What is ROC LinkedAlot?

ROC LinkedAlot is a group of networked professionals in Rochester, NY meeting six times annually where online networking meets offline for face-to-face meetings  and relationship building.   It’s goal is to become an “introductions network” where introductions  and “pay-it-forward” behavior thrive.   At most networking events attendees merely show up and hoping that something good happens.  The pay-it-forward network invests in sharing connections and making introductions that are pre-arranged prior to the event.  Between events the group stays connected interacting in a LinkedIn™ Group of the same name for sharing discussions, news and jobs.

What are the origins of ROC LinkedAlot?

Following a nationwide, grassroots initiative that began in the summer of 2007 when Chuck Hester launched LinkedIn™ LIVE in in Raleigh, NC  we launched similar LIVE networking events in Rochester, NY in October, 2009.   It should be noted that Sir LinkedAlot and these events are NOT LinkedIn™ affiliated in anyway.  The events are community-centered and locally organized without sponsorship nor endorsement by  LinkedIn™ but are significantly enabled by the LinkedIn™ social network platform.  LinkedIn™ likes to protect their name so abide with the disclaimer.

What’s a Pay-it-Forward Event?

It’s our theme, a true networker’s philosophy of Giver’s Gain whereby it’s what we have to share and offer that governs our behavior of HELPING OTHERS FIRST as we build relationships and trust.  In that spirit, each event will have a beneficiary, a local charity or non-profit organization.  The charity collects all the attendee fees and disburses the payments due, keeping the proceeds.  Other pay-it-forward behaviors include:

• Event benefactors contributing “shared gifts” (door prizes) for awarding at events via a Chinese auction.
• Attendees pre-arranging introductions to be made at the event inviting others  who may mutually benefit by meeting.
• Collecting food and clothing to be distributed by local food cupboards and closets.
• Delivering food not consumed at the event’s end to homeless shelters.

What’s “Team Meeting?”

Team Meeting is an ice breaker that accelerates meeting others at an event.  The objective is to find the others in the room who hold the same postcard as you.  The card is two-sided of course with a company logo on one side and a question and answer on the back written in different colors of ink.  The objective is to find your postcard teammates matching cards by company logo, Q&A and ink color.  There is one winner at each event who chooses first from the “shared gifts” offered that night.

Who are “Honored Guests?”

Honored guests are invited at each event for “friend-raising,”  the solicitation of new members for their organizations.  They assist with the event as volunteers supporting registration and other admin activities of a simple nature.  They pay the same donation as all other attendees, but nothing more.  They may distribute literature and compile lists of names and contact information when attendees wish to share it.  Targeted groups for such a function would have broad appeal to the attendees and would broaden the multi-cultural, multi-generational mix of the attendee population.  They also would promote the ROC LinkedAlot events to their membership.