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 conversation about building deeper friendships through networking turned into something bigger: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses… and how those stress patterns show up in business rooms when you’re trying to connect, stay grounded, and not accidentally agree to something you regret.

A Yes Friend isn’t just someone you like.
It’s someone who helps you get a better outcome in the room.

And yes — it’s work. The good kind.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why “Yes Friends” don’t just appear out of nowhere
• How fight/flight/freeze/fawn responses show up at networking events
• What it looks like to support a friend when they freeze or fawn
• The “emotional readiness weight class” idea — and why it matters
• Why some people disappear at events (and how that impacts trust)
• How to be an “exit buddy” and rescue each other from conversations gracefully
• The underrated power of small talk as social lubrication while your brain catches up
• Why networking can trigger intense emotions (even if you didn’t expect it)
• How being a connector creates compounding returns over time
• Why follow-up can save almost any awkward moment
• The truth: you can’t solve this only in your home office — you have to do reps in the real world

If you’ve ever wondered why networking feels harder than it “should,” this episode will give you a new lens — and a much kinder interpretation of your own behavior.

Keep in touch!

Follow Megan Eckman

• Fat Cap Design
• PDX Spellbound

Follow Mary Williams

• Sasquatch Media Grounds
• Sensible Woo