Amplified 08 – Play it Loud!

I need to do more networking. That’s what I told myself earlier this year. I need new ideas, the chance to bounce my own ideas off other people, find new collaborative opportunities; generally, in a professional sense, to get out more.

I now find myself with way too many networking opportunities to fit in the time I have available. Working to pay the bills takes priority over what is, in strict terms, business development. I’d love to attend Social Media Cafe, Creative Coffee, Social Media Club, Mobile Monday, London Net Squared, a few events in Leeds, and loads more. But with the best will in the world, I can’t. Which to choose? The social media scene in London is lively, which is great, but it can be a bit fragmented as a result.

Help is at hand. A few of the members of some of the groups I’ve mentioned above have acknowledged this problem, and set about creating an uber-network – Network of Networks – with its first meeting on 27th November 2008 using great facilities at NESTA. The group is called Amplified – it has ambitious goals to run events that grow in size and coverage once a quarter, leading up to a huge crescendo in 2010. It draws its audience from a growing list of other social media and creative networks around the UK.

The agenda for the first meeting is up for grabs. In un-conference style, ideas are being discussed at the Amplified wiki. I’ve got my name down to attend and hope to play a big part in this exciting initiative – will you be there?