Startup MKE's monthly networking session brings together local entrepreneurs of all ages and backgrounds.
Networking can be the difference between "deal" or "no deal" in the business world.
And for entrepreneurs, especially those in today's collaborative biz-tech world, a solid list of contacts is priceless.
Enter Startup MKE.
Just launched in 2011, the organization helps local entrepreneurs connect with one another through a series of networking events and workshops. Its goal is to "make Milwaukee one of the best places launch and grow a technology startup," according to an online mission statement.
To get the networking ball rolling, Startup MKE hosts monthly "meetups." These after-hours, informal events offer entrepreneurs a chance to exchange ideas, discuss current projects, and hear presentations from other startups in Milwaukee.
The casual environment, complete with free local beer, allows for candid discussion that breaks the stuffy stereotype attached to business networking.
Last week, Startup MKE hosted a meetup at Translator, a tech marketing and design firm in the Third Ward. Click the podcast player below to hear from some of the young professionals who were there.