Bending Spoons’ Post

In 2019, I got paid $2,400 to make 350 friends. Not only had I cracked the Millennial Dilemma of "how to make friends as an adult", but I got paid $200 a month to solve it. Context: I grew my improv Meetup from 0 to 350+ members in under a year. Here's how I did it in 5 steps. And you can too. 1. Make a Meetup group around an interest you have. 🧑🤝🧑 It MUST be Meetup. Why? Because you don't have to advertise to get your event recommended. It is the only platform that promotes your group and events to like-minded, local people. "But Gus, it costs $150 / year to host!" This is where Step 2 comes in... --- 2. Charge $10 per attendee. 💸 Man, I get a lot of crap for this. Yes, it will cover your room rental and Meetup fees. But there's another reason (and it's not greed)... When you charge, the quality of your event AND your attendees' commitment rise. This works because your attendees have to: - Value your event, your interest, and the connections they'll make at or above $10 - Take you and your event seriously - Plan accordingly to attend When I didn't charge anything, I got drunk people, high people, and apathetic people. I started charging... And all my headaches went away. Charge something. (You can always work out alternatives for individual attendees if needed.) --- 3. Be welcoming! 👋 Meetups live and die by how welcoming the hosts are. I went to a Real Estate Meetup in 2018. No one greets me. No one asks me why I came. No one invites me to sit with them. The host gets up and starts giving a presentation where I should "feel free to interrupt them with questions." Halfway through, he says a word I don't know. I raise my hand. "Um... what's escrow?" He laughs me off and continues with his presentation. I never went back. Don't be this guy. Here's how to properly welcome people: - Greet everybody one-on-one. - Ask them why they came. - Offer them a bottle of water. - Connect them with someone else who has similar goals. - Set their expectations accurately. - Get their feedback AND implement it! --- 4. Encourage interaction. 💥 Being welcoming is table stakes. Interaction is what keeps people coming back. Too many hosts forget their Meetup is about people meeting people, not the "topic". For example: coding meetups focus on coding, not people meeting each other. "That's easy for you to say, Gus. Improv thrives on people interacting. How am I supposed to do that with coding?" Think outside of the box. Instead of people presenting on coding, why not pair people up and: - Host a mini-hackathon using a specific library - Try to write the WORST "Hello World" program you can - Optimize a piece of poorly written code together You know your topic better than I do. Find a way to make it interactive. I'm happy to offer ideas if you need. --- 5. Do something social afterwards. 🍻 Keep the good times going. Get people talking. And what better icebreaker than interacting over an interesting topic for a few hours?

🍒2022 vs 2024; What has Changed?!? > From not being able to afford a Basic Ticket at ROCKVIEW Event Center, to now..... One of the life hacks I learnt along the way I have been off Linkedin, in 2024, is that "YOU NEED TO ALLOW YOURSELF SPACE TO GROW GRADUALLY, OGA BUSINESS MAN AND HANTY BUSINESS WOMAN...." Most people will not agree with me.. it's fine by me.. but here's the drill. When you're in a hurry to grow, you Rob Yourself of the precious Opportunities and lessons, that ONLY Your Pain(s) will Introduce into your life, just like a Protocol leading🚶🚶 a guest from the reception desk to his/her seat in an event... that's how, powerful, your pains are... So, in 2022, I went to ROCKVIEW Event Center, for a conference around the Digital Marketing landscape... I had just seen the flyers on Facebook. I didn't bother to find out details, since the flyers didn't show any payments required, I gladly dressed up! Skipped Breakfast ofcause😒😣 withdrew the last change in my upkeep account, and hopped into the next cab off to the event venue... While inside the Cab, I was already processing the wealth of CONNECTIONS I will make, during, the #Networking session. I even had to rehearse my pitch lines severally in my head, as the Cab kept moving....😂😅😂 funny me! After about an Hour😑, I was in front of the Event Centre. The Place was jam-packed with people... I saw a handful of distant friends I met while in Uni. & other Meetups I had attended as an Aspiring Software Developer (back then)! When it was time to be granted access into the Event venue, my confusion began! 😂😂😂🤣. I got to the information desk, and I was asked: "Sir, did you register online or you want to register now"? I simply replied: "Now, please"! The beautiful lady attending to me asked: "Which of the tickets please"? I replied: "Let me see their various prices please..." She handed over her mobile device to me, with Instagram opened on it, and voala, I was seeing multiple ZEROS🤣😂🤣😂. instantly, sweat from no where filled my palms & then, my neck, before it graduated to my face... The cheapest, was #5000 but, she told me, since am paying live, I will have to pay: #6000 ONLY! I knew, I couldn't afford the Ticket. so, it means, I will have to go back Home, and try again next time... So, I politely asked her to excuse me, and when I left her, I was on my way out of the Event Venue... I even called my Kid sister to ask her for some money, but, when she picked the call, I couldn't ask her for money... we just spoke and hung up😂🤣 😭When I got to the Exit, I looked at the Building, and said to myself: "It's true, I can't afford #6000 today to be inside, does this make me feel bad? Yes! But, one thing is sure: A day is coming, I will not only sponsor myself, I will also sponsor others without feeling any strain whatsoever..." Lesson: Don't be Ashamed of your Today😍🥰

The problem with becoming successful in real estate is that it can feel lonely at the top. To solve for this, I've been building an exclusive mastermind for men who are titans of the real estate industry. It's called The Fifty. Here's a recap from one of our recent in-person meetups. Not only did we grow our businesses, but we had some fun... And rode ATVs in the desert (watch the video, it was insane) There are only 9 spots left. We will never allow more than 50 men to be in the group at a time. Here's how it works: 1.) Quarterly In-Person Meetups Every three months, members meet together to connect, learn from one another (and outside speakers) and grow. We’re going to dig deep into each other's businesses, to find out what’s really working, what’s not, where there is danger, and how to get through the hard times we all face. These in-person meetups will happen around the US, in various large (and easy to get to) cities like Austin, Chicago, LA, New York, and (yes), Maui. They will be only one-day of “work” - so you can fly in and fly out on the same day if you wish. We may also add on optional “Second Days” for extra networking, fun, and great food. 2. Monthly 90-Minute Calls Each month, I’ll facilitate a ninety-minute group call. This isn’t optional; it’s required for membership into The Fifty. On this call, we’ll actually be leading each other. Each month, four members will deliver a brief talk on something that they have recently mastered in their business. These will also be recorded and neatly archived for future reference. 3. Online Community All fifty members of The Fifty will be able to communicate with one another on the online communication platform Slack. This means - direct access to the other 49 members of the group. In addition, you will be placed in a smaller subgroup with seven hand-chosen and curated members for deeper connection and ongoing accountability. This most likely isn’t for most of you. But if this sounds like a group you’d want to be a part of, you can learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gswyiXrF

🚨 Has the quality of meetups declined since Covid? (Unfortunately, I believe it has. To some extent at least.) I've noticed a troubling trend in our tech community: the decline in the quality of meetups, engagement levels, and even the talks and speakers themselves. But why is this happening? I think several factors have contributed to this downturn: 1️⃣ The Pursuit of Instant Gratification We've become accustomed to instant results. Constantly consuming success stories without witnessing the struggles behind them has made us expect quick wins. We tend to avoid anything that doesn't promise immediate success or a surge of dopamine. 2️⃣ Organizers Chasing Size Over Substance Many event organizers focus on creating "the biggest" or "the best" events, rather than providing consistent opportunities for the community. The emphasis has shifted from consistency over excellence to chasing grandeur, often at the expense of genuine value. 3️⃣ Speakers Not Investing Enough There's a noticeable lack of effort from speakers in preparing and delivering their talks. Not practicing enough, not considering the value they're providing, and not engaging with the audience are becoming common issues. Some even avoid smaller events and gatherings altogether. But here's the thing: I spoke in front of hundreds of people last week. Today, I'm taking a 4-hour train ride to an event where there might not even be 50 people! And there's nothing significant about this situation. There are different meetups, with different scale of attendees etc. I believe that if we all start focusing on providing value, regardless of the size of the impact, we'll achieve much better outcomes. 👉 Let's shift our mindset: Organizers: Prioritize creating opportunities and fostering community engagement over hosting the "biggest" events. Speakers: Dedicate time to craft your talks, practice, and genuinely connect with your audience, no matter the event size. If we all start thinking about the value we provide, without obsessing over the scale, we can revitalize our meetups and make a real difference in our communities. ♻️ Repost if you believe that consistent value matters more than size! #CommunityEngagement #Meetups #TechCommunity #ValueOverSize #Consistency #DeveloperLife #GrowthMindset

Why Are Participants Missing Your Online Events? Here’s How to Fix It When I first started organizing meetups, I noticed that many people would register but not actually show up. It was frustrating! I realized that simply sending reminders wasn’t cutting it; I needed to understand my audience better. One of the best ways to tackle this is through careful segmentation. By dividing my audience based on their interests and needs, I was able to tailor my announcements more effectively. Here’s how I did it: • For those drawn to the speakers: I included short videos of the speakers and links to their past talks. This showcased their expertise and made them more relatable. • For networking enthusiasts: I made sure to mention which companies would be represented and who would be attending. Highlighting the networking opportunities, like structured chats, really added value. • For those focused on format and benefits: I provided a clear overview of what to expect: Q&A sessions, case studies, and interactive discussions. This helped attendees see how the event would benefit them. And let’s talk about reminders. One announcement isn’t enough! It’s essential to remind participants when they’re planning their week, provide a link for adding the event to their calendars, and send reminders a day and an hour before the event starts. By making these changes, I saw a noticeable increase in attendance and engagement. Tailoring my announcements to meet the specific needs of each group truly made a difference. And remember, if your participants still aren’t showing up, just remind them that the best part about online meetups is that you don’t have to search for parking!

Luma vs. Meetup — summarizing some first experience from migrating a community. tl;dr Luma lacks discoverability, but with just a little (and cost-free) effort of promotion, I could level that out. Apart from that, Luma's friendlier, more modern, and presents your event in a more exciting way. If you live on a pig farm long enough, you'll get used to the smell. Undoubtedly, Meetup is the quasi-monopoly for hosting local communities. But is it cool? I'd say, it's just the pig farm that we got used to. Meetup is in a phase of enormous price increase, relying on their market strength. As a community-centric organizer I try to stay independent as much as possible to contribute to the dev community in the most useful ways. Meetup seems to have no interest in organizers like me any more, focusing on company money driven events instead. But it's not like there aren't any other players. Wolfram Kriesing and me are currently giving Luma a try. It's a charming and exciting platform, that's not as bloated and not as... populated. Community without events or people is not possible. Discoverability and reach matter and that's our major concern. Now it's just 2 days until both our first events organized via Luma are going to take place, And things look surprisingly promising for "my" Next.js Munich event. Compared to our last meet-up: more people have registered now on Luma than last time on Meetup. It's an unsafe comparison, of course, but it seems that promoting the event a bit through LinkedIn and on-site networking at other events has a bigger effect than the reach and discoverability Meetup provides. I'm curious on the show/no-show-rate. How reliable will the attendee number be? There's only one way to find out, and we're heading for it! 💪 And how's Luma for an organizer in general? You can clearly feel that they're building their platform in a lean way with simple solutions. And sometimes you get surprised with fanciness. To me, Luma presents a charming and engaging interface that makes for a promising experience. So far, flags are green to go with Luma. I'll keep you posted 😉 Find some links in the comments 👇 #meetup #luma #community #event #organization #devCommunity #communityEvent

I promised to share some insights about organizing a community meet-up on #Luma, away from #Meetup. Here you go (check the comments for dome links): Initial position Last year I started a meetup group, Next.js Munich. In autumn 2023 the group held 2 events which were well-visited, considering it's young age and narrow focus. 2024 it took me until September to make a new event happen. Some weeks before it, Meetup struck me with more than doubling their price. Raising some dust Being angry and disappointed, my initial motivation for sharing these news on LinkedIn was a good ol' rant. Instead, I decided to try to post something with more potential to be productive. It turned out that some fellow community organizers share the pain and we began discussing the topic on LinkedIn, commenting and reposting each others' posts, which caused a good amount of impressions for my content. In the course of that, I also started posting about the upcoming Next.js Munich event and that it's organized on Luma, as well as about the Meetup group migrating there. I also notified people in the Meetup group, of course. Long story short Many people followed to Luma. The Meetup group had collected 99 members within ~ 1 year. With a mediocre show-rate on their RSVPs (a foundational problem with Meetup). So far, the group's Luma equivalent (called calendar) has 52 subscribers (like members), who proved to have a more reliable show-rate. Conclusions I can not reasonably draw a really resilient conclusion from my observations. But there's one impression I've got for sure: Not only is the LinkedIn noise cheaper than the paid organizer subscription on Meetup. It also seems to impact both the number of people showing up and the reliability of the RSVPs more. Thinking about it, it's not even that surprising. As community organizers, we want active participants. Otherwise a community simply can not exist. But, just being discoverable on Meetup means being passive. This passivity won't really attract active members—unless there's no alternative, maybe. My new mid-term working hypothesis is, that the words you spread actively have more power💪, authenticity📛, and relatability💓. They substantiate the life that's in that community you want to foster. They influence how many people you'll be able to unite. And they'll do it better than whichever tool you prefer for publishing or organizing your events. Future The next Next.js Munich event will be organized completely without the involvement of Meetup. I'm curious how it will turn out, but one thing's for sure, trying it that way will be worth it. (and Luma is just really nice 😍) The other effect is that some Munich-based organizers have begun discussing how to bring the community of web devs in Munich together. Among them are Florian Rappl (Munich JS), Wolfram Kriesing (JavaScript the Language), Uliana Cáceres 🇺🇦 (Munich Frontend Developers), and Jörn Bernhardt (JS CraftCamp). Thank you! 💜

Dear All!   Fueled with new ideas and energy from my visit to Nis Nomad Weekend, I’ve been reflecting on how far we’ve come as a community, and I’m genuinely proud of the connections we’ve built both within and outside of festivals like Bansko Nomad Fest, Nis Nomad Weekend and or meetups alike. I’ve realised that while we have amazing groups and there’s much more potential for us to create even stronger bonds. My vision is that we create an even more interactive and exciting community, something similar to Dynamite Circle or Citizen Circle, where we can engage more deeply and build our global network. I believe we can be more interconnected, reduce the distance between us, and support each other with valuable information, masterminds, investment opportunities, collaboration, and discussions on both business and personal topics. However, I’ve noticed that platforms like Telegram, while great for quick interactions, can sometimes make it difficult to engage deeply and keep conversations on track. I believe that moving to a forum or a platform that’s better suited for deeper discussions, and one that we control rather than relying on third-party apps, would help us achieve this vision more effectively. My motivation for this comes from observing how clubs like Dynamite Circle and Citizen Circle have evolved over time. These communities have shown me how powerful it is when people engage more deeply and consistently, and I believe we can achieve the same, if not more, within our own group. I’ve seen how much more we can make of our community by sharing better information and resources, helping each other to succeed, grow, and sustain in the future. The benefits of this approach are numerous: enhanced networking and connections, access to valuable information, support through masterminds and collaboration, and opportunities for personal and professional growth. We can all achieve sustained success and long-term growth together, tapping into travel hacking tips, tax optimisation and residency advice, business and investment opportunities, access to exclusive events and meetups, and resource sharing, including group discounts. I want to explore this idea together with all of you, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you think could help each member to prosper, and what benefits do you see? You can participate in the poll here: https://lnkd.in/gWKppyTq get in touch with me directly or comment below. Thank you for being a part of this journey. Yours truly, Uwe

Making the Most of Dreamforce 2024 If you’re heading to Dreamforce this year, you probably know it can be both exciting and a bit overwhelming. I’ve been to Dreamforce several times before (though I won’t be there this year), and I’ve picked up a few tips to help you navigate the event and get the most out of it. 1. Have a Plan (But Stay Flexible) There’s so much going on at Dreamforce that it’s easy to lose track. Figure out what’s most important to you—whether it’s learning about new Salesforce features, hearing from inspiring speakers, or connecting with others in the ecosystem. But don’t overbook yourself—leave some time for unexpected opportunities. 2. Use the Salesforce Events App The app is a solid tool for keeping your schedule organized. It helps with planning, session updates, and navigating the venues. While it’s not the focus of your trip, it’s one of those small things that can really help you stay on track. 3. Balance Learning with Networking Dreamforce is packed with incredible content, but some of the best takeaways come from the people you meet. Whether it’s chatting with other attendees between sessions or attending after-hours events, the connections you make can be just as valuable as what you learn. 4. Don’t Worry If You Miss Something With so much happening, you can’t be everywhere at once—and that’s okay. Salesforce makes a lot of the big sessions and keynotes available online after the event, so you can catch up later. 5. Take Breaks Dreamforce is a marathon, not a sprint. Make sure you’re giving yourself time to process everything, recharge, and reflect on what you’ve learned. Dreamforce is an incredible experience if you take the time to plan it out (but don’t be afraid to go with the flow, too). Enjoy the event, meet great people, and soak up all the inspiration!

Just Added: WaterPitch! Virtual Attendance Tickets! Tuesday, March 19 Live in Washington, DC or Virtually on Zoom! After many requests for Virtual Access, we finally decided to pay the additional AV Contractor fees to be able to Livestream from American University's Constitution Hall. THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL EVENT - this is a Live, In-Person, Experiential program for which we are offering a limited number of Virtual Attendance Tickets - WHICH MUST BE PURCHASED TODAY. TO BE CLEAR: There will be NO VIRTUAL PITCHES - this is a highly interactive, transformational event for Water Startups and the entire Water Entrepreneurship Community including Investors, Agencies, Clients, Support Programs, Advisors and others ... the Pitch is only one small part of the overall experience If you can come in person, PLEASE COME and register today! We've already placed our catering order and we're printing our name badges tomorrow BUT WE STILL HAVE JUST A FEW SPOTS LEFT!!! Attending is person is absolutely the BEST way to connect as well as to visit the Exhibits! That said, we are going to do everything we can to ensure this Livestream is more than just a "voyeuristic experience" - making it as interactive as possible - including: A VIRTUAL MC: Stakeholder Meeting Facilitator Chaiwe Mushawuko from Zambia's CaDev (Capacity Development) will be on hand to engage with the Virtual Audience, ensure only Registered Virtual Attendees join the Zoom call, monitor the chat and remove any "Zoom Bombers" (which we hope we won't have!) AUDIENCE CHOICE BEST PITCH VOTING: Our Registered Virtual Attendees will have the opportunity to vote for our Best Pitch Audience Choice Awards! DOWNLOAD PLAYBOOK: Our Registered Virtual Attendees will also be able to Download our exclusive Playbook with additional information on each Pitch and Reverse Pitch Presenter (NOTE: The PLAYBOOK is only available to Registered Attendees in-person or virtual!) You MUST attend LIVE during the program (no recordings provided). The Private Livestream will run from 8am to 5pm (or until the Best Pitch awards are completed) Eastern Time US and will ONLY be available to Registered/Paid Virtual Ticket Holders! https://lnkd.in/eskrRiz5