We’ve all been there. You get dressed up, head out to a networking event, collect a pocketful of business cards, and go home feeling like a champion. But then… those cards sit on your desk. They gather dust, get shuffled around, and eventually end up in the trash.

A few months ago, I was at a VRLTA and wine event right here in Charlottesville. The wine was great, the energy was high, and it was there that I crossed paths with Shayla Varnado.

Now, it would have been incredibly easy to let that just be a nice, polite conversation and leave it at that. But instead, we did the one thing that most people completely forget to do: we actually followed up.

And honestly? It changed everything.

Just a Casual Chat (No Strings Attached)

When Shayla and I set up a meeting after the Charlottesville event, we didn’t go into it with some big, aggressive sales pitch. We just wanted to learn about each other, share what we were working on, and see how we could help one another.

During that chat, a lightbulb went off. We realized we weren’t just two people swapping business cards—we were actually major assets for each other.

From Coffee to Collaboration

That one quick follow-up meeting set off an amazing domino effect:

1. We hired her: I saw how brilliant she was and knew my company needed her. We brought Shayla on board to help us whip our marketing strategy into shape.
2. With over 25 years of experience teaching sales and marketing, she is a true industry powerhouse. Our partnership began with a clear goal: sharpen her curriculum so she could scale her program. Fast forward to today, and that relationship has come full circle. We are thrilled to be working alongside her once again, this time helping her develop and launch her brand-new, flagship marketing course!

What started as a casual conversation over a glass of wine in Charlottesville has turned into a massive, mutually beneficial partnership.

During that chat, a lightbulb went off. We realized we weren’t just two people swapping business cards—we were actually major assets for each other.

Who is Shayla? (If you don’t know, now you know!)

Let me tell you, Shayla’s whole vibe is: Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated.

For over ten years, she has been helping entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and brands turn their messy, scattered ideas into clear marketing strategies that actually make money. She understands consumer psychology and community-building, but most importantly, she knows how to make complex marketing concepts feel incredibly simple.

Whether she’s acting as a Fractional CMO or teaching a room of business owners, her mission is simple: To make marketing make sense.

The Real Takeaway: Don’t Sleep on Your Connections

In a world where we’re all glued to our screens, we sometimes forget that business is run by real people. This whole experience reminded me of a few major rules I try to live by:

• The magic is in the follow-up. A business card is just a piece of paper until you send that email.

• Play the long game. Don’t go into networking thinking, “What can I get out of this person?” Ask yourself, “How can we help each other win?”

• Local community is everything. Some of the best talent and partners you will ever find are right here in our own backyard.

If you have a stack of business cards sitting on your desk right now, consider this your sign to reach out to one of them today. You never know—your next big project or partnership might just start with a simple, “Hey, great meeting you. Let’s grab coffee.”

If you want to get your marketing sorted out and actually make sense of it, do yourself a favor and check out Shayla at ALYAHSConsulting.com.

If you’d like to learn more about Shayla and check out her exciting new upcoming class, click the links below!

• Check out the latest from The Marketing Maven’s Diary for strategies to become an Omnipresent business + brand.
• Book a Strategy Call for actionable advice that moves your business forward.

• Sign up / Join the waitlist for her upcoming marketing class