NETWORKING
Check the guest list, and other holiday partying strategies. At any time of year, Tim Teh makes sure to get out to as many networking events as he can.
At this time of year, when holiday parties abound, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Victoria-based mobile and social gaming company Kano Applications Inc. finds himself inundated with invitations, but the busy tech entrepreneur can’t possibly make it to them all.
“There are so many events, and people are so busy, that you don’t have time to go to every single event,” says Mr. Teh, adding he’s already received about a dozen invites and has time to attend just half.
Aside from being part of the festive season, these networking opportunities offer something a little different from the events he attends during the rest of the year. The last two months of the year are a transition time in the tech industry, he says, when many companies are finishing off products under development and starting new ones for the coming year.
“It’s definitely a good time to see what people are working on; synching up with people about possible partnerships,” he says.
Whether entrepreneurs are on the hunt for new connections or to maintain existing relationships, holiday events offer a bounty of networking opportunities.
And with the mood of the season’s events, whether company parties, charity fundraisers or business mixers, “people are easier to talk to, more approachable. Sometimes you might find you are more approachable,” says Lynda Zugec, founder and managing director of Toronto human resources firm The Workforce Consultants .
