Description

Networking gets easier when you have the opportunity to practice it. Join us Tuesday, September 22, at Relic NoDa (the rebranded NoDa Company Store) for Connect the Network, our monthly Charlotte based networking event but with an interactive networking experience twist facilitated by Rikketta Franklin, M.Ed., founder of The Social Experience®.

This event is the next step in our September networking journey. At Networking with Ease on September 9, Lauren Ansley will introduce practical tools for making professional communication feel more natural, inclusive, and genuinely human. 

Didn’t attend the Lunch & Learn? You are still welcome. Rikketta will help everyone move beyond the usual introductions, business-card exchanges, and “What do you do?” conversations to create connections that feel more meaningful.

LEARN. PRACTICE. CONNECT.

• Learn approachable networking techniques at Networking with Ease on September 9th.
• Practice those skills in a natural, facilitated environment here on September 22nd.
• Put them to work in the wild at the Friends in Business EXPO on October 16th.

WHAT TO EXPECT

• Guided conversation and reflection led by Rikketta Franklin
• A relaxed, welcoming environment for practicing networking skills
• Opportunities to connect beyond job titles and elevator pitches
• Practical experience you can carry into the Friends in Business EXPO
• Drinks, snacks, and conversation inside Relic NoDa’s vibrant, cozy, historic space

Whether you consider yourself an experienced networker, an introvert finding your footing, or someone who would rather be almost anywhere than working a room, this experience is designed to help connection feel more comfortable and human.

ABOUT RIKKETTA FRANKLIN

Rikketta Franklin, M.Ed., is where heart meets strategy. A masterful connector and conversation catalyst, she is part educator and part vibe curator, turning everyday interactions into meaningful moments.

As the founder of The Social Experience®, Rikketta’s signature interactive activation, she designed this to strengthen relationships through guided reflection and meaningful conversation. Through approachable prompts and facilitated connection, participants have an opportunity to move past surface-level networking and engage with one another more authentically. You’ll leave with deeper connections, increased trust, and a stronger sense of belonging within the Chamber community.

A proud HBCU alum with more than a decade of experience in adult education and facilitation, Rikketta is a quiet-leadership expert and community builder who knows how to turn insight into impact. Whether she is helping a team communicate more effectively, coaching individuals through self-discovery, or lighting up a keynote stage, her work is rooted in love, community, and the radical belief that connection changes everything.

Come practice, connect, and prepare to take your networking skills into the wild at the Friends in Business EXPO.