If you’ve been networking in the same circles, it may be time to step outside the bubble.

One of the most valuable, yet often overlooked, parts of being in a community like eWomenNetwork is the access it gives you to a diverse mix of industries, experiences, and perspectives.

We call it cross-networking—building relationships outside of your specific industry. And if you’ve ever felt like you’ve hit a creative wall or outgrown the conversations in your current business circle, cross-networking might be exactly what you need.

Connecting across industries will stretch your thinking, expand your opportunities, and bring new life into your business strategy.

Here’s why it matters and how to start using it with intention.

You Get Fresh Ideas You Wouldn’t Have Thought Of On Your Own

Business challenges aren’t exclusive to your niche. Time management, customer relationships, growth planning, and visibility show up in every field. But the solutions? Those can look wildly different from one industry to the next.

When you connect with someone who approaches business through a completely different lens, it helps you see your own business differently. One casual conversation can reveal a new tool, technique, or mindset shift that you might have missed by staying in your lane.

Try It Out: Reach out to someone in a field you know very little about. Ask them how they handle a challenge you’re currently facing. Then ask yourself, “Is there something I could borrow or adapt from their approach?”

You Can Borrow What Works and Make It Your Own

Every industry has its “best kept secrets”—those little systems, habits, or strategies that just work. When you connect across industries, you get the rare opportunity to peek behind the curtain and see what’s working well in someone else’s world.

Maybe a photographer shares how they’ve streamlined their client onboarding process. Maybe a real estate agent shows you how they follow up after a sale. These are insights you can translate into your business—even if your work looks nothing like theirs.

Try It Out: Attend a local workshop or panel where the focus is outside your immediate niche. Bring a notebook and ask yourself after each session, “What’s one idea I can integrate into my business?”

You Open the Door to Creative Collaborations

This is where things get exciting.

Cross-industry networking isn’t just about swapping ideas. It gives you the opportunity to find collaborators who help you reach entirely new audiences. When you collaborate with someone in a different space, you tap into new markets, fresh visibility, and the chance to create something that feels new and valuable for both audiences.

Think:

• A health coach partnering with a fashion brand for a “confidence inside and out” workshop

• A business consultant teaming up with a wellness expert for a productivity-meets-wellbeing retreat

• A content strategist collaborating with a product-based business for a joint launch bundle of planners

These kinds of partnerships can lead to co-hosted events, joint offers, shared content, and long-term referral relationships.

Try It Out: Make a list of 2–3 industries that naturally complement yours. 

Reach out to someone in each one with this message: 

“I love what you’re doing, and I think our audiences might really align. Want to hop on a quick call and see if there’s a creative way to collaborate?”

You Stretch Your Thinking and Expand Your Identity

When we spend all our time in the same space, with people who do what we do, we tend to mirror each other—how we speak, how we price, how we market. That’s not necessarily bad. But it can keep us playing small, especially if we never see what’s possible beyond that circle.

Cross-industry networking expands your worldview. It reminds you that there are a hundred ways to build a business, and you get to choose the one that feels right for you. This kind of expansive thinking often leads to bolder decisions, stronger positioning, and more confident leadership.

Try It Out: Spend some time reflecting on this question.

If I weren’t in my current industry, how would I solve this problem? What would feel bold and innovative from a totally different lens?

You don’t have to leave your niche, but you can let other perspectives shape how you show up in it.

Remember, Connection Creates Growth—Especially Outside Your Comfort Zone

You don’t need more pressure to network. You need permission to make it interesting again.

Cross-industry connections aren’t just about meeting more people. They’re about learning, evolving, and expanding in ways that staying in your lane can’t always offer.

So step outside the bubble. Say yes to the coffee chat, the panel event, the connection that doesn’t “fit” your industry. You never know where your next big idea, collaboration, or breakthrough might come from.