When you do a quick search for advice on networking, you’ll see tons of great advice, ranging from how to dress to how to behave and how to prepare. That advice is all well and good for most networking events, but not always for the Big Ass Social Happy Hour (BASHH).
Why? Because we’re different.
Yeah, yeah, you’ve heard it all before, but this time it’s really true. Most networking events have all sorts of activities – speakers, raffles, games, you name it. And those work tremendously well for those events, but when you gather a bunch of tech folks, we’re a cynical bunch and tend to roll our eyes at those kinds of things.
So I wanted to share a key piece of advice for going to BASHH, especially for your first time. Just go. That’s the entire advice.
Don’t do homework in advance and research who all is going. Don’t practice your elevator pitch. Just go.
Now I realize this contradicts all advice others (and even we) have given about networking, but this is how BASHH differs.
The networking you’ll experience in the chill environment of a brewery is organic. Far more organic than you would expect.
Strangers sit next to each other and just start chatting (which to me is intimidating, but I can muster it for a few hours each month).
What does an entry level UX designer have in common with a senior level back end developer and an ad agency owner? Well, let’s sit together with a drink and find out!
At BASHH, we’re more likely to talk about Austin topics or gardening or ghosts or hobbies than work.
Sure, work comes up – we’re here to network. But we’re more likely to chit chat about life outside of work to find our commonalities.
Those commonalities have forged hundreds of meaningful friendships in Austin, crafted co-founding opportunities, conversations that have led to promotions, moments that have organically solved local challenges.
I want to personally invite you to come join us with no preparation in mind, no pitch, no targets, just come make organic connections and see where it takes you without the pressure of “networking.”
