WATCH Karen Ronan shares her networking journey at TEDxWomen event

Karen Ronan shares her networking journey at TEDxWomen event

Limerick’s Karen Ronan shared her journey to overcoming her networking fear at a TEDxWomen event in Tralee

Limerick’s Karen Ronan, currently CEO of Galway Chamber of Commerce, delivered a TED Talk at a TEDxWomen event in Tralee, which ran under the theme ‘Empowering Resilience’ at the Siamsa Tíre Theatre.

TED Tralee saw 20 national and international voices speak throughout the day-long event on Saturday, October 18, welcoming a record attendance and activities taking place over the whole weekend. Karen Ronan took the stage on Saturday, opening session 3 from 3:30 pm.

Speaking about her talk, ‘Bathrooms to Boardrooms: My Journey to overcome my Networking fear!’, Karen says when she first started out in her career, “the word networking filled me with dread”. 

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She said, “I knew it was supposed to be important; everyone said, ‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.’ But the truth is, I found it intimidating, awkward, and often overwhelming. My first networking event was in London, and rather than mingling with industry leaders, I spent much of the evening hiding in the bathroom and wishing I could disappear. That experience became the inspiration behind my TEDx Talk, “Bathrooms to Boardrooms” a story about overcoming fear, finding confidence, and learning that authentic connection, not performance, is the real key to networking.”

In the talk, Karen shares her journey from avoidance to awareness to empowerment. Seh said, “For years, I joined professional associations but never attended their events, convincing myself I was ‘too busy’. The truth was, I wasn’t avoiding people, I was avoiding discomfort.

She says the turning point came when she realised that networking, like any other professional skill, “could be learned”. She said, “I started small: researching event topics and attendee lists in advance, setting one simple goal for each gathering, and focusing on meaningful conversations rather than quantity.”

Karen said, “As I grew more confident, I began building my own Networking Toolbox” and I want to share it with people like me who’d rather eat their own name tag than network.  It’s a collection of strategies and insights gathered from some amazing mentors, colleagues, and my own personal experience. These include understanding your networking personality, identifying people at events who naturally connect others, and leading with curiosity rather than self-promotion. These tools transformed my approach and, ultimately, my career.

“That journey also led me to Network Ireland, a dynamic organisation that champions women in business through collaboration, mentorship, and shared success. As I stepped into leadership within Network Ireland, I saw firsthand how powerful genuine connection can be, not just for personal growth, but for collective empowerment. From the bathroom stalls of early avoidance to the boardrooms where ideas and opportunities now take shape, I’ve learned that networking isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room it’s about creating space for others to be heard too.”

As a business leader and current CEO, Galway Chamber of Commerce, Karen’s experience is in driving strategic growth, business advocacy, and regional economic development. As CEO of Galway Chamber of Commerce, she champions innovation, enterprise, and collaboration across Galway’s business ecosystem, working with stakeholders to create a thriving, future-focused region.

Karen’s career spans leadership roles across the hospitality, business events, and sports tourism sectors, most recently as General Manager of the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau. Her work has consistently focused on building partnerships that deliver real impact both economically and socially across the west of Ireland.

Ronan said, “I’m now the CEO of Galway Chamber, a member organisation with 500 businesses built on the premise that collectively we can do more. Networking is how people partner, hire and promote from one conversation to the next. In 2026, I am President of Network Ireland, and I’m so proud of that and the opportunity it will bring to allow me to amplify the power of networking.”

The Galway Chamber CEO said she hopes her talk will help others realise the importance and process of networking. She said, “If I can help one other person through my TEDx realise their potential through networking, I will be very happy.”

She added, “At its heart, Bathrooms to Boardrooms is about courage, empathy, and the power of connection. It’s a reminder that confidence is not innate; it’s built conversation by conversation. And that no matter where you start, you can learn to step out, speak up, and build networks that change not just your career but your life.”