Published 2025-12-05 07-24
Summary
Tech meetups often feel like LinkedIn with snacks. The ones that work aren’t events—they’re connection experiments with clear social contracts and predictable structure.
The story
Ever walked into a meetup and thought, “Wait… is this just LinkedIn with snacks?”
After 30+ years in tech, here’s the pattern I keep seeing:
The groups that thrive are not “events.” They’re ongoing experiments in human connection.
Before you touch Meetup or Eventbrite, write your group’s social contract in 2 sentences:
– What this group is about.
– Who it’s for.
– What people can reliably expect every time they show up.
Example “meh” vs “alive”:
– Meh: “AI and networking.”
– Alive: “AI founders practicing empathetic leadership so they don’t burn out themselves or their teams.”
Now every choice gets easier:
– Format: roundtable, demo + discussion, or practice session.
– Agenda: intros → core activity → reflection + clear next step.
– Growth: feedback after every event, and small roles for regulars.
This is exactly what I unpack in Chapter 24 of my book, “A Practical EmPath: Rewire Your Mind” — how to run a room with empathy so people leave feeling seen, not sold to.
If you want your meetup to be more “connection lab” than “business card swap,” start there.
For more from Chapter 24 of my “A Practical EmPath Rewire Your Mind” book, visit
https://clearsay.net/talk-on-ch-23-slowing-down-time/.
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Keywords: #MeetupStartup
, tech meetups, social contracts, connection experiments
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