Today I attended a meetup in London of members of the UK Podcasters group. Mike & Izabela Russell of Music Radio Creative organise these regular sessions, inviting one or more speakers to make short presentations on topics likely to be of interest to podcasters and those with associated businesses. Plenty of time is always set aside for networking and informal discussions.
I really enjoy attending meetups so thought it would be helpful to discuss them here a little.
What is a Meetup
Meetups have developed over the last few years as a way for people who have a common interest, often having met and communicated over the Internet, to get together in real life. Meetups can take many forms but they are usually quite informal and often fun.
Typically the organiser will have booked a private meeting venue and will provide some refreshments, recovering the costs by charging a small fee to attendees.
There is no fixed format for meetups. The organiser will usually decide on a topic for a particular meetup and then arrange speakers to talk on related subjects. Free time is almost always allowed for the attendees to network amongst themselves and many people who attend meetups will say they find this networking opportunity to be the most valuable part of the sessions.
While many meetups are focused on a specific business niche, hobby and pastime related meetups are also common.
Benefits of Meetups
- Everyone who attends will have similar interests
- They are a great way of meeting new people
- You will get ideas and inspiration from speakers and other attendees
- You are certain to pick up tips that you can implement in your own business
- By sharing what you are struggling with you may well find some helpful advice
- It’s an opportunity to spend some time in the real world, away from your laptop…
Conclusion
I recommend you find a group that matches your interests and make the most of the opportunity to talk with others about the challenges you are facing with their business and find out what others might be struggling with or share in their successes. Perhaps you will find some common ground and be able to share your experiences and you might even find a future business partner!
You are certain to pick up ideas that will help you with your own endeavours and this is the main reason you should attend meetups.
Finally, if you can’t find a meetup in your niche or one that meets your interests then why not start your own.
Have you attended a meetup or even organised one yourself? I would love to hear your experiences – what have you found to be good or bad about meetups? Please leave me a comment below.
