Yo guys! 
So I went to my very first networking event a few days ago. It was being hosted by one of the companies I'd done email outreach for back in August, as I was just starting my progress thread.
I'd had a few different opportunities to attend networking/company launch events in the last few weeks (courtesy of my mentor's contact list), but I'm a bit ashamed to admit, I was too nervous to actually go through with attending them. But that night a few nights ago in particular, I'd finally been totally put on the spot by my mentor - he 100% wanted me to go, and I was in no position to let him down on this one. So I sucked up my (enormous) awkward fear, and went to it.
It turned out to be really great, and I easily flowed through every conversation I had there. It was AMAZING, and I really mean that. Getting to actually meet and talk to other entrepreneurs on a similar path was very special, and it made me realize that I wanted to meet a lot more likeminded people. But now I realize that I don't really know many ways to actually discover and attend things like that, or to meet new people.
Mental movies keep playing over and over again for me, of going to one of those generic, sad networking events where everyone is just trying to climb up the social ladder from the bottom rung, endlessly and mercilessly pitching their startups on every person they can find...and I'd really prefer not to get mixed up in one of those bungles, if at all possible.
So, once again, I reach out to my vast online network of Fastlane brethren (and sistren): How do y'all network with likeminded people? Do you guys have a website you use, like Meetup.com? Or do you rely on friends or friends of friends to set you up with an invite to all the hottest network parties?
Please let me know if there's a third or fourth option available though.
So I went to my very first networking event a few days ago. It was being hosted by one of the companies I'd done email outreach for back in August, as I was just starting my progress thread.
I'd had a few different opportunities to attend networking/company launch events in the last few weeks (courtesy of my mentor's contact list), but I'm a bit ashamed to admit, I was too nervous to actually go through with attending them. But that night a few nights ago in particular, I'd finally been totally put on the spot by my mentor - he 100% wanted me to go, and I was in no position to let him down on this one. So I sucked up my (enormous) awkward fear, and went to it.
It turned out to be really great, and I easily flowed through every conversation I had there. It was AMAZING, and I really mean that. Getting to actually meet and talk to other entrepreneurs on a similar path was very special, and it made me realize that I wanted to meet a lot more likeminded people. But now I realize that I don't really know many ways to actually discover and attend things like that, or to meet new people.
Mental movies keep playing over and over again for me, of going to one of those generic, sad networking events where everyone is just trying to climb up the social ladder from the bottom rung, endlessly and mercilessly pitching their startups on every person they can find...and I'd really prefer not to get mixed up in one of those bungles, if at all possible.
So, once again, I reach out to my vast online network of Fastlane brethren (and sistren): How do y'all network with likeminded people? Do you guys have a website you use, like Meetup.com? Or do you rely on friends or friends of friends to set you up with an invite to all the hottest network parties?
Please let me know if there's a third or fourth option available though.
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