What if the reason your networking feels flat is that you're running a script nobody asked for? And what if the skill that fixes it isn't a better elevator pitch It's learning to listen like an improviser?
In this energizing episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Dayna Gowen, founder of Improvly Speaking, recovering nervous speaker, and self-described "long-form content girly." After ten-plus years in corporate, a coast-to-coast move, and a whole lot of terrible presentations, Dayna has a simple thesis: conversations aren't scripted, so stop treating them like they are.
Top Takeaways
Prepare fully, then release the notes — Toastmasters made her polished; improv made her dynamic. The difference is being with the audience instead of behind your slides.
A check-the-box sales presentation loses the client — If you never ask "how does this relate to your work?", they're checking email while you talk. Make it a conversation, not a one-way speech.
Measure the right thing — Her guiding question isn't "how many people did I meet?" It's did I meet a cool person, and did I leave lit up or drained?
Follow up whenever you follow up — Two days, a week, a month: it's not too late. She's honest that systems are her struggle point, but personal beats polished — long emails, handwritten notes, no AI.
Listening is your superpower — Less is more. Give people space to talk and they'll remember feeling seen, which is the only thing networking is actually for.
About Dayna Gowen
Dayna Gowen is the founder of Improvly Speaking, where she helps nervous speakers find the fun and joy in public speaking. After more than a decade in the corporate world — and a public speaking fear intense enough to involve real tears — she used Toastmasters to become polished and improv to become dynamic. She now works with professionals, leaders, and sales teams on getting out of their heads and out of judgment mode so they can bring a playful, genuine energy to any room, from a full auditorium to a Tuesday morning team meeting. She built the business as a side hustle for three and a half years in Los Angeles before moving to Charlotte in August 2025 and going all in. Her mantra word for 2025 was discovery; for 2026, it's possibilities.
Resources & Links
🌐 Network Build Grow Community: networkbuildgrow.com
🎤 Improvly Speaking — Speaker coaching and improv-based training for presentations, meetings, and sales conversations with Dayna Gowen https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
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