Unhappy_Nerd Posted September 4, 2018 Posted September 4, 2018 Hey all, This may be an odd question, but has anyone tried meeting potential dates at a business networking event? I've been considering going to some of the networking events that are held in my city, but don't really have a business purpose for being there...I'm not looking for work, not client facing, and not selling anything. lol. So I think the main reason I'd be there would be to find eligible women. The downside is I'm generally not attracted to the straight and narrow types, but you never know...:shrug:
Els Posted September 4, 2018 Posted September 4, 2018 You'd probably be banned from them if you're found out. While obviously people DO hook up occasionally at those things, anyone who is found out to attend them with the sole goal of hooking up is very unlikely to be welcome.
d0nnivain Posted September 4, 2018 Posted September 4, 2018 I met my husband at a business networking event but we were both there to develop new business. You do have to have a purpose in being there. If you go & aren't in business most of the people in the room won't talk to you because you can't make them money. If you do want to search in the business community go to an Expo or something like that where vendors are searching for customers & the public is welcome.
Author Unhappy_Nerd Posted September 4, 2018 Author Posted September 4, 2018 Oh, I may not have been entirely clear: This was an event I was invited to, and I am a business professional (Accountant/CPA)...but my current circumstances don't necessitate the networking. It's not that I'm just some guy walking in off the street. I suppose I was looking at it more from the perspective of going to have a beer or three among other business professionals, and keeping my eye open for potential dates.
Author Unhappy_Nerd Posted September 4, 2018 Author Posted September 4, 2018 I met my husband at a business networking event but we were both there to develop new business. So I'm curious: Did you start dating after meeting, or was it a relationship that developed over time after you were business partners? There have been a few women that I've been fairly close with at offices I've worked at over the years, but even if I hadn't been married, I'm loathe to try to date someone I work with. Just seems like bad ju-ju. So I was considering the networking to find someone who's my type, but not working at my office.
d0nnivain Posted September 4, 2018 Posted September 4, 2018 My husband & I were never business partners. I saw him at the event & thought he was devastatingly, movie star handsome. He was in the mortgage business at the time. When he told me that I immediately said something snippy because it had been my experience that as the market was crashing those in the mortgage business were the most aggressive people, never left you alone. It was awful. I was downright rude to my poor husband but since he knew he wasn't trying to sell me a mortgage, he pursued. We met on a Thursday & went out that following Monday. The rest as they say is history. Since you are an accounting professional, you can attend the event even if it's not to develop clients. When you go bring business cards & be willing to pass them out. Think about your own clients & maybe something you know one of them needs so then if you meet somebody who say leases copies & you know your client needs a new copier, tell the copier sales associate to call you for the contact info so then you sort of have a purpose to be there. It's really about relationship marketing so go ahead & check out the social side of things.
mortensorchid Posted September 4, 2018 Posted September 4, 2018 I don't think it would hurt to at least try to meet people, whether it was for business or personal reasons. If you are going to take it to a super personal reason (like dating), then I would suggest no. I only say that because I have learned many a lesson about people in life - and one of them is that one must not get involved with people that you work with. Coworkers are not friends. It's easy to think that they are because you spend more time with the people you work with than anyone else, but they are not. Don't believe me? Try "being yourself" with someone you work with and have them bite you in the ass. In this situation, say you were to meet someone at a convention of some kind, also be aware that you may become friendly with this person but you may not be working with them daily (as in seeing them on a day to day basis, 9-5, etc.), but they may talk as well. It could be one or two people removed from the individual, and when that happens people play Telephone. Just be cautious.
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