Last night I attended a speed networking event hosted by Digital Rochester. The concept is the same as speed dating, except people are looking to make connections rather than finding love. It sounded interesting so I decided to give it a try.

To be honest, my goal was to show up and meet as many people as possible. I tend to be a little on the quiet side, so a room full of chatty people was somewhat intimidating, but I managed to keep my cool and after 8 different meetings, I walked away feeling pretty good about the job I had done. My final session of the night lasted well past the 4 minute time limit and I found myself very much enjoying my conversation about how to use Twitter and the best ways to get started in social media. 

The group was diverse with many folks looking for work and not too many people running small businesses, but I still found it valuable and rewarding to meet everyone. I tried to be helpful and not to be pushy or preachy about Riker Media. I don’t think I made an contacts that will benefit Riker Media directly, but last night helped me realize that I can do anything I set my mind and that the battle for clients will be won face to face in the trenches. 

Holding down a full time job while trying to start a company is a huge challenge for many different reasons, not the least of which is finding time to meet people and network. There are numerous networking groups in the area, but most of them meet early in the morning before work, a time which I am not currently free due to my responsibilities at home. Having a networking session at night was a huge help, even though I left there last night completely exhausted. 

It was a great night if for no other reason than I left there with the confidence that I can be successful if I keep working hard and pushing myself past my comfort zone.