Last night was another great meetup of HackerNest KW, this time at BuildDirect in the graduator. I think this is the third one I’ve attended and I gotta say that this crowd is out to meet people. Super-friendly introductions all around. What might surprise you is that the gathering is composed primarily of software devs and other tech folks who generally get a bad rap on social skills.
I’ve got more for you here, but first: self-promotion. There are no ads on makebright. There are no pop-ups that ask you to turn off an ad-blocker. My awesome Patreon supporters have helped me surpass “gas-money threshold” of $30/post. At the $320/post level, I’ll be able to devote a whole day a week to searching out these stories and delivering them to you. If you dig my community-building work, please support it with your pocket change. Ok, now more story.
The HackerNest format is simple: show up; voluntary $10 at the door; drink beer and talk to other tech people; Amaris thanks the sponsors and host, tells us about the next meetup and other tech-related jams going on. Every month the host changes, which gives a great window into a lot of different company spaces in WR. I was on a tight schedule yesterday and didn’t immediately put together that BuildDirect exists here through the acquisition of local company DraftingSPACE last June. Beth Nenniger and Laura Austin, the founders of the latter were of course chatting up the crowd last night and BuildDirect VP of Eng Klaus Salchner was in town from their Vancouver HQ.
305 King Street West in DTK. The graduator where many companies go to grow (rhyme!)
Click through for a marginally unreasonable number of photos…
I love that painting. Hey Perimeter Developments, who did that one?
It’s good to be on time. Meetups are only two hours long.
David from the HackerNest crew doing armbands for those who want a beer.
Epic PI Day yesterday. So much pie.
HackerNest KW chief Amaris.
Chocolate pecan pie, not shown ;-), did it for me.
Michael and Josh.
Laura coming through.
Jeremy Ladan, one of my awesome Patreon supporters.
Hey, it’s Gavin, who is now famous after being featured this week on Tech Town.
Meta Brent. We always have great chats about photography and making stuff. If you’re reading this story, you can thank Brent who is another one of my Patreon supporters.
Laura gets pie.
Pro-tip: wear cool clothing. These things always heat up and I melted.
My friend and fellow maker, Paul (bearded)…
started an ad hoc… (hey there’s Beth way over there on the right)
book club at this event. He was thinking that he always asks people at events if they’ve ready such and such a book and thought it would be easier to just have those books on hand. I borrowed “make it stick” which is about more productive learning. So… maybe it’s more like a little library than a book club…
which actually worked. Tom from original DraftingSPACE, I gather.
Disco ball FTW.
In the second hour it was jamming.
My friend Martin here busily doing origami to prove to Amaris that he can in fact fold a polar bear.
Martin.
kwartzlabber Ryan (right).
Paul!
Volunteers make it happen.
Still working the door.
The classic “we need a picture of these two guys.”
Amaris takes her high perch.
Thanks to the host.
She calls out for first-timers to raise their hands and there were a surprising number last night. That’s good. I particularly like how she calls out for everybody who dropped $10 in the jar at the door (you’ll have a sticker on your nametag) to raise their hand, noting that cash keeps this running.
Klaus talked to the crowd very briefly about BuildDirect. I love how HackerNest KW keeps the focus on hanging out and chatting.
Big thanks to BuildDirect for hosting and to the HackerNest KW crew for putting this all together and sustaining it every month. If this seems like a good idea to you, then reach out to them to sponsor or offer a venue. Reach out to Amaris on Meetup.
Next meetup is April 11, hosted by Dejero. Leave yer sofa, find the others.
At King and Water Streets, this is Kitchener.
DW