How to Attend Dayton Startup Week like a Pro

June 6, 2017

A professional Dayton Startup Week attendee comes into the week with a plan and goals. Luckily for you, we’ve drafted a few goals and advice to achieve them.

GOAL 1: GET THERE

“Just showing up is half the battle”, according to Woody Allen. We think that number is slightly inflated, but it is the first step to having an awesome week!

Dayton Startup Week Basecamp is at 400 E 2nd Street in downtown Dayton. Street parking is available in the vicinity but the best places to park for free are at Tech Town and 2nd Street Market (they are open Thursday & Friday).

Pro tip: Use Downtown Dayton Partnership’s Parking Finder to find lots when parking Downtown.

GOAL 2: COME PREPARED

Bobby Unser wisely states that “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet”. Startup Week provides the opportunity but it’s up to you to come prepared. Here’s our checklist of what to bring:

  1. A readiness to learn from different perspectives
  2. Your Dayton Startup Week Schedule, available on your phone via www.dayton.startupweek.co
  3. Plenty of business cards to take advantage of the great networking opportunity
  4. Laptop to get some work done in between sessions you are attending
  5. Your favorite note taking device

Pro tip: Come prepared for Ohio weather. Ask Alexa, Siri, or Google if you need to pack a bumbershoot or sunglasses each morning.

GOAL 3: BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

Don’t be that guy (or gal). You know the one. You can tell as they approach you that you are going to be trapped in a conversation about them and their product for the next 15 minutes. Startup Week is about building relationships, not your sales funnel.

Our advice is to follow the mantra of the original Startup Week city, Boulder, and Give First! Read more about this idea from Boulder-ite and startup community guru Brad Feld.

Pro tip: Use the business cards you receive as note cards. Write where you met the person, how you can help them or more about their startup on the back.

GOAL 4: LEARN & TRY SOMETHING NEW

Learning is great but implementation is better. Go ahead and try Sara Moore’s CLUE method that you will learn about at her Social Media Masters workshop on Thursday at 1PM. Or maybe you’ll pick up a lesson from the Hiring Your First Employee panel on Wednesday at 1PM.

Pro tip: Lessons learned from others mistakes are just as valuable. Be sure to check out Take 2: How to navigate through screwups, setbacks, and pivots on Wednesday at 4PM or Tales from the Crypt: Lessons learned from a failed startup on Thursday at 3PM.

GOAL 5: EXPERIENCE DOWNTOWN DAYTON

The best way to network is to take advantage of our social events and you will get to explore some great locations in the process.

  1. Startup Improv Show & Happy Hour presented by Ikove on Tuesday at 5 –show starts at 6.
  2. Party in the Outfield at a Dayton Dragons Game on Wednesday at 6–first pitch is at 7
  3. Closing Party at Dayton Beer Company–starts immediately after our final session & workshop!
  4. Hop on a Link Bike and get a tour of the new developments in downtown–space still available on Monday at 3.

Pro tip: Use the Downtown Dayton Partnership’s Find it Downtown page for food, drinks, or businesses in the vicinity of Basecamp!

We look forward to seeing you at the kickoff in: