Hosted by Karrie Kohlhaas in Austin, Texas
When: Tuesday, November 20 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Fee: Free
Austin is a hub for small businesses and biznik is the perfect way to bring the indies of Austin together to build a supportive community, learn from each other, make new friends, and grow and develop our businesses at the same time. Meet us in the courtyard at Hotel San Jose to create the business community you've always wanted.
Seattle biznik member and former Austinite, Karrie Kohlhaas, is coming to town to share the excitement and success Seattle bizniks have experienced and to help us utilize biznik to create our own success stories in Austin.
Biznik is all about authentic connections, so show up as you are, no expectations, no elevator speech necessary. We are going to wing it, like we do in our businesses. Meet other indies who are making it on their own, or who would like to someday (you don't have to be self employed to be attend!).
Since this is the first Austin event, here are a few things for you to know:
You need to be a biznik member (have a profile posted) to come to a biznik event. If you are not a member yet, it's easy and free to post your profile. Start here.
If you can attend, just log into biznik and come to this event page, then hit the RSVP button and you'll be added to the list.
Do encourage friends to attend, just be sure they post their profile on biznik first and RSVP through the site.
Have fun, be yourself, and enjoy a more relaxed way of networking!
Note about parking: The hotel reserves their parking lot for hotel guests. Street parking should be easy on a Tuesday night.
This is the first of many live biznik events in Austin.
We hope to see you there!
I have started hosting an Open Mike/Songwriters showcase on Tuesday's at Club 115 from 9 to midnight...
I'll try and be at the Biznik event at seven, but will have to migrate by 8 pm...
HEY maybe we could get some of the Biznik folk to be audience members?
mel
Mel,
Glad you can make it! Yes, we'll see if the group wants to head over to Club 115 afterwards. Sounds like fun.
Ben,
Looking forward to talking with you about what you offer in the realm of credit card processing.
Kimberly,
Looks like we are going to have a great event. I know there are about 5-6 more folks who are committed but who have not yet signed up.
Let's all spread the word and make this a great kick-off event for Austin!
Karrie
Sorry all, I'm not going to be able to make it out tonight after all, but really look forward to the next event and meeting folks! I know my business is a bit out there from the norm but let me know if you or anyone you know ever needs my services!
We'll miss meeting you, Christa. Definitely check back for future events...or think about one you'd like to host!
See the rest of you soon.
Karrie
This was a great event! Thanks to all who joined us at Hotel San José and filled the biggest table in the courtyard. What a perfect core group to spark the biznik community in Austin.
I loved hearing ideas for how you want to make biznik useful and fun... Kimberly is planning to put together an event on how independent professionals can create passive income with rental property, Jenée would lead a killer workshop on “shameless self promotion.” We even got Penny, that self-proclaimed non-joiner, to wear a nametag--I know, so uncool in South Austin!
Also enjoyed learning about lunar dust particles from Francois, hearing Lauren's true feelings about Florida, Mel and Enice's website concept for photographers, learning of Lynn's multiple talents, and seeing Kerry Polk again--one of Austin's favorite performers. Also fun to have surprise guest Brent Johnson and Todd Martin join us for a spell.
We talked about how biznik could be a really good thing for ya'll in Austin and how all you need to do to keep this thing rolling is continue hosting live events and invite people to join biznik—invite people you like to be around and people who could benefit from a community for indies. The bigger biznik becomes locally for you, the more you have to gain from it, so start talkin’!
You should all get into each other’s networks too—just go to each other’s profile and click on “Add to network.” And start visiting the biztalk threads and make yourself known by asking or responding to questions posted there.
We also came up with ideas for coming Austin events: Red House, Mohawk…what other ideas do you have?
As we discussed, events can be party-like mixers, a class you want to teach, a discussion group on any topic facing indie professionals or something completely different. Check out the Seattle biznik events page for ideas. You might want to invite someone else to speak, or present something yourself.
And yes, I will return to Austin, as some of you requested, to host a workshop for you all on being more efficient and fluid in how you work as business owners.
The bottom line is, this is your community and ya'll get to decide how it takes shape, how fast it grows and how you want to be involved.
Biznik's golden rule is that every event be 95% value and only 5% sales. This 95/5 rule is great because it keeps the events from becoming dull and sales-y. That said, even events where you don’t actually “sell yourself” will lead to business because once you get known and trusted in the community and people see you have something valuable to offer, people will be more likely to think of you when they need a service you offer.
If you need any help or ideas for your next live event, feel free to contact me. The site makes it all pretty easy but I am more than happy to help you. There are also some video tutorials on the site you should check out. Explore what is here and think about what you want to add to the group and what you want to get out of it. Then, make it happen.
I hope to see many biznik events happening in Austin in 2008!
For those of you who missed this event but want to be involved in biznik, post a comment here or post use the Community Builders page to plan and brainstorm ideas.
sorry ours was so fast, but it was a great get together and San Jose is one of our favorite places to wine and dine...
Karrie did a great job of getting folks out and maybe biznik will take off in Austin...
I have the Biznik sticker on my truck window now, and a few folks have asked me about it.
mel
I'm sorry I missed the event too, but Karrie knew I was going to be out of town.
I am particularly interested in getting real estate, architecture, home building, interior design, feng shui, and other "home" related people involved.
I am about to "go to market" with an Internet startup that provides new technolgy for such people, and also for mental health pros.
So that is my "self-serving" suggestion.
Biznik is obviously also suited to artists, well-being specialists and coaches and others who are a bit more out of the traditional mainstream, but I think there is no reason not to break through into other "high referral" type businesses too.
So spread the word. That is how it will take off. And that will do us all good.
It was great meeting everyone. Sorry we had to go early. Hopefully we can migrate to Club 115 and spend some more time together listening to some very terrific artists.
I enjoyed the round table discussion at the long rectangular table! It was refreshing and FUN to meet with such a diverse group of small business owners and I look forward to our next event. I am planning an event for January that will be called "Equity Shmequity: Why own and why now?" and one in February titled "First time home-buyers top 10 mistakes and how to avoid them" and another one in March titled "Playing Detective: What you can't see and how it can hurt you when searching for a home."
I would like to plan an event a month, so if you have any ideas please jot me note if there is a Real Estate issue that you would like covered in an Austin event. Also, if anyone sees possibilities or has questions about the above event ideas - please send me a note.
Okay, now we are talkin'! I love seeing Austinites communicating on biznik.
Though Chris Travis did not attend our first live Austin event, he was very much a part of it. He was one of the first people to respond and encourage me when I emailed to see who was interested in having an event in Austin. He is someone who I suspect will have a lot to add to the Austin Biznik community.
Mel and Enice, great to meet you both in person. No problem on the short visit. There will be plenty more events to come. Maybe you guys want to host an event at a music venue? It's best if it's a spot where people can talk, but maybe you could plan something where people arrive early, before the music starts and mingle and then everyone stays for the show. What do you think?
Kimberly, my community-building sister, I am liking the sound of all three of your upcoming events. Thanks for taking a lead in growing biznik in Austin. You have a lot to offer small biz owners who would like to buy property and have extra income. Let me know how I can help you with your events.
I see this group who attended and supported the first event as the Austin Core. That's how we started up here and now just take a look at the Seattle Events page or look at the Seattle Member numbers to see how it's mushroomed and offers something for every indie in town.
Get your next event posted and keep in the conversation going. You all might want to use the Community Builders Forum (in biztalk) to communicate with the group. While there, you can click on "Follow this thread" so you will be notified when other Austinites post to that thread. As much as you can, make your comments, questions, suggestions, ideas, hopes for Austin biznik public so that people can see activity is happening in Austin!
Keep posting and hosting and I will keep my eye out for you all.
Karrie
GO to Biz Talk / first austin event if you want to discuss more possibilities for fun events in austin...
Hi everyone! I was all set to attend the first event but couldn't due to a prior commitment. However, I'm very excited to see a group of entrepreneurs coming together to build a community to help, encourage, discuss, and support one another. I've had several ideas in the past that I've failed to act upon mostly due to inertia but with a motivating community like biznik, I see no reason not to follow through on them anymore.
Misha,
We missed you in November! I would have loved to talk more with you about your organization, Keeping Austin Free. Kimberly has posted the next Austin event, TOAST Austin, on December 13th. I hope you'll go!
Get involved, this is a growing community in Austin and I think you'll get many of the things you mentioned you need here as it grows.
Karrie
The first event was great! I truly enjoyed hearing about everyone's ventures and adventures. I got quite inspired to keep this going. Looking forward to next time! Kerry
1316 South Congress
Austin, Texas 78704
Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:00 PM
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