Making the Most of Creative Meetups

For 3-years I’ve hosted a no-BS, invite-only dinner for leaders to break bread and build relationships. Most networking events suck. For real. They’re awful. Forced small talk, sales pitches, and rooms full of people who just want to talk about themselves. Nobody actually connects. Nobody actually learns anything. That’s why I started hosting invite-only dinners for marketing, design, product, and tech leaders. No sponsors. No awkward icebreakers. Just real conversations over good food. If you want to do the same, here’s how. Step 1: Personally Invite People (No Automation, No AI) If you can’t take the time to text, DM, or email someone yourself, don’t do this. No mass invites, no event software. Keep it personal, keep it human. Step 2: Pay for It. No Sponsors. No Sales Pitch. If you try to monetize this, you’ve already lost. People can smell an agenda a mile away. The best way to make this work? Make it not about business. Just bring people together and let things happen organically. Step 3: Get a Private Room. No Cameras. No Recording. Public restaurants are too loud. Private spaces create real conversations. No one should be filtering what they say because they think it’ll end up on LinkedIn. Make it exclusive, keep it off the record. Step 4: Let People Order What They Want Catering sounds good in theory. In reality, you’ll get it wrong. Someone’s keto, someone’s gluten-free, someone just wants fries. Let people order for themselves and avoid the headache. Step 5: Keep It Small 10-15 people max. Anything bigger turns into a networking event, and that’s not what this is. Keep it intimate so people can actually connect. Step 6: Be the Connector Your job isn’t just hosting. It’s matchmaking. At the end of dinner, tell everyone: “Find someone here you want to grab coffee with. If you need an excuse, blame me.” Make it easy for people to stay in touch. Step 7: No Branding. No Name Tags. No Corporate Vibes. This isn’t a “leadership roundtable” or some LinkedIn influencer’s personal brand play. It’s just a dinner. Keep it low-key. Step 8: Focus on Stories, Not Titles No elevator pitches. No bragging. The best conversations come from real stories.. especially failures. The more honest, the better. Step 9: Do It Again (But Keep It Small) If it works, do it again. Rotate in new faces, keep the guest list fresh, and never let it turn into a sales funnel. No automation. No scaling. No BS. Just real people, having real conversations, over real food. Onward & upward! 🤘

👻👻 A (professional) introvert's guide to making Networking Events Less Spooky 👻👻 If you fear networking events, copy my playbook. True story: I fear "networking events" on multiple levels. If biz dev wasn't part of my role with Remedy Public Relations, I'd be happy with a more behind-the-scenes role mentoring & strategizing (#careergoals). How do I make it "seem" easy? Preparation & strategy. 1. Show up EARLY. It's easier to strike up a conversation at the beginning than try to inject yourself after. 2. Be distinct. I like to wear one piece of flair that relates to who I am outside the office. My long-distance running shoes (Nike Zoom Fly Five / Hyper Pink), are a conversation starter. ⛳️ Do you play golf? Wear a golf shirt from a brand that only fellow golfers would know. IYKYK 3. Don't rush in. Whenever possible, I'll work remotely near the event. This gives me time to relax & collect myself before walking in. 4. Don't ask what someone does. That's transactional & many fear that question if they're between roles. Ask what they're up to. Let them choose the path. 5. Talk to everyone. I HATE the term referral partners, but I've received some great leads from people far removed from PR & marketing. 6. Plan to chat. Prepare to discuss something you're working on that you're excited about. - No one likes someone who only talks about their job. Be prepared to get personal. What did you do the weekend before that was exciting, or what are you looking forward to this weekend? Sound obvious? Sure… but I can barely remember what I had for lunch yesterday, so if you put me on the spot, I may forget if I didn't prepare. 7. Slide into those DMs. See who registered you want to meet & drop them a note. No list? Check who posted about going to the last event on social media. Drop them a note. 8. What's a challenge you or your industry is facing? Keep that in mind for conversations. 9. Work on your penmanship. If you have to write your own nametag at an event, it helps if people can read it. We also have little Remedy PR stickers to throw at the bottom of the nametags. Side note: Jonah Peake 🐺 has posted before about putting your nametag upside down to spark conversations. 10. Check your network to see who is going, but don't cling to them. I saw a lot of people I know & like at Connect's #IDSD24 a few weeks back, but I didn't sit with anyone too long. Move around. 11. Consistency brings comfort. Commit to a regular series of events so you start seeing some of the same people. It will make conversations less daunting & keep you in mind for later. 12. Stress builds strength. I try to commit to one new event or meeting a month that takes me outside my bubble. Makes the next one easier. 13. Drop a line to them after you meet. Keep the ball moving. Some pics below of people I met for the first time or strengthened relationships by going to networking events within the last six weeks. Kanani, Robyn Goldberg, Jason, Lu, Scott, Susan.

The Art of the Meaningful Connection at industry events 🎨 Attending industry events can be a game-changer for building your network, but making authentic connections takes more than just showing up. Here are five strategies that have helped me connect with the right people and build lasting relationships: 1. Do Your Homework ✍🏼 Before the event, research who’s attending. Identify key people you’d like to meet and learn a bit about their background. This makes starting a conversation easier and more intentional. 2. Find Common Ground 👊🏼 Look for shared experiences — maybe you attended the same university, root for the same sports team, or have mutual connections. Finding commonalities makes conversations feel more natural and memorable. 3. Ask Great Questions ❓ Instead of leading with what you do, ask thoughtful questions about their work, challenges, or goals. People love sharing their experiences, and genuine curiosity leaves a lasting impression. 4. Give Before You Ask 👏🏼 Offer value first — whether that’s sharing a resource, introducing them to someone in your network, or providing insights on a topic they’re interested in. Reciprocity builds trust. 5. Follow Up with Purpose 💬 After the event, send a personalized message referencing your conversation. Whether it’s a LinkedIn connection request, an email, or a quick note — thoughtful follow-up helps turn brief encounters into meaningful relationships. Feel free to add 👊🏼 Pictured with one of my faves: Joy Keller

3 Ways to Build Your Creative Network After 20 years of wrangling creative professionals for design events and interview shows, here’s what I’ve learned about expanding your network (without coming across like a desperate talent scout): 1. Stalk Before You Talk. Liking someone’s post from 2018 at 2AM might be creepy, but thoughtfully engaging with their recent work shows you’ve done your homework. Pro tip: Comment something more insightful than “Cool colors!” to get the conversation started. 2. Design Event Small Talk: A Necessary Evil. Yes, approaching strangers at TypeThursday is uncomfortable for everyone involved. But that awkward conversation by the pizza table could lead to your next collaboration. Just remember: “What font are you?” is not an appropriate ice-breaker, no matter what the internet tells you. 3. Your LinkedIn Activity Is Your Dating Profile. If your posts are all motivational quotes and humble brags, creatives will swipe left faster than you can say “AI workflows.” Post content that shows your honest point of view and personality—turns out most creatives would rather connect with a human than a walking portfolio. What’s your most unconventional networking strategy? Drop it in the comments! (And yes, commenting on this post counts as networking. I see what you’re doing there.) #CreativeNetworking #designcommunity #growyourtribe

Events are about connection, but most networking events suck. It's because those connections are left up to chance. Here’s why—and how to fix them. I used to hate networking events, a lot of it was my own mindset. Because I put way too much pressure on myself to “meet the right people.” And when you walk in with that mindset, you’re not building relationships—you’re hunting prospects. People can feel that energy, and it’s not great. Stephanie Menashe, CMP and I were talking about this before an MPI event at Top Golf. She’s in the middle of a career transition and wasn’t sure what to put on her badge: “Independent Event Professional” “Looking for My Next Home” One feels neutral, the other carries judgment. The reality is that everyone in the room is looking for something—a job, a client, an idea, or just good conversation. So how do we make networking events feel less like a sales pitch and more like real connection? Here are three ways to instantly improve any networking event: 1. Rethink the Name Badge Ditch “Name, Title, Company.” Instead, use prompts like: - Ask me about… - I’m looking to connect with… - My big idea is… This simple shift turns badges into conversation starters. The conversation starter was always the part I overthought the most! 2. Create Connection Zones Instead of a bunch of wandering aimless zombies, set up spaces based on interests. - Creative Thinkers - Tech Innovators - Event Strategists When people know where to go, they don’t have to struggle with who to talk to. 3. Facilitate the First Move The hardest part of networking is breaking the ice. So, make it easy. - Have event hosts or “connectors” introduce people - Place conversation starter cards on tables - Start with a short speed-networking session At the end of the day, networking should be about what you can give, not just what you can get. When I started focusing on meeting interesting people—rather than landing my next big deal—these events became a whole lot more fun. -------------------- Hi, I'm Jay Designing experiences for events that drive ROI for our clients. #business #branding #sales #marketing #eventprofs