Comments on: Open Questions to Montreal Tech Entrepreneurs http://montrealtechwatch.com/2008/08/04/open-questions-to-montreal-tech-entrepreneurs/ Technology and Innovation news in Montreal Tue, 22 May 2012 17:16:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Penney Ainley http://montrealtechwatch.com/2008/08/04/open-questions-to-montreal-tech-entrepreneurs/#comment-914039 Penney Ainley Mon, 24 Jan 2011 08:47:41 +0000 http://montrealtechwatch.com/?p=851#comment-914039 Do you know of released jogs my memory of some other very similar one that Someone said someplace else? Do you know of released jogs my memory of some other very similar one that Someone said someplace else?

]]> By: Montreal Tech Watch » Montreal Tech Entrepreneur Breakfast, August 12th http://montrealtechwatch.com/2008/08/04/open-questions-to-montreal-tech-entrepreneurs/#comment-33066 Montreal Tech Watch » Montreal Tech Entrepreneur Breakfast, August 12th Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:57:07 +0000 http://montrealtechwatch.com/?p=851#comment-33066 [...] everyone for the feedback on the Montreal Tech Entrepreneur Breakast! The post was up initially to “gauge interest” for these breakfasts, and I think the [...] [...] everyone for the feedback on the Montreal Tech Entrepreneur Breakast! The post was up initially to “gauge interest” for these breakfasts, and I think the [...]

]]> By: Thomas Geissmann http://montrealtechwatch.com/2008/08/04/open-questions-to-montreal-tech-entrepreneurs/#comment-33061 Thomas Geissmann Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:45:11 +0000 http://montrealtechwatch.com/?p=851#comment-33061 I agree with all the people who share the view that the uniqueness of the MTEB is that it is informal. I think it should stay that way. From my point of view, "word of mouth" is sufficient to constantly attract new people to the event. The fact that the event is held on a fixed and repeating schedule is a great idea and should stay that way. On top of that, MTW is always there to remind us of the breakfast date... Thanks to Heri. I've been coming to this event and met really interesting people and I really appreciate the format as it is. Of course, the people you met on any given breakfast depend on a certain number of coincidences but I find that it's what is so special about this event. If you keep coming, you will find the type of person you're looking for. If you're not looking for any one specifically, I'm sure you will have a great time! For the record, I've been going to this event for the last 8 months and have met new people every time. Thomas I agree with all the people who share the view that the uniqueness of the MTEB is that it is informal. I think it should stay that way.

From my point of view, “word of mouth” is sufficient to constantly attract new people to the event. The fact that the event is held on a fixed and repeating schedule is a great idea and should stay that way. On top of that, MTW is always there to remind us of the breakfast date… Thanks to Heri.

I’ve been coming to this event and met really interesting people and I really appreciate the format as it is. Of course, the people you met on any given breakfast depend on a certain number of coincidences but I find that it’s what is so special about this event. If you keep coming, you will find the type of person you’re looking for. If you’re not looking for any one specifically, I’m sure you will have a great time!

For the record, I’ve been going to this event for the last 8 months and have met new people every time.

Thomas

]]> By: Mike Deutsch http://montrealtechwatch.com/2008/08/04/open-questions-to-montreal-tech-entrepreneurs/#comment-33059 Mike Deutsch Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:37:54 +0000 http://montrealtechwatch.com/?p=851#comment-33059 First-timer here, though I'm a regular at MontrealPython... +1 for Early +1 for round tables and being able to mix around over the course of the morning. Re: the whole what-to-talk-about thing, instead of structured talks we could have an impromptu "birds of a feather" topic list, like you see at large conferences. Let people propose whatever questions or issues they have on their minds, and groups will gravitate together and move around as the conversations shift. This doesn't have to be planned in advance - just post a sheet by the door. First-timer here, though I’m a regular at MontrealPython…

+1 for Early
+1 for round tables and being able to mix around over the course of the morning.

Re: the whole what-to-talk-about thing, instead of structured talks we could have an impromptu “birds of a feather” topic list, like you see at large conferences. Let people propose whatever questions or issues they have on their minds, and groups will gravitate together and move around as the conversations shift. This doesn’t have to be planned in advance – just post a sheet by the door.

]]> By: Montreal Tech Watch » [service note] http://montrealtechwatch.com/2008/08/04/open-questions-to-montreal-tech-entrepreneurs/#comment-32784 Montreal Tech Watch » [service note] Sun, 10 Aug 2008 15:57:08 +0000 http://montrealtechwatch.com/?p=851#comment-32784 [...] missed some of the action which might have happenned here, but there should be a follow-up soon; plus a few user comments might have been lost in the [...] [...] missed some of the action which might have happenned here, but there should be a follow-up soon; plus a few user comments might have been lost in the [...]

]]> By: Ben Yoskovitz http://montrealtechwatch.com/2008/08/04/open-questions-to-montreal-tech-entrepreneurs/#comment-32274 Ben Yoskovitz Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:31:50 +0000 http://montrealtechwatch.com/?p=851#comment-32274 Just so everyone knows, we did have a Facebook group setup for the event: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5502019497 And then I setup an event listing each time (example): http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=13095875628 I'm not saying Facebook is the best tool for this, but I do want to make sure we use something simple, that's ideally, been designed for meetings, so it has the built in functionality we need: * sending invites * RSVPing * commenting / wall * displaying contact information (if people want to include it) * etc. Just so everyone knows, we did have a Facebook group setup for the event:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5502019497

And then I setup an event listing each time (example):

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=13095875628

I’m not saying Facebook is the best tool for this, but I do want to make sure we use something simple, that’s ideally, been designed for meetings, so it has the built in functionality we need:

* sending invites
* RSVPing
* commenting / wall
* displaying contact information (if people want to include it)
* etc.

]]> By: Godot http://montrealtechwatch.com/2008/08/04/open-questions-to-montreal-tech-entrepreneurs/#comment-32272 Godot Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:20:02 +0000 http://montrealtechwatch.com/?p=851#comment-32272 Hi everyone, I’ve been to quite a few MTEB in the last year and met some a the most fascinating people there. 1) it’s casual, and it should stay that way. It’s a great place to meet great people in a relax environment. 2) Having a wiki website for people to write who they are, why they’re coming and what exactly are they looking for (if they’re looking for something), leave their full contact and linkedIn info. It would be a major upgrade form MTEB 3) No formal presentations please, there are more than enough venues for those. Informal and laid-back was key to the success of MTEB. A theme could be a good idea, we could just the Wiki to have people propose one and vote on it. 4) It’s on the Plateau, which is nice for a lot of people. Most of other events are in Old Mtl or Downtown. My vote is : it should stay that way. 5) As Sylvain pointed it out, mornings are good if you have kids. 8:30 is best for me (just after I dropped my son at school) 6) I Love the Laika, it’s my second office. BUT it does NOT open at 8am most of the time. I’ve hit closed doors 2-3 times in the morning. They open mostly at 8:30 (unless they changed that lately). They are also often very busy and very noisy. Not perfect for a group of 20-30 who wants to talk. Also hard to get a dedicated seating area, which as Evan pointed out, is a necessity. No other location to suggest. Funny, one would think there are many good places for breakfast in Montreal that have good food and a relax environment. 7) Did I mention getting a wiki would be a great idea ? Hi everyone,

I’ve been to quite a few MTEB in the last year and met some a the most fascinating people there.

1) it’s casual, and it should stay that way. It’s a great place to meet great people in a relax environment.

2) Having a wiki website for people to write who they are, why they’re coming and what exactly are they looking for (if they’re looking for something), leave their full contact and linkedIn info. It would be a major upgrade form MTEB

3) No formal presentations please, there are more than enough venues for those. Informal and laid-back was key to the success of MTEB. A theme could be a good idea, we could just the Wiki to have people propose one and vote on it.

4) It’s on the Plateau, which is nice for a lot of people. Most of other events are in Old Mtl or Downtown. My vote is : it should stay that way.

5) As Sylvain pointed it out, mornings are good if you have kids. 8:30 is best for me (just after I dropped my son at school)

6) I Love the Laika, it’s my second office. BUT it does NOT open at 8am most of the time. I’ve hit closed doors 2-3 times in the morning. They open mostly at 8:30 (unless they changed that lately). They are also often very busy and very noisy. Not perfect for a group of 20-30 who wants to talk. Also hard to get a dedicated seating area, which as Evan pointed out, is a necessity.

No other location to suggest. Funny, one would think there are many good places for breakfast in Montreal that have good food and a relax environment.

7) Did I mention getting a wiki would be a great idea ?

]]> By: Darrel Miller http://montrealtechwatch.com/2008/08/04/open-questions-to-montreal-tech-entrepreneurs/#comment-32253 Darrel Miller Thu, 07 Aug 2008 22:21:03 +0000 http://montrealtechwatch.com/?p=851#comment-32253 I've been to a few MTEB's and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I like the breakfast theme. From what I can tell there is no real pressure to eat if you don't feel like it. 9am is better for me because I'm driving in from the West Island, but I can survive an earlier start time, although I would prefer 7am to 8am due to traffic. Personally I would rather not do the presentation thing. If you sit next to someone you have nothing in common with there are other people at the table. If you are stuck in front of a presentation you are not interested you can't talk to anyone! I’ve been to a few MTEB’s and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I like the breakfast theme. From what I can tell there is no real pressure to eat if you don’t feel like it.
9am is better for me because I’m driving in from the West Island, but I can survive an earlier start time, although I would prefer 7am to 8am due to traffic.
Personally I would rather not do the presentation thing. If you sit next to someone you have nothing in common with there are other people at the table. If you are stuck in front of a presentation you are not interested you can’t talk to anyone!

]]> By: Sebastien Provencher http://montrealtechwatch.com/2008/08/04/open-questions-to-montreal-tech-entrepreneurs/#comment-457156 Sebastien Provencher Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:40:04 +0000 http://montrealtechwatch.com/?p=851#comment-457156 <span class="topsy_trackback_comment"><span class="topsy_twitter_username"><span class="topsy_trackback_content">Added my grain of salt to the great MTEB conversation happening on MTW (gotta love those acronyms!), http://tinyurl.com/6pukct</span></span> Added my grain of salt to the great MTEB conversation happening on MTW (gotta love those acronyms!), http://tinyurl.com/6pukct

]]> By: Antoine Azar http://montrealtechwatch.com/2008/08/04/open-questions-to-montreal-tech-entrepreneurs/#comment-32185 Antoine Azar Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:22:07 +0000 http://montrealtechwatch.com/?p=851#comment-32185 Hey all, I've never attended a MTEB, mostly because I had this idea that I might be stuck for a 2 hour breakfast idly chatting with people that might have no common interest. Another point is that it's pretty tough to identify who are the most relevant people you want to meet at a given get together. I'm picking up on ideas already thrown: -Arrange a place where you don't have to sit down. Ideally, the place would have high tables with a couple stools and some sort of buffet (doesn't have to be fancy), so you can walk around with your plate and meet many different people. -Before the event, have a page (Facebook? wiki? custom?) where people planning to attend can sign up, give a brief summary of what they do and who they'd like to meet, along with a picture so they're easier to spot at the event. This would also allow people to email each other in advance of the breakfast to make sure they do meet. -Is there any way to contact some marketing/accounting/law/VC/press groups so that some of them show up too? I'd love to meet marketers or journalists that could help my small business, for example. -Maybe generate large font nametags from the webpage mentionned above, with different colors for entrepreneurs, VCs, and other professionals. I would definitely be interested in such an event. Hey all, I’ve never attended a MTEB, mostly because I had this idea that I might be stuck for a 2 hour breakfast idly chatting with people that might have no common interest.

Another point is that it’s pretty tough to identify who are the most relevant people you want to meet at a given get together.

I’m picking up on ideas already thrown:

-Arrange a place where you don’t have to sit down. Ideally, the place would have high tables with a couple stools and some sort of buffet (doesn’t have to be fancy), so you can walk around with your plate and meet many different people.

-Before the event, have a page (Facebook? wiki? custom?) where people planning to attend can sign up, give a brief summary of what they do and who they’d like to meet, along with a picture so they’re easier to spot at the event. This would also allow people to email each other in advance of the breakfast to make sure they do meet.

-Is there any way to contact some marketing/accounting/law/VC/press groups so that some of them show up too? I’d love to meet marketers or journalists that could help my small business, for example.

-Maybe generate large font nametags from the webpage mentionned above, with different colors for entrepreneurs, VCs, and other professionals.

I would definitely be interested in such an event.

]]>