Dallas Start-Up Happy Hour ROCKS!
As many of my fans know, I am not a fan of business networking groups. Maybe I need to change that now to not being a fan of Old School Business Networking Groups. I am also not a fan of Twitter Hype. Maybe I need to change that to say I am not a Fan of ‘I’m More Full of Sh*t than a Christmas Turkey’ Twitter hype.
So Why am I changing my view on business networking groups?
Actually it is more of a modification of attitude towards what most business networking affairs turn out to be than a complete change in view point towards these gatherings in general. There are still those ol dusty ‘One Minute Elevator Commercial’ Business Networking groups around. The ‘Tell Me What’s In It For Me in 30 Seconds’ style of making business connections is also still out there in the Old School Business Networking world.
However, like all things that touch the internet, they change. And business networking gatherings are changing..for the better I might add. Maybe I should change that to say, business networking is being reinventing since the physical outcome is the same, just the delivery and the image has changed.
So what started this train of thought towards rehashing business networking groups?
Last month I was out on Twitter like the gazillon others out there all trying to figure out WTF Twitter does and where I was told I had to be to be SOMEONE. However, this time I ran into this neat clean cut black and white glossy head shot photo posted for the person’s avatar on Twitter.
As shocking as that should was it did what it was intended to do..got me to click on it to see WTF was breaking the trend of everyone avatars being either a cartoon characters, pictures of Britney Spears and very poor cellphone camera snap shops of someone jumping through the air.
Low and behold this person turned out to be Alexander Muse..founder of several businesses and currently the curator of the Texas Start-Up Blog site.
Alexander is also the founder of the Dallas Start-Up Happy Hour..yes a new name for business networking and definitely a new attitude in making business connections. Alexander or @amuse as he is known on Twitter, was posting tweets on a gathering of liked minded people he was hosting downstairs from his office in the Dallas INFOMART near downtown Dallas.
Naturally, with Dallas being where I am located and his office not that far away from Addison, I thought, what the heck, I will check it out and @reply. I was sent an invitation and here is where I became really hooked on what Alex was cooking up as being different approach to business networking. In his invitation he made it clear who the gathering was for and WHO IT WAS NOT FOR…hummm..that is different. Most Hosts of Business Socials or Networking groups could care less WTF they let in the door and that is usually where the problems began. Mr Muse stood up to that and let it be known his intentions up front…I like that.
So I eagerly RSVP’s to attend is Happy Hour. The rest is history.
As I mentioned I have been to literally hundreds of business networking gathers and found all of them fell short of what they really could be. The Dallas Start-Up Happy Hour is the way business networking should be done. The people who attend are all in the same boat, all starting their trip down the rocky road of building a new business and looking for help. So far I have not met anyone there who wants to sell me a business opportunity or wanting to know how many personal contacts I have on my LinkedIn Account. The attitude of the business men and women I have met at the DSUHH has been very energetic, positive and warming to the building of an atmosphere of casual chatting about what each other have cooking in a new business. I find it very refreshing.
Alex naturally holds a tight court and does an great job of being the conspicuous host of the gathering. The affair uses an open format that leaves the networking to each person’s taste and efforts with no formal program or presentations forced down the attendees throats..at least not yet.
If you are a Start-Up (of any type) here in Dallas or going to be in Dallas when this group gathers I would recommend you stopping by and saying hello to Alex and gang, I know you will not regret who you meet or what you learned because more than likely I will be there. Of course the beer is ice cold ..as it should be in Texas.
Hope to see you at the next Dallas Start-Up Happy Hour.
Dallas Startup Happy Hour
Are you interested in connecting with the local startup community? We are working to build a vibrant startup community here in Dallas every bit as interesting and dynamic as San Francisco, Boulder, Boston or Austin. The first step is engagement.
The first Dallas ’startup happy hour’ went so well we decided to make it a regular thing (every other Monday). We hope to see you at the INFOMART High Tech Bar at 5PM. If you need directions (1950 Stemmons Freeway, corner of I35 and Oaklawn) or help finding us feel free to call me at 214.550.2003 or if I am not available try our help desk at 214.550.2002 (during business hours only).
Upcoming ‘Startup Happy Hours’ (always on a Monday between 5PM and 8PM):
August 18th September 1st, 15th, 29th October 13th, 27th November 10th, 24th December 8th, 22nd Please RSVP on Upcoming HERE (we are trying to keep the group under 50 people). Directions are HERE. The ‘Startup Happy Hour’ is sponsored by SpringStage. If you are interested in sponsoring an event please contact me (Alexander Muse) at 214.550.2003.
