Five Things Friday is a departure from the interviews and features we typically post. Part conversation, Part Proust Questionnaire – but with just five questions, Five Things Friday (hashtag alert! #5TF) shows the lighter (and sometimes sillier) side of our interviewees. We’ll be talking to everyone we can get our grubby little hands on; it’s our way of introducing you to the communications, marketing and creative cognoscenti who rock their respective industries. This week, Joanne M. Brathwaite gets hip to the networking game with the HipHaus organizer, Meira Khosla.
Tell me a little about The HipHaus – how did it come about? How did you and your partners identify the need for such a thing?
The Hip Haus was founded in May 2014 and helps young professionals connect, fosters professional development and brings the community together. Prior to creating the HH, we (my business partners and I) would attend other networking events – many of them were industry specific, and most weren’t very welcoming to 20-somethings like ourselves. So that’s when we thought, why not create our own?
Initially, we didn’t realize how huge the market was for individuals who simply just wanted to get together and meet new people. In doing so, we’ve been able to adapt the Hip Haus over time and bring consistent networking events to the Greater Toronto Area.
What’s a typical HipHaus event like? Are the networking events themed? Who are your typical attendees?
The Hip Haus events are organized in an open-networking format, which allows for more time to meet other young professionals. We host our events at notable venues in Downtown Toronto and Mississauga, which helps create a relaxed atmosphere. There are no themes to our events; we provide our guests with icebreakers to help get the initial conversation started, guests can grab drinks and spend time connecting with other like-minded individuals.
Our demographic is Young Professionals, primarily between the ages of 18-35 – but there’s no age restriction, and everyone’s from all professions and industries are also welcome. It doesn’t matter if you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, student, looking for a job, blogger, lawyer, doctor, web developer (… you get the point) – everyone is encouraged to attend.
Plus, entry is always free – and who doesn’t like free things?
Besides the opportunity to network and meet other young professionals, what happens at a HipHaus meetup? Do you have corporate sponsors or partnerships for your events? Any speakers?
We do have sponsorship opportunities available for companies that are looking to get in front of thousands of young professionals, but we don’t have an agenda or speakers because we find it breaks the flow of the event.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, student, looking for a job – everyone is encouraged to attend.
A lot of networking goes on. I mean a LOT. Everywhere you turn, there will be someone new to talk to. It’s like speed dating for business. Because of the relaxed atmosphere, it helps our demographic wind down after a long day of work, grab a drink and meet some new people.
You’re pretty busy – on your website it says HipHaus is North America’s largest monthly networking event for young professionals. As the HipHaus name/ethos continues to grow in popularity, can you say a little bit about what is planned for the future of HipHaus? What do you see it becoming? What would you like to see happen?
As the popularity continues to grow, so do our ideas. We are always thinking of fresh ideas to grow the brand. Our team plans on continuing to develop our Toronto and Mississauga events, and expand to more cities in the future. Behind the scenes we have plenty of exciting ideas and concepts we plan on bringing to fruition over time. For 2016, we intend on introducing a HipHaus boat cruise and an expo-style business conference.
We would like to see the Hip Haus grow into a global brand. Networking on a beach in Maui sounds like fun!
HipHaus isn’t your only gig; you’re the Managing Partner & Project Manager at Outsite The Box. How do you balance your 9-to-5 with your after 5? Is there anything that one brings to the other?
Ha! 9-5. Well, the Hip Haus and Outsite the Box are subsidiaries of Balantech, our parent company. Outsite the Box is a creative marketing agency – we create beautiful web experiences, help businesses grow through creating marketing strategies and develop brands to their fullest potential. Outsite the Box creates all the graphics that you see on the flyers for the Hip Haus and on the flipside, we’ve met some amazing individuals at our events who have turned into clients.
We endorse entrepreneurship more than the standard 9-to-5 mentality; it’s more of a when-I-wake-up-to-when-I-go-to-sleep. Balancing the roles and responsibilities is all about time management (still trying to figure this out as I add more to my plate!)…I spread my time equally where needed throughout the companies/brands. None of this could be done without the collective work of the exceptionally talented team we have, each of whom are all managing the companies and their time exactly like I do. I guess you can say we’re all “serial entrepreneurs.”
#5TF Bonus! The next HipHaus event is slated for Wednesday, February 17 in Toronto; Meira offers these “Five Things” to someone attending a HipHaus event for the first time.
- Try not to look at your phone. Your Tinder messages can wait.
- There will be a lot of people. Do your best to resist the urge to crowd surf.
- Talk to one of the organizers if you need help getting started. We’re really nice, I promise.
- Grab a drink! A cocktail is just what you need at the end of a long day, anyway.
- Smile! Show everyone you brushed your teeth this morning. 🙂
Meira is a Project Manager & Managing Partner of Outsite the Box, Event Organizer at The Hip Haus, and Co-Founder/Consultant for her makeup company, Lash Bosses. A graduate of McMaster University, she started working at a prestigious financial institution downtown Toronto as a student before realizing her passion was in marketing and joined Outsite the Box/Hip Haus. She thoroughly enjoys eating (at least 6 times a day), going to the gym (to counteract the eating), and forcing her dog Bentley to hang out with her.
Know someone who’d be a great fit for #5TF? Tell us! Drop us a line, or leave a comment below.