Hosted by Mary Williams & Megan Eckman · 🇺🇸 US · EN-US · 21 episodes
Established thought leaders with verified media credentials.
The Awkward Handshake is a podcast about networking, business, and what really happens in the room. Hosted by two friends in business who’ve doubled down on the local scene, this show pulls back the curtain on the good, the bad, and the deeply awkward realities of networking. From event logistics and social dynamics to follow-ups, coffee chats, and conversions, we’re talking about how relationships turn into revenue in the real world — not the internet fantasy version. We record from Sasquatch Media Grounds in Vancouver, Washington, and most episodes draw directly from our experiences attending multiple networking events a week across the Portland–Vancouver metro. Sometimes we’re joined by guests who host or design their own events. Sometimes it’s just us, downloading what worked, what didn’t, and what we wish someone had told us sooner. Your hosts are Megan Eckman, co-founder of Fat Cap Design and author of <
Mary Williams & Megan Eckman hosts The Awkward Handshake, a business show with 21 episodes published.
After 20 episodes, dozens of conversations, and more networking events than we can count… what actually works? In this Season 1 finale of The Awkward Handshake , it’s just Mary and Megan—taking a step back to reflect on
What if one of the best “networking spaces” in your city… is a romance bookstore? In this episode of The Awkward Handshake , we sit down with Katherine D. Morgan , the owner of Grand Gesture Books , a romance-focused ind
What does it take to build a creative community that people actually want to keep coming back to? In this episode of The Awkward Handshake , we sit down with Kaitlin Carpenter , the organizer behind Creative Mornings Por
What if the thing blocking your business… isn’t actually your business? In this episode of The Awkward Handshake , we sit down with Micah Freeman , a licensed therapist, to talk about the overlap between mental health, n
What happens when you take your networking skills out of your home city… and drop them into a massive conference? In this episode of The Awkward Handshake, it’s just Mary and Megan (recording after returning from BookCon
What does it actually take to build a community where people feel safe enough to show up as themselves? In this episode of The Awkward Handshake , we sit down with Polly Bilchuk and Oliver Dinero , the founders of Unlock
What if networking isn’t something you turn on when you need a job… but something you build for the rest of your life? In this episode of The Awkward Handshake , we sit down with Dinesh Mathew , a business operations exe
What does it take to build a thriving community people actually want to show up for? In this episode, we sit down with the co-founders of AI Portland , a fast-growing community that has brought together thousands of peop
Looking for the best networking events in Portland? Wondering how to meet the right people without wasting time in awkward rooms that go nowhere? In this episode of The Awkward Handshake , we talk with Dominic Kuklawood
What do you do when the room you need doesn’t exist? You build it. In this episode of The Awkward Handshake, Mary and Megan sit down with author, storyteller, and ghostwriter Jessie Kwak to talk about what it looks like
Small talk gets a bad reputation. People love to say they hate it. They call it shallow, pointless, or awkward. But in reality, small talk is one of the most powerful social tools we have — especially in networking space
Most networking advice tells you to perfect your elevator pitch. But what if that’s the wrong place to start? In this episode of The Awkward Handshake, Mary and Megan sit down with Kellen Moody to talk about why people a
In this episode of The Awkward Handshake, Mary and Megan unpack what a “Yes Friend” really is — and why finding one might have less to do with being social… and more to do with nervous system awareness. What started as a
In this episode of The Awkward Handshake, we tackle one of the most common networking questions we hear: What if I’m an introvert? Mary and Megan are joined by business strategist and community facilitator Nedra Rezinas
In this special episode of The Awkward Handshake, Mary and Megan step outside the usual event debrief to talk about something bigger than networking logistics. This wasn’t originally on the calendar. But when the world s
In this episode of The Awkward Handshake , Mary and Megan dig into one of the most quietly toxic questions in business and creative circles: Are they actually lucky… or are we just not seeing the work behind their networ
In this episode of The Awkward Handshake, we tackle the question almost everyone asks after their third lukewarm networking event: “Okay… but how do I actually get clients from this?” Short answer? You don’t rush it. You
If you’ve ever walked into a networking event with the question “Who here can give me money?” quietly screaming in your head — this episode is for you. In Episode 3 of The Awkward Handshake, Megan Eckman and Mary William
Not all networking events are created equal — and going to the wrong ones can cost you far more than the ticket price. In this episode of The Awkward Handshake, Megan Eckman and Mary Williams break down how they evaluate
How many networking events does it really take before you get paid? In this premiere episode of The Awkward Handshake, Megan Eckman and Mary Williams start where most people are afraid to look: the math. After a year of
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The Awkward Handshake is hosted by Mary Williams & Megan Eckman. The show is categorised under business (entrepreneurship) and has published 21 episodes.
The Awkward Handshake has published 21 episodes.
The Awkward Handshake regularly covers business, entrepreneurship, careers. It sits in the business category, with a entrepreneurship focus.
The Awkward Handshake is accessible for guests with genuine business expertise. A personalised, episode-aware pitch will still outperform a generic one every time.
The Awkward Handshake hasn't explicitly signalled guest openness in recent episodes. That doesn't rule out pitching. your hook just needs to be especially compelling and relevant to their recent content.
Episodes of The Awkward Handshake average 48 minutes. a focused format where a clear narrative arc and tight preparation matter most.
Our data rates The Awkward Handshake's guest bar at 80/100 (Premium tier). Established thought leaders with verified media credentials. Sign in to PitchCentric to see how your own Pod Score compares against this show.
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