How to Work a Summer Festival for Mentors, Contacts, Deals and Mentors

{Originally in Business Week}
By Larry Chiang

Austin City Limits in Zilker Park hosts an infamous music festival. Yeah, I’m going. Yes, it will benefit me more (professionally) than some MBAs get out of their entire 2nd year.

Summer festivals can be hotbeds for mentors, professional contacts, access to deals and mentors. I said mentors twice because I like mentors that much. Here are five ideas for getting Mentors, Contacts, Deals and Mentors at Austin City Limits.

-1- Host the AfterParty.

Chuy’s is the ideal spot. The idea of an afterparty is to detox, hydrate and nutritionally replenish. Its not like a rap star party, but more like a techie geek afterparty. Invite people up to a week out or impromptu via text message. Or be entrepreneurial and crash the Austin Ventures tent and promote your party there.

-2- PreParty at the Four Seasons.

They have yummy breakfast burritos near the lobby. Yes I hack the four seasons. Its uber creppy to ambush Chamillionaire while he’s toasting a bagel, but its ok to schmooze. But if you’re crashing… you better Tip, Bribe, Comp and Tip the staff.

-3- Dress Corporate

I recommend not going as Austin-dude-who-hasnt showed-since-swimming. You should look good, kinda corporate but comfortable. Nike drifit works best. It looks professional to be in long sleeves when its 100 in the shade… PLUS the white long sleeves actually keep you cooler under the hawt Austin sun.

DISCLOSURE: Nike is a sponsor — But I’d wear their stuff even if I had to pay for it.

-4- Access Hot Deal Hot Spots.

Corporate tents are important. Austin Ventures tent is a hot-bed of deals. The last two years I went, the ratio of time spent in a tent to time spent watching a show from the lawn was 10:1.

I also can not stress enough to make your own ‘deal hot spot’ by hosting an afterparty.

-5- Stop Chasing ACL Tail

ACL Tail = Hot girls at ACL.

There will be bikini clad women at ACL. Our goal is to jock the 50 year old white dude wearing pleated khaki shorts, Tommy Bahama shirt and loafers with no socks.

Remember, we don’t lose tail chasing money, but we do lose money chasing tail. Its chapter 7 of this genius book I read “What They Don’t Teach You At Stanford Business School”

-6- Promote SOMETHING

People who just show up from California to “check out stuff” out don’t ever really participate. One ACL, I handed out Yelp freebies. It was a little demeaning because I was THAT guy who handed out Yelp fans, Yelp lip-balm and Yelp suntan lotion (all Yelp). It got me in the mix and it helped me meet an extra 100 people.

-7- Networking is a Numbers Game for Mentorship

I don’t network just to network. I network to find a nugget. What I mean by nugget is a person who I’m meant to meet that gets me to my next level. It also means me karmically helping people get to their next level. In short it means mentoring up and mentoring down the food chain. I read about this in Chapter 4 of my fave book, “What They Don’t Teach You At Stanford Business School”.

I set an intention for my life to manifest by 11-11-2011. Its a goal to have my company worth $488mm by 11-11-11. (All 1’s are good for credit which is what my company, Duck9 does.) I want to meet mentors to help me get there. Meanwhile, I’m mentoring college students to get 24 1s in a row on their credit report so they get to their goal of 750 on their FICO credit score.

Omg, I’m so California… I just used California ‘fru-fru’ words of “Intention”, ‘manifest’, ‘karma’, yoga. Speaking of California, TechCrunch hosted a panel before last years ACL and was the media sponsor for Austin Ventures tent. Good stuff and a great model to mimick.

http://www.WhatTheyDontTeachYouAtStanfordBusinessSchool.com

Palo Alto, Calif, Tuesday, 4 August 2009 9:17:59 (PDT)

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I founded http:/www.duck9.com, which educates college students on how to establish and maintain a FICO score over 750. I testified before Congress http://www.creditcard.org/testimony.htm and World Bank in Beijing on credit http://www.ucms.com/Larry-Chiang-World-Bank-Beijing-Presentation.htm ** Duck9.com **
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