The Capital Cabal is the brainchild of Hank Dearden. Hank has been active in Washington, D.C.’s Internet and New Media scene since 1994, and enjoys producing networking events and professional seminars. The focus is typically, but not always, on Internet commerce and communications technology, how it is being used, and its effect on business, government and society at large.
The events cover a wide variety of activities, including a monthly “dot com” networking salon at Gua Rapo in Arlington, VA called 2nd Tuesday, as well as speaker luncheons at The City Club and the Tower Club. Other fun activities include an on-field pregame party at RFK Stadium during a D.C. United game, a Halloween party at The Big Hunt, Hockey Nights at the Verizon Center and a 1940′s style swing dance at The Tower Club in Tyson’s Corner.
For his day job, Hank is founder and Director of 3D Technologies Ltd., a sales, marketing and Internet advertising consulting firm in the Washington, DC area. In part one of this five-part series we discuss networking here in the metro DC area. I recently had an opportunity to chat with him and here is the transcript of that interview:
Hank on Networking in the DC Metro Area
Steve: Your networking series, The Capital Cabal, has really grown over the past 18 months. What was your motivation behind creating it since there are many other networking type events here in the metro DC area?
Hank: Back in the Web 1.0 days there was a vibrant non-profit membership organization in the D.C. area called the New Media Society, and we used to have monthly networking gatherings and, every so often, special speakers like Seth Godin. People attended the “1st Tuesday” event for many years running, to network, schmooze, share war stories and keep connected with the local booming Internet economy.
Around 2002 that organization pretty much evaporated, falling victim to the general “dot bomb” that wiped out a lot of the initial Internet businesses. Since I made good use of those gatherings this all happened much to my disappointment, and at the time there few other networking options. So rather than curse the darkness I decided to light a match and launch my own series. I started with about 400 “live” contacts in my ACT! database, and it grew from there.
In October 2005 we announced the return of the regular monthly gathering, now calling it “2nd Tuesday”, and have put together an event every month for over three years (except for two months off in the summer of ’07). Our list has grown to over 2,700 local professionals, so we think that we have hit on a workable formula that provides what the local community wants.
As for the other networking options – bring them on! Washingtonians love to network, so it’s OK to have a lot of “supply” since there’s a significant “demand”. There is no one dominant networking or event series in the D.C. area, nor does there need to be. I actively support other networking options that I think produce a quality product, i.e. good crowds, good refreshments, good opportunity and all provided at a reasonable price. The fact that people do have options just makes me work harder to keep my game up.
Steve: How does this differentiate from other events in the metro DC area?
Hank: There are a lot of different and equally workable models for both networking and speaker series events, so at some point it comes down to personality and personal preference. At 2nd Tuesday, I’m all about a low-stress environment that embraces a zeitgeist of “pay it forward”, i.e. everyone seems to take an active role in helping the other attendees…because that’s the exact tone that I take as soon as someone walks into the door. I also have help from Hosts and Hostesses who are supposed to really think about what would help a particular attendee: job lead, business lead, job-candidate lead, business partner or what have you.
I also try to deliver an excellent promotional value for the sponsors, without whom it would be impossible to produce the events on a regular basis.
Plus, I enjoy the “fun” part of the events: 80s alternative music, 80s movies being played in the background, good food and good quality giveaways as door prizes. Not a bad deal for $15!
To be continued…
In Part 2, we talk briefly about entrepreneurship and in future parts of the interview we will discuss creating great events and networking in general.
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