Best Startup
A QUICK INTRODUCTION ABOUT WHAT YOUR COMPANY DOES/YOUR VALUES/MISSION.
Relationships are so important to personal and professional growth, and they start with connections and communication. The vision for HOP is to provide more opportunities for everyone from students to executives to form valuable bonds through virtual and live 1-hour networking events.
Because of their unique structure, socially awkward and assertive types alike feel more comfortable sharing at these events.
They love that they become more connected with every fast, fun, face-to-face 1-hour of power speed networking (HOP) event.
After brief advice on how to ‘Themify’ their communication, attendees use assigned colors to move through small group tables, sharing and discovering opportunities and ideas as they meet everyone … in just one hour!
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF?
Working with small mom & pop and and independent local businesses that are typically under-resourced, I enjoyed developing ways to help them get more for less – less time, less money, less stress. It worked so well with traditional advertising products like radio, print, and direct mail that when local businesses involved in the chambers of commerce I volunteered for were discouraged about their return on investment in networking opportunities, I worked on a solution.
Local community HOP events were very successful, and when live events and many local professionals went silent during the pandemic, the opportunity to develop a digital solution presented itself, opening the door to helping large and small organizations as well. Having time to consider who could benefit from the model, I’m most excited about helping schools use it to get students communicating more face-to-face! And certainly, corporate and member engagement strategies could benefit from something new as well.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME A YEAR OR TWO, WHAT PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF?
You can only help others if your model is financially sound for you as well. Persistence is important, but know when to re-evaluate.
WHAT PROBLEM DOES YOUR BUSINESS SOLVE?
Connecting with people to discover and share common interests and ideas takes time. To enjoy success, it also often takes a level of skill and comfort with communication that many don’t have. The unique HOP group-color-switch speed networking method enables more people to engage face-to-face in just one hour. Using provided tips to communicate in a structured way makes it more comfortable, and the short time needed allows for more opportunities to practice and many more ideas and common interests to be shared among students, employees, members, local business professionals, and more!
WHAT IS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR BUSINESS?
The age-old marketing goal – relaying the right messages to as many of the right people as possible for GROWTH (Gaining Rewards, Opportunities, and Well-Being Together Holistically). Everyone can benefit from practicing the other-focused communication that HOP encourages and enables through structured events.
WHAT IS YOUR MAGIC SAUCE?
People love that HOP events take less time to participate in, and event planners especially love that they take no time in advance to organize, they can just show up and run the event with the turnkey model provided. Because they are so valuable, easy, and quick, they can be held and attended more frequently and by anyone, making the brand as well-known for networking as Kleenex is for tissues!
WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE?
People everywhere, from school-age to retired professionals, experiencing the success that comes from connections and relationships built on common interests they discovered with people they’ve met. GROWTH.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU’VE FACED SO FAR?
The global pandemic shut down live events and put so many out of business and work that our live local business-to-business events were no longer feasible.
HOW DO PEOPLE GET INVOLVED/BUY INTO YOUR VISION?
Local professionals who want to reach more people to share their value (and help others in their community share theirs) are invited to license the turnkey HOP event model and support as a marketing tool. School teachers and administrators who want students to become more engaged and empathetic can use the model in their classrooms as often as they like with no extra work involved (and the benefit of learning more about their students!)
Organizations large and small can improve satisfaction, retention, and productivity using HOP to engage members, employees, vendors, and community members. If your business, school, or non-profit is looking for a new unique way to achieve a high return on investment in GROWTH, visit hopnetworking.com and reach out.
