I’ve had several conversations with friends and colleagues about the challenges of building a community or network once if you move to a new city or simply don’t have a construct like school, work, place of worship to meet new people to become part of your regular social network. It would be neat if there was something similar to a social club where people could go to, meet like-minded individuals, take advantage of community social events, but without the requirements of the social clubs we know of today i.e. financial contribution, social status, who you know, etc.
I recently read an article in Departures magazine about Spring Place in New York City which seems to combine the concept of a workspace with a social club that might fit the bill. The article also mentions places like WeWork and Soho House and a short list of smaller private clubs focusing on serving people in a specific community, e.g. creatives, entrepreneurs, fashion industry professionals, Millennial women, etc. Unfortunately, these options are still quite pricey and inaccessible for someone not willing to shell out approximately $2000-3000 dollars to join a club.
I think there is room for some discussion & disruption here, and I’d be curious to watch if there is a middle ground that forms between free social platforms that provide event information and social clubs like the ones described here.
What are your thoughts? Do you have a social club or something similar that you have joined? How did you find the club and what are your impressions? What other tools do you use to meet new people and network when you move to a new place or lack the social connections offered by work, school, or place of worship?
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