Akron Chamber Networking Event Tuesday
Last week, I attended three events:
Tuesday- Beachwood Chamber of Commerce After Five
The Chamber’s monthly after-work networking event. Tried to mingle but usually hard for me if I don’t know anyone.
Wednesday- COSE’s Networking Night
Large group; free munchies and two drink tickets. Met Kelly Brown from Akron’s Officespace Coworking and a guy who subscribes to this list. Again, tried to mingle.
Thursday – Cleveland Social Media Club’s Tweetup
Again large, noisy group in cramped setting. For these informal meetups, this group needs a private space. Easier for me to mingle because of friends and desire to meet a recent list contact.
Where do you network? Let us know.
Industry Events
02/24 NOCA One Industry Forum: The Future of Broadcasting, 7:30 a.m.-9:15 a.m., The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, $20, 216-999-4028 or http://www.plaindealer.com/noca, mynoca.com.
02/24 NOCANites Networking Soiree, 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Nighttown, Cleveland Heights, $15 advance or $20 door, mynoca.com. I have attended these.
02/25 Cleveland Digital Publishing Users Group (CDPUG): Greening Your Business, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Dodd Camera & Video downtown, Cleveland, $10 nonmembers,cdpug.org. I have only been to one meeting.
02/25 Web Association: The Year of The Mobile, 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m., DigiKnow, Cleveland, $10, webassociation.org
03/04 Society For Professional Journalists (SPJ) NE Ohio Chapter: How To Be An Oscar-Winning Film Critic, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Cuyahoga County Public Library, Independence, $5, www.spjchapters.org/cleveland. I attend events that interest me.
03/09 American Marketing Assoc. Akron/Canton Chapter: Separating “Who You Are” From “What You Do” with Robin Sacks, 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Mustard Seed Market and Cafe, Fairlawn/Akron, $40 nonmembers, www.akroncantonama.org.
03/10 Lake Communicators: Rubber Chickens, Redwoods and Razor Blades: The Seven Steps To Strategy And Marketing That Inspires, Lifts And Gets Results, 11:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m., Lake Metroparks Pine Ridge Country Club, Wickliffe, $25 nonmembers, www.lakecommunicators.com.
03/11 NEO Society For Technical Communication (NEOSTC): The Information Design Handbook, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m., Bar Louie, Legacy Village, Lyndhurst, $20 meeting or $35 dinner/meeting nonmembers, www.neostc.org. I have attended meetings of interest.
Nonindustry Events
02/23 COSE Arts Network Social, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Lake Erie Artists Gallery, Shaker Square, Cleveland, $10 nonmembers, www.cose.org.
02/23 EcoTuesday Cleveland Launch Party, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m., The Club at Key Center, Cleveland, free if RSVP or $10 door, www.ecotuesday.com. “Vision is for business people to share ideas and collaborate so companies develop products and services that have positive impact on marketplace and planet.”
02/23 Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce: Coffee, Tea and Contacts Networking, 7:30 a.m.-9 a.m., Panera, Fairlawn/Akron, Cost:?, limited seating,www.greaterakronchamber.org/event calendar.
02/24 B2B at BW3 Networking Event, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., Buffalo Wild Wings, Medina, free(?), limited seating, RSVP http://b2batbw3.eventbrite.com. Found on LinkedIn events section. Some of my connections are interested.
02/24 Cleveland Professional 20/30: Women and Networking, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Market Avenue Wine Bar, Cleveland, $25 nonmembers, www.cleveland2030.org. Annual, women only networking event.
02/24 Emerging Green Builders Networking Fundraiser, 5 p.m.-8 p.m., Bier Market, Cleveland, 15 percent of food and drinks bill goes towards future EGB works, www.neogbc.org.
02/24 Sprout Connections Networking, 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Fox and Hound, Parma, $5 advance or $10 door, www.sproutconnections.com. I recently attended the group’s speed networking event.
02/25 Cleveland Claims Assoc. February Meeting, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., DelSangro’s, Parma, $15, clevelandclaims.com. Guest speaker: Crystal Thies. Organization founded in 1934 that unites claims adjusters and appraisers, attorneys, utilities and other insurance-related vendors.
02/25 LIFE 101 Business Before Basketball, 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Wolstein Center-4th floor, Cleveland, $10 donation, space limited, RSVP 216-687-2078. CSU Alumni Assoc. event that includes networking and business tips for young professionals, then CSU Vikings game.
02/25 National Assoc. of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Cleveland Chapter Networking Brown Bag Lunch, noon, Dollar Bank conference room, Galleria, Cleveland, free, www.nawbocleveland.org.
02/25 NEO Usability Professionals Assoc. (NEOUPA) Social Hour, 2010 Brainstorming Session and Tour, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Metric Marketing Group, Westlake, free, limited seating, www.neoupa.org.
02/26 Cleveland Professional 20/30 Weekly Networking Breakfast, 8 a.m., West Side Market Cafe, Cleveland, free and don’t need to be a member, www.cleveland2030.org. Good excuse to go to West Side Market.
03/04 Cleveland Professional 20/30 Around Town, 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Zocalo, Cleveland, www.cleveland2030.org.
03/04 Women In Networking (WIN) Open Networking Event, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn, Mayfield, $10, www.wincleveland.org. Features speed networking for first 40 attendees. I attended meetings as a guest when I started networking.
03/05 Cleveland Professional 20/30 Weekly Networking Breakfast, 8 a.m., West Side Market Cafe, Cleveland, free and don’t need to be a member, www.cleveland2030.org. Good excuse to go to West Side Market.
03/08 Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce Check Out The Chamber, 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Chamber Offices, Akron, free, www.greaterakronchamber.org /events calendar.
03/09 Cleveland Bucket List Bushwood Open, 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Firefly’s Mini Golf and Houlihan’s, South Park Mall, Strongsville, $50, portion donated to Providence House, www.clevelandbucketlist.com.
03/09 NAWBO Cleveland Chapter and Women In Sports and Events (WISE) Cleveland Chapter Beer, Bikes and Biz, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m., Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park, Cleveland, $10, www.nawbocleveland.org.
03/10 Cleveland Assoc. of Information Technology Night, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Microsoft Offices, Independence, free(?), RSVP boblogan53@yahoo.com. Found on LinkedIn events section. Information night for Cleveland Chapter.
03/24 Northeast Ohio Software Assoc. (NEOSA) Networking Night, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., Hoggy’s, Valley View, $10, www.cose.org. I attended this March 2009. Good place to go and mingle if you want to be in Tech.
NEO Event Connection 
I think that networking at any of these events can be difficult if you don’t know anyone. My suggestion is to try to find a member, in advance, to meet up with at the program. That gives you an initial contact and also at least one introduction.