My 8 Minute Ripple Experience

Last Thursday night was a real experience for me.  I had hurt my ankle the previous weekend so I was on crutches and not very mobile. Because I wasn't able to do my typical walking around thing during The 8 Minute Ripple, I was actually able to participate as a Rippler. Boy let me tell you, it was an incredible experience.

To be honest, a few of the people I Rippled with, I already knew pretty well but that didn't matter because you can always learn more about someone.  The questions we used, the conversations that ensued, the amazing things I discovered about these people was nothing short of amazing. Despite the more than annoying pain radiating from my ankle, I was having the time of my life!  And honestly it helped me reconnect with why I created The 8 Minute Ripple in the first place so many years ago.

You see, connecting is a whole lot of fun when you'll let yourself be open to it and truly experience it for what it is. At an 8 Minute Ripple, it's almost impossible to find yourself not into it based on the safe fun environment we create within the event.  Granted it's a surreal experience, asking strangers random questions and getting responses back that give you a real sense of who the person is sitting next to you.  It's so much more powerful and enlightening than what you would ever find at a "traditional networking" event where the most original question you'll be asked is "So what do you do?"

Thursday night reminded me of what is possible when you get two people together for a conversation without the pretense of a 30 second elevator speech or force feeding a conversation about one another's business interest. It continued to show me what a well placed question can create amongst two (often) strangers who will leave The 8 Minute Ripple as anything but.  The Ripple after all these years still showed me it isn't a better way to build your network, it is the way to build your network.

The injury to my ankle was unfortunate but timely as it allowed me to see things from a new perspective.  It relit the fire and the commitment to create more Ripple events and experiences and to help people see there is a better way to build your personal and professional network.

Clearly we have some work to do but I'm ready for it.  Now if I could only get off these darn crutches.

Ripple On!!!


P.S.  If you're interested in bringing an 8 Minute Ripple to your city, networking group or conference event, please contact Carlon@ripplecentral.com for more information.