Rochester

Networking and Building Connections

Building a solid network is crucial for any startup. What strategies have you found effective for networking in the Rochester startup scene? Share your experiences and tips for building meaningful connections that can help drive your business forward.
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Tip:

  1. Attending local Startup Grind events 😍. But more importantly, attend other organizations events. Our community benefits from cross-pollination. More collisions means more opportunities, more diversity, more successes.

  2. Have you met TED? - Remember the show How I met your mother? If not, I'll explain...as part of the Startup Grind team, I'm always meeting new people at events. I also can fall into easy habits of talking to people I already know. So I challenge myself to try to introduce people in the meetings that I don't think know each other. The good news is you only need to solve one side of the equation. If you're a friend of mine in the community then I already know you're eager to learn from others and easy to talk to. So you'll enjoy chatting with me and whoever is the newest person attending an event. When you're catching up with some old friends and bump into someone new. Introduce them the people already in you group.

  3. Combining circles - Our events can be in some tight quarters. If you feel someone next to our behind you, turn and invite them and their friends to share with your group. 1 bigger circle is more inclusive two smaller circles.

  4. Make a bouquet (of wallflowers) - Are you introverted and don't feel like jumping into a circle of people and having a meaningful discussion? Pick up steam slowly by introducing yourself to another loner. Everybody has something interesting to say. Once you've gotten a chance to learn something about that individual, bring your new friend to chat with next loner. Before you know it you look like the most popular person in the room and everyone in your group has something in common, they were wallflowers a few minutes ago.