Networking: Fun, and business, too

The scene at D'Vine Wine last Wednesday night might have reminded some of a college bar, with people standing around socializing and trying to squeeze through the capacity crowd to order drinks.

But there was business going on, too.

This night was the scene of the monthly Carson City Chamber mixer. People were there to have fun, make business contacts, find sales leads and generally help support the local business community.

"With the way the economy is going now, we are seeing a lot more companies coming back into the membership that had lagged off," said Kim Price, who coordinates the mixers for the Chamber. "They realize they need to be networking here, especially in Carson City."

Social networking may be scoffed at by those who see it as an excuse to party. But for many, it's the place where many business deals are hatched, or sales leads collected. Price said that they encourage those attending to hand out business cards and wear a name tag, and many of the participants follow that advice.

The Chamber also does a monthly breakfast meeting, which has been averaging between 50 and 70 people, according to Jana Farley, who organizes the meetings. The next breakfast meeting is Feb. 3 at the Nevada State Museum, hosted by New York Life. Meeting hosts get a chance to speak to the attendees and spotlight their business.

"It's a way of making business contacts in the community," Farley said.

She noted one recent example of a software consultant who was new to the Chamber.

"She went to a breakfast club meeting and came out of there with three leads for her business, and was actually working with a business that day," Farley said.

Other networking opportunities include service clubs like Kiwanis and Rotary, or groups like Capital Business Network and Leads Unlimited that are more focused on business.

"I'm new in this business, and one of my jobs is to get out and meet as many people as I can," said Vince Caporale, current president of Leads Unlimited. Caporale's group meets on Thursdays at noon at Q's Barbecue. They pick a speaker each week, which gives people a chance to give a 15 or 20 minute commercial for their business. All members then are asked to do quick updates for their businesses, and they fill out sales lead sheets for other members to follow up on. The group has about 20 members, but is hoping to grow.

The Capital Business Network is similar, but more exclusive. President Jeremy Ochsner said they screen potential members carefully and are only interested in business people who are serious about growing their business and offer good customer service.

"I drive from Reno every week for six-plus years to be a part of this group," Ochsner said. "These people are serious about growing their business. It's kind of an exclusive group."

Ochsner said new members must be invited by existing members to join, and checked out before being accepted. The membership varies between 25 and 28, and includes some of the top business leaders in Carson City and the surrounding region, according to Ochsner, and they are focused on referrals and relationship building. The group meets on Wednesdays at Grandma Hattie's at 7:30 a.m.

There are also several local networking groups associated with Business Networking International.

- Contact reporter Kirk Caraway at kcaraway@nevadaappeal.com or (775) 881-1261.

Local Networking Groups

Leads Unlimited: Thursdays at noon at Q's, 230 Fairview Drive, 882-9384

Carson City BNI: Thursdays at 7:30 a.m., The Plaza Hotel and Conference Center, 801 South Carson St., 901-6516

Capital City BNI: Tuesdays at 7 a.m., Creekside Deli, 1795 College Parkway, 443-8756

Carson City Mid-Day BNI: Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m., D'Vine Wine, 200 North Stewart St., 841-4033

Capital Business Network: Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m., Grandma Hattie's, 2811 S. Carson St., 827-6552

Also see www.bninevada.com