[AmoAsBundas]

(09-20-2013 10:19 AM)bojangles Wrote:  

My current favourite method is going to the best bar in that city which is occupied by the countries social elite. Getting friendly with the bar manager (not just a bartender), becoming friends with him and then he spends the next week introducing you to every high flyer who comes to order a drink.

Did you also add any value for his business everytime you went there e.g. bring additional ppl / customers and therefore turnover or was a fun vibe and connection enough?

[SwayMe]

Great thread!

The only thing I can add is that hotel lobbies usually know where the line-of-business has its hotspots. At least I has success with it.

My question is: what's the best way to get in touch with investors. Maybe a silly question but I'm new to this.

[Sonny]

Actually, it would nice to have a sub-forum about business connections on this board. Or is there already, didn't really find anything.

Besides regular networking, I use asmallworld.com. You need to be invited to get access to this community. I met many interesting people through ASW, especially during my travels.

As mentioned previously, there are lots of single executives in their late 30s, early 40s that love to party and befriend younger party animals. I have a couple of such contacts and got one job offer already (I'm an IT lawyer).

[SwayMe]

(12-12-2013 01:14 PM)Sonny Wrote:  

Actually, it would nice to have a sub-forum about business connections on this board. Or is there already, didn't really find anything.

Don't know about that but we should definitely add to the list:



Things like "9. Restaurants Old School." I wouldn't have come up with myself.

Maybe there are additional locations to pay attention to.

[Petrosius]

always try to learn the language,do your best at it

[Thomas the Rhymer]

Bump.

Two more options for networking:

- Joining your local StartupGrind meetups. Just google 'Startupgrind' and your city and the local chapter should come up. Startupgrind is a networking meetup where entrepreneurs attend a talk given by a local businessman and then also have time to mingle and network afterwards.

For example, I randomly googled Startupgrind Tokyo, and got their website:
https://www.startupgrind.com/tokyo/

- Becoming a Google local guide. I haven't yet tried this myself but allegedly if you make enough local reviews, then Google will invite you to Google guide meetups where you can network with other Google local guides.
https://maps.google.com/localguides

[zatara]

There was a thread about making friends in a new country on the lifestyle forum recently, it touched on a lot of similar things. For developing professional circles easily as an expat I'd recommend the same thing I recommended in that thread for making friends: sports.

Sports are the easiest way to make male friends once you're finished with college and in your mid 20s and beyond. You'll stay fit, have a social outlet (drinking in the clubhouse/ team nights out), and have a good chance of becoming friends with guys of a similar mindset to yourself if you pick the right sport. If you do pick the right sport (rugby union or cricket in a lot of places are two good examples) your team mates will mostly be upper middle class. So you'll develop professional contacts quickly, as well as building a social circle, and staying fit etc.

I've moved countries a few times and the first thing I do after sorting out my job and accommodation is always to look for the local rugby club's details and join a team. It gives me a decent social base in the city within a month or two outside of work, which is absolutely key. And longer term gives you an introduction into a lot of local professional networks, if required.