PSA: The networking event at the Civic Center last Tuesday was a total mess

I went to that small biz mixer they held at the Amarillo Civic Center last week (the one with the $20 ticket). I figured I'd meet some local shop owners and swap ideas, but the whole thing felt rushed. They gave us like 90 seconds per table before a bell rang and we had to rotate. I barely got to explain what my shop does, let alone ask anyone about their challenges. Did anyone else walk away feeling like it was more of a speed dating thing than actual networking? I'm thinking of skipping the next one if they keep that format.

2 comments

2 Comments

robert_roberts9d ago

You mention the 90 second rotations felt like speed dating, but I actually found that format pretty useful. It forced me to focus on giving a real quick pitch about what I do instead of rambling. I met five people I exchanged cards with and two of them have already reached out to follow up. Maybe it depends on what you're hoping to get out of it, but I liked being pushed to be concise and direct.

kaip119d ago

Yeah but for me it felt like I barely got past saying my name before the whistle blew... you can't really build any kind of real conversation in 90 seconds so it just ends up feeling shallow and forgettable.