Step by Step
Where did the idea for NextStep come from? About a year ago myself and a group of friends realized that we didn't know enough entrepreneurs. We felt there was a real need for a social event that could bring people together. Do you feel like you've done that? Well, we have a great mix of people who come to our events. There are lots of regulars, people who come once in a while as well as fresh faces each time. Mainly expats? The majority of the people are expats, but there are a growing number of locals. So it sounds like things are going well so far. Yeah. We are coming up on our one-year anniversary. That's something that is really special for us because we've taken what started out as a hobby and turned it into a business. Okay, say I have an idea for a business, what is the "next step?" It's a combination of things, really. Meet as many people as you possibly can. Shanghai is full of lots of opportunities and ideas, but ideas are not worth much without a solid team behind them. And NextStep can help me find that team? Absolutely. Our meetings are not just social gatherings, they are really opportunities to meet quality people and establish real business relationships. Have you ever counted how many business cards you've exchanged in one night? Oh God no, I have no idea. Maybe two to three thousand. Two to three thousand? In one night?! No, no, I said dozen, not thousand [laughs]. Oops, sorry, long day! I would say I meet and speak to maybe 30 or 40 people a night. At any given event, we have 100-120 people out. What is your favorite aspect of these social events? The best part for me is meeting people who are starting up a company in Shanghai and being able to offer them some information or advice based on my experience. Or, meeting someone that's more experienced than I am and getting some great input from them. If you can teach someone and learn from someone all in one night, that's definitely the best part for me.

Details:

What: NextStep Entrepreneurs Organization
Email: nextstep@tangential.com
Web: http://www.nextstepshanghai.com