I went to Walmart for a funnel.
My husband started buying whole coffee beans. Every time he grinds them and tries to pour them into a mason jar, it’s a mess. Coffee is just everywhere. On the counter, the floor and somehow the side of the cabinet. I figured a funnel would make this process faster and cleaner.
As I walked to the kitchen aisle, I passed the Easter decorations.
And there they were: Peeps.
Rows of yellow, blue, and pink chicks and bunnies. Just in time for Easter, of course.
And I thought… I’ll never understand how people go crazy for these things. I even had a coworker tell me she prefers them stale. I tried them once, and since that day? You never heard a peep from me about Peeps.
Yet, in 2024, Peeps generated $5.4 billion over the Easter season.
I didn’t contribute to that, and never will. And that’s my point: Peeps isn’t trying to win me over. I’m not their person and they’re not trying to make me one. They succeed because they focus on the people who actually want them, and the ones who are ready to buy.
And that’s how it can be with networking and client connections.
A few years ago, I attended a networking event hosted by my local chamber of commerce. I spent almost an hour talking to someone. I thought this person would be the perfect fit for my services. We exchanged cards, had a great conversation, and I left feeling hopeful. I reached out by email, weeks went by… not a peep. Nada.
I realized that they weren’t my audience. That connection wasn’t meant to convert, and that’s okay.
Peeps made 5.4 billion without me.
Your business can grow without everyone too.
Not everyone is going to be for us. Not every connection. Not every client. Not every opportunity. And that’s okay. If you’ve been networking, showing up, putting yourself out there… it’s normal that some people just don’t click.
Deep down you probably knew that too. Maybe you didn’t feel right about them either. That’s usually a sign that they’re not your people. When we clearly know who our audience is, we’ll understand that every “no” or missed connection benefited us.
Peeps didn’t suffer because I walked past the aisle. Their job is to serve the people who love them, and clearly, they’re excelling at it.
Our job isn’t to be loved by everyone either. It’s to show up for the right people. The ones who see our value.
When we do that, the right peeps…well, they’ll find us.
Final Thoughts
So if there’s a silence that you’ve been hearing for a while, just keep in mind that it’s not proof that what we’re doing isn’t working. We just need the right people to recognize the value.
I tried a Peep once… and that was the beginning and the end of my relationship with Peeps.
Shamayne Brown is a virtual assistant and the founder of Camp Virtual Assistance.
She works with solo professionals and small business owners who are ready to invest in their business and need the support that she offers.
She specializes in creating email newsletters as well as other admin and creative design tasks.
Click here to connect on LinkedIn.
Click here to set up a discovery call.
