About this Event
Join the DC Business Connection Exchange!
Skip the awkward networking. Meet people one focused conversation at a time.
Traditional networking mixers often leave too much to chance: you spend two hours hovering around a loud, crowded bar, hoping to stumble into someone relevant or dodging aggressive sales pitches.
DC Business Connection Exchange is built differently.
Organized by Community Growth Exchange, this evening provides a structured, high-value format for professionals who prefer real substance over surface-level small talk. Instead of having to work a room of strangers, you participate in a series of facilitated, one-on-one mini conversations.
Every 6 minutes, you sit down with someone new.
Introduce what you do. Share current projects. Pinpoint the exact collaborators, clients, resources, or referrals you are seeking. When the transition bell rings, rotate smoothly to your next pairing.
By the end of the structured rounds, you will have connected directly with a diverse group of professionals from across the Washington DC business community—with ample open networking time afterward to continue the conversations that matter most.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
This event is tailored for:
- Small business owners & entrepreneurs
- Independent consultants & strategists
- Technology, data & cybersecurity specialists
- Government-adjacent, defense & policy professionals
- Legal, tax, banking & finance professionals
- Real estate & property experts
- Marketing, sales & business development leaders
- Professionals navigating transitions or exploring partnerships
No rehearsed elevator pitch required. Simply arrive ready to introduce who you are, what you do, and what mutual value looks like for you.
HOW THE NETWORKING WORKS
- Step 1: Check-In (5:20 PM – 5:35 PM)
Pick up your name badge, grab a drink, receive your DC Connection Sheet, and find your assigned starting table.
- Step 2: Quick Orientation (5:35 PM – 5:45 PM)
A concise run-through of transition cues, timing, and prompts. No lengthy presentations, panels, or speeches.
- Step 3: 8 Structured Connection Rounds (5:45 PM – 6:33 PM)
5 minutes per conversation: Both participants introduce themselves, share current priorities, discuss referral needs, and explore synergies.
1-minute transition bell: Jot down immediate notes on your Connection Sheet and rotate smoothly to the next seat.
- Step 4: Connection Review & Transition (6:33 PM – 6:45 PM)
Catch your breath, complete your notes, and star the 2–3 contacts you want to reconnect with during the open session.
- Step 5: Open Business Networking (6:45 PM – 7:25 PM)
Mingle freely around the venue, order food and craft drinks from the bar, and dive deeper into promising conversations.
- Step 6: Wrap-Up & Closing (7:25 PM – 7:30 PM)
Final contact exchanges and reminders for post-event digital follow-up resources.
WHAT PAID TICKETS INCLUDE
- Guaranteed Seat: Placement across all 8 facilitated one-on-one rounds.
- Printed DC Connection Sheet: A systematic tracker for names, synergies, and action items.
- Conversation Prompt Card: Targeted questions to bypass small talk and uncover business overlap immediately.
- Open Networking Access: Free movement and follow-up time in the reserved space.
- Post-Event Follow-Up Toolkit: Including 24-hour LinkedIn reconnection templates, referral email scripts, and a structured follow-up tracker.
(Note: Food and beverages are purchased individually directly from The Pub & The People).
Event venue & nearby stays
The Pub & The People, 1648 North Capitol Street Northwest, Washington, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.