Attended my first SEP Program breakfast this morning. Designed as a meeting amongst members of the program, it is supposed to be a place to network, be introduced to new members, and a chance to introduce one’s self. Well it was some of that, but to me, and for my business it was a lot less. Sure it is great to meet people, and I met a very nice person that is opening a dance studio (thinking of getting Marlee into dance lessons), but from what I saw it was a chance to do not much more than schmooze.
Maybe I am missing something, but I am just not into that. I like to talk, this chronicle is testament to that, and of course anyone who has met me knows it. Talking in my case usually has something behind it, like meaning, entertainment, value, etc. I guess I should wait until I have been to a few before passing judgment.
Posted by Muckhead at August 6, 2003 03:08 PMDepends on your definition of "schmooze". It forces small business owners together and that lets them either say "oh cool, I was looking for something like that" (ie: dance studio), look for partnerships (one of the things they talk about is that if you have a business you can partner with someone else and you both win (ie: someone who bakes cookies can include a gift cert for someone's store in each bag of cookies, and the store can have free samples of the others cookies)), and basically just meet people.
Your business doesn't really require that sort of networking but you never know when you'll find someone who knows someone, or is someone, and it could all work out. I guess the main idea is that meeting more people is never bad for a business. Besides, having all that time to practice your 20s speal will help when you go to your "real" customers, right?
Posted by: Arcterex at August 6, 2003 03:26 PMI agree, but the people there where far from doing any of this. Maybe I am an anit-socialite, but it just seeme meaningless. I could see it from the aspect you are talking about, it is just too bad the rest of the people weren't.
Like I said, I shouldn't pass full judgement until I have been to another one.
Posted by: Muckhead at August 6, 2003 03:32 PMAlso consider this. You have to eat anyways. May as well make it productive and attend a meeting which may increase your exposure, as well as increase your knowledge of businesses around you. As Alan has stated, you never know who you might meet there... or what you might learn.
Don't fret that you didn't get everything you wanted from it. Try a few more meetings and approach it as an event for you to learn from. Makes the investment in time more worth it as you can honestly say you had a good breakfast and learned something during the process, instead of scarfing down some cheerios at home looking at the wall, or brushing up on your 'cereal french'.
Remember, its not WHAT you know... but WHO you know.
Posted by: SilverStr at August 6, 2003 07:20 PM