Hanging Out with Smarter People Than Myself...

    Posted by Pete Caputa on Feb 29, 2008 2:12:00 PM

    Mike Langford, at our seminar the other day, was talking about networking for small business owners. He said, and I'm paraphrasing, "network with people who have already achieved what you want to achieve".

    I couldn't agree more. I also like to network with people who are equally ambitious and dedicated as I am too. It keeps me sharp and positive. 

    At HubSpot, I've never been around as functional, dedicated and extremely intelligent group that is this large. I've worked with some of the smartest and dedicated people I know at other places. But, EVERYONE at HubSpot has a passion for making themselves, their team, the company and their clients successful. It's inspirational and motivational.

    However, of all the people I hang around with, the smartest ones that I know are my friends from WPI. My buddy, Darryl Pollica, is leading the development of fuel cell systems at a one of the leading fuel cell companies in the world. My buddy Josh Brotherton leads implementation of biopharmaceutical process control systems for majorly important biopharmaceutical companies. (And beer companies too.) My buddy, Jeremy Olszewski, is VP in charge of about 60 people at Fidelity's Acturial Services group. He's an actuary with a personality, although we're still working on his dance moves. 

    And Seth. There's Seth Popinchalk. Seth is the man. He's one of the most intelligent people I know. Not just at his job. But, he's a role model. He inspired me through some times in my early twenties when I was pretty lost. And he's always been a step ahead of me in terms of making big life decisions. He's the guy that goes first and reports back. He's an amazing husband, dad and he's super smart at all things physics and math. He's one of the most curious smart people I know, constantly tinkering with things. Well, he's been telling me he's been tinkering with his blog for the last six months. And he finally launched it. It's quite technical. So, I'm sure you might not get what he's writing. My physics and differential equations, etc are a bit rusty too. So, I don't think that I'll read it regularly.

    Nonetheless... he seems to be showing promise among math bloggers and his first post has 34 comments already!

    So, maybe I'll have him write a guest post about "what i takes to start a blog at a big and booming company" like Mathworks

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    Topics: blogging for business, networking, blogging, HubSpot

    How to Get Real World Benefits from Online Networking

    Posted by Pete Caputa on Feb 19, 2008 10:18:00 PM

    I'll be speaking next Wednesday at the Next Level Executives.  

    Next Level Executives is going through some enhancements. I've been helping Mike Langford for the last year to incubate a new networking concept where 1) members hold private member only non-competitive meetings to help each other overcome challenges and 2) members create educational seminars that position themselves as experts to guests and other members in attendance. Here's an example of a public seminar the group held

    The concept solves two big problems that the average networking group has:

    1. Most groups don't require business owners to take their game up a notch. Nor do they provide a path for businesses to do that. The private member only meetings require business owners to discuss their challenges. Members take turns presenting their business, what their "next level" is and what they think is "Stopping them from getting there". There hasn't been a challenge raised that atleast one member has experience overcoming.
    2. Most networking groups are good at helping members get to know each other, establish trust and expertise within the group. This group has done that. But, it also has helped members establish their expertise to visitors. Generally, each public meeting has about 5-10 guests in attendance that show up to hear the speakers present. The goal of this group is to help small business owners start to market themselves through seminars.

    With about 20 members, Mike has decided to take it up a notch. Kate Hyland Mercer, business coach extraordinaire has been recruited to help run the private portion of the meetings.

    Mike also decided to construct an online site that would showcase members outside of the meeting and give them a chance to demonstrate their expertise online. He was originally looking at KickApps. I suggested Ning and a week later, Mike put together a first draft of the Next level Executives site on Ning.

    Mike also has a few tricks up his sleeve for expanding this concept. I think it has a lot of potential.  

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    Topics: online networking, next level executives, networking

    Videos from Next Level Executives - A Westborough, MA Networking Group

    Posted by Pete Caputa on Jan 28, 2008 3:41:00 PM

    Catie Foertsch of OurTown Productions is a member of Next Level Executives, a networking group run by Michael Langford of Course Pilot Financial. I am a member and also help promote our once a month public networking meetings. Each month, a member, group of members or a guest speaker gives an hour long seminar, as well.  Catie shoots video and has started a Next Level Executives YouTube channel for the group. We might be the hippest networking group when it comes to using the web to promote our group and our individual members. More coming on that soon, though.

    Dave Lima, Real Estate and Bankruptcy Attorney



    Patti Lima, Realtor

    Marco Scioletti, Mortgage Advisor


    Peter Waeger, Home Inspector


    Frank Damelio, Professional Speaker & Trade Show Expert
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    Topics: next level executives, networking

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