New Year, New Network 2017

You know how they say, “Your network is your net worth,”? I live by that saying and that is why I decided to kick off 2017 by throwing a networking event for young creatives in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area!

Back in December, this idea of hosting a networking event popped into my head as I was scrolling through Pinterest. I had always had a love for event planning and networking, so I figured 2017 would be the time to combine the two. After a lot of prayer and conversations with friends, I came up with the name New Year, New Network and started making this vision a reality.

Doing this event was important to me because it is so easy to stay in your circle and preach “no new friends” like Drake. Now I am not saying that having a close group of friends is a bad thing, but I am saying that it is important to expand your network and meet new people. With my age group, the 20 somethings, it is so important for us to meet new people and gain new perspectives as we are in the early stages of beginning our careers. As emerging professionals,  we are constantly being told that life is all about who you know. So, what better way to meet more people than a networking event??

With all of that said, I was determined to make #NYNN2017 ICONIC (in the words of the great Joanne the Scammer). I already had the perfect co-host, Youtube Queen Ashley D., but still needed the perfect venue. Then it hit me… Why have a networking event in Dallas, when you could have it on top of Dallas??? As some of you may recall, I previously blogged about Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck, which is located at the top of Reunion Tower with a 360 degree panoramic view of the Dallas-Fort Worth Area. I knew this venue would be the icing on the cake! Thanks to General Manager Melissa Nasits, I was able to get half of the lounge reserved for my guests!

The last thing I wanted to do was put together a raffle highlighting some of my favorite companies in DFW as well as services from young creatives in the area. I am so thankful for everyone who contributed. I was able to collect 13 prizes to raffle off at the event! I will list all of the contributors as well as their social media handles listed at the end. Be sure to check them all out!

On January 5th, New Year, New Network finally happened! It was freezing outside, but everyone still came out and  had an amazing time. Over 30 people were in attendance. There was great food/drinks, amazing conversation, and of course a lot of networking! It was so gratifying to see everyone making new connections and enjoying the event. I am so thankful for all of the love and support from everyone who came. It was truly a pleasure meeting every single person!

Thanks to this event, I am even more in love with event planning and people. This will definitely not be the last event I will host. Thank you to everyone who was apart of New Year, New Network. 2017. You have no idea how much your support means to me!

Below is a gallery of some pictures from the event by Brian K.! Be sure to check out #NYNN2017 on Instagram for more!

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Raffle Contributors:

MiniLuxe- @miniluxe

Marbles Beauty- @marblesbeauty

Eureka!- @eureka_dallas

Drybar- @thedrybar

Slay by J- @jaamir_mua

Alexandria Renee Make Up- @alex.renee_

Square 8 Studio- @square8studio

Zach Aschraft Photography- @zach_ashcraft

Lux Boutique FW- @luxfortworth

Brian K.- @_brianwalker

A Cake Maker- @a_cakemaker

Nate Katsuro- @natekatsuro

Creative Denims- @creative_denims

Special Thanks To:

Melissa Nasits (Five Sixty), Allie Lesiuk (SMPR), Janel Truong (MiniLuxe), Shannon Williams (Dryabar), Rob Greene (Square 8), Muriel West (MWest Style), Kristin Ruiz (Marbles Beauty), Adria (Marbles Beauty), Lorielle Jackson (Pretty Brown Box), Carmelita Barrymore (True Glam Events), Brian Walker (Brian K.), Ashley D. (Ashleydbeauty), Ciara Anderson (ayeciara), Alexandria Traylor (Baes and Bombshells)

XOXO,

Christen M.