Holiday party connections
Yesterday was super productive! I validated that I’ve got more than just an idea—there’s definitely market validation! Then I was just firing on all cylinders: making progress, connecting with folks, and taking calls.
One call I really enjoyed was with a friend I’ve known for about 13 years. He started a tech company about 8 years ago, and I remember when he first began that journey. I’ve been watching from the sidelines as he’s built his business. Recently, I saw his face/company on a VC website, so I shot him a quick note on LinkedIn. We caught up yesterday, and I’m thrilled we connected because he gave me some amazing advice and heads-up guidance.
Later that evening, I went to a holiday party with some high-profile, well-connected folks in my town. Beforehand, I was chatting with a buddy and asked, “Okay, what’s the goal for this event?”
Here were the goals:
Talk to a buddy involved in the outdoor industry to ask about potential grants for businesses related to the outdoors. Mission accomplished!
Talk to a well-connected person who’s also super plugged in locally and get on her calendar. We agreed next week is busy, but the week of Christmas is perfect. Mission accomplished!
Find my friend’s wife to get advice on joining the start-up community here. She told me, “Look for a woman in a gold sparkly dress like mine.” About 15 minutes later, I spotted her, bee-lined over, introduced myself, and told her why we needed to talk. We connected on LinkedIn, and I’ll follow up today. Mission accomplished!
Send the survey to at least 3 people. I actually sent it to 5. Mission accomplished!
Talk to a guy I met last year, who’s since taken his company public, to ask about connecting with the start-up world. Bonus accomplishment!
Re-introduce myself to another guy I met at the same event last year. We had a great chat—his wife even remembered me! I told him about my work, and he seemed intrigued. He may know someone to connect me with as a potential tech co-founder, so I’ll follow up on that lead. Bonus accomplishment!
Chat with a guy wearing a stunning watch (definitely a holy grail piece). We talked watches, then he asked about what I do. I told him about my day-to-day and my current project. He was interested, gave me his number, and said to reach out. Bonus accomplishment!
All in all, I’d say it was a very successful night! Tonight will be much more chill—I’m having dinner with a friend—but I also need to follow up on a connection he’s introduced me to before. Gotta get on someone’s calendar!