Recently Jessica from My Style Vita wrote a post on Three reasons why a coffee date with friends will make you happier and I loved it! She shared why it’s better to have a coffee date than a cocktail date which I’d never thought about but she’s SO right! So today I’m sharing a little spin off that post and why you should totally have coffee dates more often. I know I don’t do them as much as I would like to. But they’re perfect for meeting new people, quick meetings and friend dates! So I’m breaking it all down for you. Why they’re perfect for all three!
Meeting New People
I’ve seen a blog post circling and people talking about how they say no to coffee with strangers or people wanting to “pick their brain” and that always shocks me. I’ve made some seriously amazing connections over grabbing a coffee with someone and still ask and invite strangers from the internet for coffee! Why? It’s networking! No one is forcing you to spill all your secrets, you can tell them all you want or don’t want to tell them. But it’s making a connection with a person who is interested in you and your brand. You never know what that one connection might be able to do for you down the road!
I met Charity from Honeybee Events via a coworker because of our creative interests. She’s now a dear friend and we’ve collaborated on My Kind of Lovely photoshoots! Caroline & I also met Kirsten Blowers the owner of Riffraff at market and she was the sweetest most inspiring person. She even said, “I don’t care to share what works for me with you because that doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you. I’ve built a brand and know what works for my brand, but you have to do what works for your brand.” Best advice ever. Duh people!
Meeting new people over coffee is casual, easy and you can cut it short if needed or sit and chat forever! Coffee shops are cute, inviting and inspiring and seriously make for the best setting for conversation with a new person.
*Note: There are some bad people out there and people who want to meet with you for the wrong reasons. And personally I think those people are easy to spot. But most people genuinely like you and want to create a connection with you. So be careful and cut it short if you feel their intentions are bad or you feel uncomfortable answering their questions.
Quick Meetings
I’ve worked with a few local companies and always love when they ask to meet for coffee. A lot of times it’s easier to talk out details in person and visually see things versus over an email. It gets things done quicker and you leave with a plan of action! I love that! Caroline and I like to have coffee shop planning meetings when we can because there are less distractions. When we meet at the shop we’re distracted by a million little things to do around the office. When we get out we can focus on the planning aspect of the business versus the overwhelming to-dos. We can stay focused and on track at a coffee shop.
Friend Catchups
There’s just something different about having coffee with a friend versus dinner or drinks. You’re kicking your day off with something fun and with someone you love! I think it brings up a different tone to the conversation as well. When you’re kicking your day off with a friend you’re usually energized, ready for a cup of coffee and excited to be there. If you’re grabbing cocktails it’s usually after a long day of work, you’re tired or maybe even not fully engaged in the conversation because you’re worrying about something. In the morning you’re refreshed, excited and ready to chat! Read Jessica’s post for three more reasons why coffee dates are great for this!
Knoxville has so many cute coffee shops these days! Remedy Coffee is one of my favorites and it’s absolutely adorable!
Shop the Outfit:
Jacket: My Kind of Lovely (on sale!) | Turtleneck: Similar from J.Crew | Jeans: Loft