Apologies (again) for the radio silence but, as if I weren’t busy enough, I joined a gym – the incredible 37 Degrees in Olympia and while I know the love affair with the elliptical won’t last forever, I’ve spent most of my free time there this last week.
However while the gym may have taken over my mornings and weekend, January has proven to be the month of meetups in that I’ve attended some quite fantastic ones over the last few weeks, and branched out from my regularly attended London networking events.
First was the fabulous YesAndClub, a group founded on the basis of the idea that you want to surround yourself with people who say “yes… And?” To an idea rather than “yes, but…” I had heard a lot about the group before I visited as a guest (members must either be recommended by a current member or apply) and found it to be a fantastic collection of people. In particular, it was nice to be around people whose background covered a range of business initiatives rather than just tech.
Also that week I attended a dinner hosted by online publishing company Blurb, who print high quality books users create themselves. Not only did we have a chance to see the quality and range of products that Blurb produces but we also spent an enjoyable dinner discussing the pros and cons of social media in business, and how small companies can leverage that medium. It was a ton of fun, not least of all because all of the invitees were women, which led to some lively conversation.
Speaking of women, the following week I had a chance to attend an event hosted by TheNextWoment, an online magazine and business network for women that also hosts fantastic speaking and networking events. The event I attended featured a range of speakers talking about business strategy, as well as an excellent opportunity to network with some of the most accomplished women in London.
So in the space of a few weeks, I’ve had a chance to connect with a fantastic range of people, learn some business and social media strategy and, of course, join a gym. Not a bad start to the new year! Happy Feburary everyone and if you’re stuck for what to do on the 14th, take a look at Spoonfed’s Valentine’s Day ideas for a laugh, if not necessarily for the world’s most romantic date ;-).
Meaghan Fitzgerald is a marketer and entrepreneur building and growing consumer and gaming products and experiences. A Silicon Valley native, she started her first company, DormWise, in 2006 which she later sold in 2009. Meaghan spent 7 years in London in early stage consumer startups, two years at Xbox as a product marketer for Minecraft, and is currently the head of product marketing for VR experiences at Facebook and Oculus. Meaghan writes here about business, technology, gaming, and marketing. She has been named a top