By Himmler Joachim
My favorite part about the Orange County Chamber of Commerce mixer was meeting so many of the people that make Hudson Valley what it is today. I had a chat with a marketing advisor, an emergency care center owner, a legal advisor from Poughkeepsie (who later on won a bottle of wine from the business card raffle), and a pair of filmmakers from Goshen who were spreading the word about a conference.
Before attending my first business associate mixer, I had a preconceived notion of the types of business owners I would meet. Being a 25-year-old male, I frequent businesses like libraries, eateries, and the DMV from time to time. Hovever, by talking with the mixer attendees, I gained an entirely a different perspective. I met a broad spectrum of business owners that I never thought existed, all because I stepped out of my comfort zone by attending.
Going to the mixer made me aware of the many different types of businesses and business owners that are located in Hudson Valley (not just clinics and retail stores!). In my personal experience, even I gained benefits. Through speaking with the marketing advisor, I learned that the financial services agency he works for also does budget consultation, something I’ve been interested in for a long time. By speaking with a pair of insurance associates, I gained a new appreciation for life insurance and intend to speak with them more in the future. And after talking to the emergency clinic owner, who also happened to be a successful indie writer, I have now made it my goal to become a successful author just like him.
If these are the benefits of a person who wasn’t even trying to network, imagine the benefits for the people who were.
Nina is a restaurant located at 27 West Main Street, Middletown, NY 10940. (845) 344-6800. http://nina-restaurant.com