The Awkward Handshake

About The Awkward Handshake

The Awkward Handshake is a podcast about networking, business, and what really happens in the room. Hosted by two friends in business who’ve doubled down on the local scene, this show pulls back the curtain on the good, the bad, and the deeply awkward realities of networking. From event logistics and social dynamics to follow-ups, coffee chats, and conversions, we’re talking about how relationships turn into revenue in the real world — not the internet fantasy version. We record from Sasquatch Media Grounds in Vancouver, Washington, and most episodes draw directly from our experiences attending multiple networking events a week across the Portland–Vancouver metro. Sometimes we’re joined by guests who host or design their own events. Sometimes it’s just us, downloading what worked, what didn’t, and what we wish someone had told us sooner. Your hosts are Megan Eckman, co-founder of Fat Cap Design and author of PDX Spellbound, and Mary Williams, founder of Sasquatch Media Grounds and Sensible Woo. This show is for people who take their business seriously, care about doing work that sustains them, and want to stop guessing where clients come from. Expect candid stories, sharp insights, and practical perspective on building a business through real human connection. Business is people. Don’t be passive.

Publisher

Mary Williams & Megan Eckman

Category

business · business · business

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

17 Jan 2026

Latest episode

22 May 2026

Latest episodes

21 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   22 May 2026

   What Actually Works in Networking (After 20 Episodes)

   After 20 episodes, dozens of conversations, and more networking events than we can count… what actually works? In this Season 1 finale of The Awkward Handshake, it’s just Mary and Megan—taking a step back to reflect on everything we’ve learned about networking, community, and how people really connect. This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s a reality check. We talk about what surprised us, what held up across different environments, and what consistently didn’t work—no matter the city, the event, ...

2. 

   15 May 2026

   Come for the Romance, Stay for the Community with Grand Gesture Books

   What if one of the best “networking spaces” in your city… is a romance bookstore? In this episode of The Awkward Handshake, we sit down with Katherine D. Morgan, the owner of Grand Gesture Books, a romance-focused indie bookstore in Portland, Oregon that has quietly built one of the most engaged communities in the city. This conversation isn’t about traditional networking. It’s about what happens when people gather around shared interests, feel safe being themselves, and keep coming back—not ...

3. 

   8 May 2026

   How Kaitlin Carpenter Built Creative Mornings Portland

   What does it take to build a creative community that people actually want to keep coming back to? In this episode of The Awkward Handshake, we sit down with Kaitlin Carpenter, the organizer behind Creative Mornings Portland, to talk about what it really looks like to sustain a creative community over time. Kaitlin isn’t just hosting events—she’s curating an experience. From speakers to structure to the feeling in the room, Creative Mornings has become one of Portland’s most consistent and wel...

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Contact The Awkward Handshake

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.