Trevor Matthews, the founder of Refrigeration Mentor, is back on the podcast. This time, he and Bryan talk about the value of networking for HVAC techs as the conference season comes to a close.

Many trade events are networking opportunities that allow you to build relationships with other tradespeople, educators, mentors, and even other companies. You can also learn many trade and business tools that help you as a technician. Many technical and business conversations occur at trade events, and there is a lot to learn from those, whether you're directly involved or just listening. It can also be useful to sit in on classes or presentations about topics that you don't directly deal with, such as building science.

Networking also has value for technicians because it can provide several means of personal development. Making connections with potential mentors can open the doors to new career opportunities, even in places where you wouldn't have expected yourself to work.

If you see someone you want to talk to at an event, feel free to go up and talk to them. Trade events are places where people expect to get to know one another, so many of the people who attend them genuinely want to talk to others in the trade. People like Trevor are happy to share their knowledge and help you develop yourself as a technician. You can also send people emails introducing yourself to them before the event if you're a bit introverted and uncomfortable putting yourself out there.

Trevor and Bryan also discuss:

• Being isolated in a "bubble"
• Choosing to work or visit conferences
• Networking to avoid getting stuck
• Planning trips around trade conferences
• The 2023 HVACR Training Symposium
• Specialized conferences
• Refrigeration Mentor

Learn more about Trevor's work at https://refrigerationmentor.com/.

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