What is networking notice? It’s my personal account of all the networking events that I attend in the Halifax area so that you can learn about where to go, what to do, and where not to go. I provide a first hand account of what it’s like being a business owner that regularly tries to make connections for the sake of expanding my clientele and educating myself from the experiences of others. This is not sponsored content. I will never take money from any company, chamber, non-profit etc. I feel it’s important to provide an unbiased opinion so that you can be better informed of where you should be spending your valuable time.
Halifax Chamber of Commerce:
So far I’ve been to two HCC events. The first being “business after hours” at the Exchange on Hollis street. This was by far the most informative, highest attended, and most enjoyable experience to date. I had wonderful conversations with a dozen different entrepreneurs about how to gain trust, how to expand your client base, as well as learn more about what the HCC does and how it can benefit any business. This event was attended by over 100 people (which can be a bit overwhelming in such a tight space but you get used to smelling garlic breath after a while), which meant there was an abundance of people to talk to over the two hour period. My overall experience was that this is not a networking event I want to miss in the future.
The second HCC event that I went to was “Chamber 101 how to get the most out of your chamber membership” which was held at the Chamber’s space in Burnside. It was a fairly standard event where the speaker talked about the various different promotions and perks of being a member. It was attended by approximately a dozen people, which meant plenty of face to face networking after the speech, which means more exposure for my business. Overall the speaker was pleasant, and the people were extremely warm and inviting. Definitely one that I’d considering going to again given that you get to meet other new members of the chamber who may be at a similar point in their startup career.
Futurpreneur:
So far I’ve been to one futurpreneur meeting “Owners Wanted” a networking event put on by futurpreneur and TD at the Halifax library. Although futurpreneur is an organization that exists to serve young people wanting to start their own business there was participants above the age cap of 39 that came to learn and network. Overall I found that since the event was sponsored by TD, there was a plethora of information given to us about business loans and lines of credit. Not my cup of tea. Although there was still time to network and I met some very nice people, at the end of the day I felt like I sat through an advertisement. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll probably go again because in this economy you need to look for clients everywhere. But if there’s something else going on I won’t fret missing this one since half my time was spent learning about loans which I feel are a leach on businesses.
Startup YHZ:
I’ve been to one startup YHZ meeting at the workspace in Bayers Lake. The point of this event was to showcase entrepreneurs that had an inspiring story to tell and provide a place for the attendees to learn and communicate amongst each other. I arrived late so I missed the majority of the first speaker. But I got the impression both speakers had fascinating life experiences that twisted and turned around various corners and pitfalls which brought them to the business they were in at the moment. Both speakers came with extremely well thought out stories to tell. I look forward to attending the next event by startup YHZ.
That’s all for today. If you know of any networking events that are coming up please email me at jeremyhb16@gmail.com and I will be extremely grateful.
-Jeremy Brake