LinkedIn networking event at the Roostertail last month was a total waste of $40

Paid for a ticket expecting actual conversations. Walked around for 90 minutes and everyone was just handing out business cards and staring at their phones. Three people literally pulled out their laptops mid-conversation. I left before the second drink ticket. Has anyone found a Detroit networking group that actually talks to each other instead of just collecting contacts?

2 comments

2 Comments

michael_patel4d ago

I heard someone say the best local networking is just meeting folks at coffee shops downtown.

ninabutler3d ago

Wait, at coffee shops downtown? Like, just sitting there with a laptop and hoping someone talks to you? That sounds like a recipe for awkward silences and wasted hours to me, @michael_patel. I've tried it a couple times and it never works because everyone's got headphones in or is buried in their work. The best networking I've seen comes from actual groups or events where people go specifically to meet others, not just random caffeine stops. You'd be better off finding a meetup or a co-working space where the whole point is making connections.