Networking - Foundation Studio ~ Marketing & Promotions

Marketing Mondays: Cast Your Net..

January 12th, 2010

I know you’ve heard the same stuff that I’m about to repeat; You’ve gotta network.. You’ve gotta network.. Honestly, it does get boring and then you stop listening and the message is lost.. Am I right?

A few of my main beefs about networking:

It’s expensive
It’s like a cell plan – you get locked into a contract term
It’s always at 7 in the morning (I’m not even dressed at that point, you want me to be on my biz game?! HA!)
Many of them are quite boring…

I have got to be very taken by the host of the meeting and be really engaged to consider the “contract” option.. I have recently been to one of those very networking meetings and would most definitely commit to such an organisation if the travel distance wasn’t so prohibitive for me.

I attended the Toronto Enterprising Mom’s Network meeting hosted by Tereza Kumric (The Chapter Director) – and had a great time!! There were plenty of great business women in attendance (The Yummy Mummy Club, Grace Announcements, Mabel’s Labels, Melissa Collesano Photography and so many more!!) We laughed, we ate, we shared stories and we were engaged! Erica Ehm of The Yummy Mummy Club spoke of how she became an Entrepreneur and regaled us with her trials and tribulations of being in business for yourself.

I also, a day later had the pleasure of attending another type of networking meeting – a dinner. This time, it was an invite only dinner (invitees were winners of a Yummy Mummy Club contest) I was extremely lucky that week (more about that streak of luck at a later time ) and snagged one of those invites.

We were treated to a Windows 7 party and were treated like royalty while we conversed with each other (about 20 women) in a wonderful restaurant, eating delicious food, drinking wonderful wine and just being, the club says, Yummy Mummys.

Again, we learned things – from the presenters and from each other (Wondermoms, WeeWelcome, SweetMama & More!). We laughed, we shared stories and we experienced a bit of each other’s lives – but the main point, we were engaged.

Very few “average” networking meetings can live up to these events and its because they’re stuck in the norm, maintaining the “usual” routine. It’s no longer about making business contacts, rather making personal contacts.. making friends.. relating to each other on a level that is much more than just “what service can I provide you”.

With that, I would like to introduce Foundation Studio’s very first networking event.

February 2nd, from 7 – 9pm, a bunch of great business women and men will be at The Lina Lounge in Schomberg to listen to Hilary McDonald give tips, tricks and advice on preparing for the upcoming tax season (Blegh!)

Our networking meetings are different because you never have to pay a membership fee, you are not obligated to come to all of our meetings, only the ones that interest you (we hope they all do!) and only the ones that fit with your schedule.

Our networking meetings have a start and an end, one topic, food, drink and plenty of Q&A, casual conversation and loads of networking!

Please consider joining us on February 2nd to participate in our meeting – I’d love to meet you and introduce you to the team!