On Wednesday, October 19, 2011, the #NWITweetup group reconvened at the Cornucopia Coffee Company for the first meeting in a while, and it immediately felt good to be home. The nasty weather did not discourage many of the original group members from coming out, that kind of weather is almost a tradition for Tweetups.
The NWITweetup consists of a group of online friends who also connect socially regularly, so they are able to meet face to face with those they communicate so often online.
It's a unique opportunity for online friends of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, and other social networks to meet and share stories, exchange tech tips, network about business opportunities, and enjoy a nice, hot cup of coffee or a cocktail.
I spoke with Scott Swinford who described the night as somewhat of a reunion for the friends. I also met Richard Orelup who has been with the group for about two years now with those in the group still giving him a good natured hard time for being the 2010 Nicest Guy in Social Media. Some others in the group include Rick Gosser, the dynamic tandem of Nat Finn and Dave Woodson, who have taken the lead on re-igniting the group, along with Nic Winder, John Sipple, Kathy Sipple (one of the originators of the group), Chris Mahlmann, Anne Hornyak, and Chris Bake.
The group has other events coming up, including a Lunch & Learn at Certified Home Inspections on October 26th, where they’ll be chatting about Northwest Indiana (#nwindiana, #nwi #nwism) and how it is perceived in political and social media circles.
It was a fun group to learn about, and they for sure take the “stuffy” out of business networking meetings. See you at an upcoming event!