general counsel for a multinational finance and insurance corporation during the infamous Goldman Sachs scandals over a decade ago. She was heading back to Florida from a conference that she was attending with more than 75 other women general counsels who run or have run national corporations. We talked, drank and laughed the entire eight-hour trip that should’ve taken less than three hours. She made introductions to her fellow general counsels and presented them to my startup. She also invited to me to the next women’s conference where I will be meeting other amazing women.
