Archive for the ‘social’ tag
Build Your Own Guild
Back in June, when Angelo and I discussed starting a small social group for people in the web design & development industry, we wanted to create an opportunity for local folks to get together each month and talk geek, drink adult elixirs, and network a little bit. A few hours each month spent among like-minded people in an environment that had food, drinks, and very little structure or routine.
Build Guild II Thoughts and Ideas
From my partner-in-crime:
With the roaring success of the first Build Guild still echoing in memory, the second Build Guild is less than a week away. We’ve planned it to be much like the first meetup, only this time, more space, our own area, and a few more surprises that my esteemed co-organzier has been busy orchestrating.
One of the Build Guild ideas we’ve been kicking around for a while is finding a way to have an informal but organized exchange of ideas. This might fall somewhere in between a formal presentation and a lightning talk, with volunteers proposing topics via buildguild.org.
If you have attended or plan to attend future events, your feedback on this would be invaluable. Is this something you’d like to see at future Build Guilds? What kinds of things would people like to hear or talk about? What format do you think would work the best?
In any case, everyone is more than welcome to comment with ideas and suggestions. You may also send a message via my contact form or shoot an email to decurio@buildguild.org.
Angelo and I would love to know what Build Guild attendees think about the venue, the structure (or lack thereof), and anything else that can/should be changed. We ask that you ponder it a bit during the next Build Guild because we may ask your opinion shortly after. Ultimately, we want to mold the Build Guild into something that the majority of attendees desire it to be, as long as it involves mustaches and alcohol.
The Build Guild’s First Event
Yesterday, July 8th, the Build Guild had its inaugural event at the Salem Beer Works in downtown Salem, Massachusetts. The turn-out was amazing—we collected 36 business cards for the raffle—and everybody seemed to have a great time. Many of the conversations I had revolved around the surprise most people felt discovering there were so many local people in the web industry. I made my best effort to greet each person who came, learn where they were from, and how they heard of the Build Guild. I was honored to chat with so many great local women and men who are passionate about the things I’m passionate about. I believe I witnessed at least three separate occasions where one person connected with another person they had previously not known and promised to chat further about a side-project or a new job.
Boston Web Studio Update & The Build Guild
It’s been a little more than two months since I left my job and started working for myself and if the lack of writing here isn’t a sign of my free time gone out the window, I don’t know what is. It’s been great, though, really… really really. I lined up work with a handful of companies; my last employer, Digital Bungalow, kept me busy for the first month; I earned some retainer work from Mass High Tech and recently launched their Women to Watch mini-site; a couple of friends in the industry were kind enough to hire me for some xhtml/css work they couldn’t fit into their schedules; there are a couple of new opportunities that will flush themselves out over the next couple of weeks… I’m a fortunate person, undoubtedly.
