Big Tent Networking in Boulder

By Liz Ryan, 8-12-07

Here in this space a year ago, we wrote about the dearth of networking opportunities in the West. Readers responded to tell us about scores of leads groups, industry-specific and function-specific networking groups, and of course, about Chamber events far and wide. But we didn’t hear about anything that met our criteria for Big Tent Networking: open to all, business-focused but not transactional, coed, pan-industry and high-enery. We’re trying to fill that gap now with a new event happening in Boulder this week. If it works out, maybe the idea will spread.

Our Ask! in Boulder discussion group is about three months old and has about 75 members, and that seemed like a large enough group to be able to populate a reasonable after-work networking event. So, this Wednesday, August 15, we’re holding the first Ask! in Boulder face-to-face gathering, at the Sunflower Restaurant in Boulder. Thirty-five people have RSVP’d so far. The idea is that we’ll get together and share conversation, food and drinks and see where that leads. No leads, no frantic passing of business cards in sixty seconds. Everyone is welcome. That means media people, entrepreneurs, corporate people, government folks, artists, musicians, scientists, academics, students, job seekers and street performers.

The mission of Ask! in Boulder is to Support Working People at the Intersection of Work and Life. Hope this gathering helps. We’ll let you know.