How to network like a pro in Denver
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
When Chloe Rice moved to Denver nearly two years ago, she didn't envision herself becoming a superstar on Instagram.
The intrigue: Rice, who's from Texas, wanted an adventure, and with a remote gig for a large tech company allowing her to work anywhere, she chose Denver — and ended up an accidental influencer.
- She runs @WorkFromDenver, which started in August 2022 as a coffee shop review page before exploding into an account mixing local food and drink recommendations with job networking opportunities.
- It now has more than 26,000 followers.
The big picture: Young professionals are hungry for mentorship and real connections in addition to flexible hours and a work-life balance, writes Axios' April Rubin.
Zoom in: Rice, 24, organizes networking events at restaurants and bars around the city, enticing young professionals looking for a community, someone to co-work with outside a traditional office, or just to grab a drink.
- Some of her events have drawn more than 100 people.
- "I realized that I had a unique opportunity to connect people who don't have coworkers and don't really have an opportunity to do that otherwise," Rice tells us.
Amanda Hansen, undergraduate career development director at the Leeds School of Business at CU-Boulder, similarly advises a more laid-back approach to networking: "It's just a conversation," she tells us.
- She recommends finding MeetUp groups in your desired career path; numerous options are available in metro Denver, including for people wanting to improve their Spanish or learn more about business and local startups.
By the numbers: Leeds encourages its students to have at least 500 connections on LinkedIn by the time they graduate.
- It's a number Hansen says may seem staggering, but is easy to reach once students include professors, teachers and classmates — connections that could ultimately lead to job opportunities in the future.
Pro tip: Hansen says people should reach out to professionals in their desired field even if they're not hiring.
- These can still be valuable connections when an opening becomes available in the future.
What's next: Rice is planning a joint event with Colorado Hiking Girls on May 19. Tickets go live next week.