Whether you’re a new resident to Phoenix, or a longtime professional who’s worked here a while, business opportunities are sometimes a handshake and a business card away when you attend great networking group event. There are networking associations here affiliated with educational institutions like ASU, industry groups like American Marketing Association and specific industry niches
You can literally find professional networking groups of all stripes and colors in Phoenix to fit your needs and desires. But when it comes to peer-to-peer business-related connections, these long-established groups below have the upper hand with professionals across the Valley.
Here are five popular business networking groups in the Valley:
Arizona Technology Council – https://www.aztechcouncil.org/
The AZ Tech Council is more than just networking for technology professionals. It’s an advocacy alliance for technology companies; a public policy group for state and national technology issues, and a beacon of opportunities for tech start-ups seeking funding, tech workers or licenses.
Founded in 2002, The AZ Tech Council is one of the key organizations helping Arizona to grow as a business location for technology companies. The Council offers a wide array of networking opportunities for different parts of the overall technology industry. For example, it promotes and produces networking events, educational forums, and business conferences throughout the year to bring together business leaders, startup founders, investors and visionaries. As the number of tech companies have proliferated in the Valley, the AZ Tech Council’s membership has also risen. That in turn has provided more resources to advance the growth of a technology-based economy in greater Phoenix.
It all adds up to a very busy business organization, providing its member companies with educational experiences, marketing opportunities, and business-focused legislative proposals to further grow Arizona’s business climate. To join, fill out the AZ Tech Council online application.
Business Network International Arizona – http://www.bniarizona.com/
Business Network International (BNI) has a simple purpose – it wants to connect businesses small to large, to network, work together and make more money. The Arizona chapters of this international networking group are numerous. For instance, there are many BNI Arizona chapters listed for all of the cities in the region, including Phoenix, Tempe, Gilbert, Scottsdale and others.
The group aims to help members create business leads and services, grow professional development and build great business relationships. The BNI secret sauce is using a professional referral marketing program that provides opportunities for:
- New business development
- Improved business education
- Excellent networking with like-minded professionals
In Phoenix and Arizona overall, these networking referrals have helped members to give and generate millions of dollars in business. To join BNI Arizona, a person can join only one chapter at a time, paying registration and annual participation fees designated by each local chapter. First-time visitors are welcome to any chapter meeting, and application forms are available at the meetings.
Network After Work – https://www.networkafterwork.com/events/phoenix
Network After Work is a national networking organization, branching out into cities around the country. Founded in 2009 by Samantha Ballenger and James Miller, Network After Dark has since expanded to more than four million members in 85 cities. What makes this group different is that it eschews the normal dull conference room or hotel lobbies for networking events, and rather finds cool restaurants and interesting venues to host events. These different locations help to bring more energy to their networking events, and gives attendees a chance to relax and do more in-depth networking.
At Network After Dark events in Phoenix, entrepreneurs, business owners and young professionals share work ideas, hiring opportunities, and business strategies to help others’ career plans and business goals. Network After Dark offers several types of membership plans, helping people to choose the right one to get ahead in their professional ambitions.
Networking Phoenix – https://www.networkingphoenix.com/
With some 40,000 members, Networking Phoenix is one of the largest non-university affiliated networking organizations in the state of Arizona. The organization began with founder Gelie Ahkenblit in late 2008, who quit her corporate career to launch a technology startup around networking. Over the past decade, Networking Phoenix has turned into a connected local platform that has continued to rise in popularity and services offered.
Networking Phoenix is committed to its vision to help others meet their goals by building impactful relationships. Its members are brought together in large quarterly networking events, and smaller premium events held monthly. Maybe the best contribution that Networking Phoenix brings to the Valley’s networking scene is the full calendar listings of many other networking events, hosted by organizations all over the Valley.
People can attend some events for free, but members gain special privileges by obtaining a Networking Passport on a monthly or annual basis.
Local Chambers of Commerce
The Chambers of Commerce have ALWAYS been about great networking opportunities for business owners, solo entrepreneurs, agency and corporate workers and others. This article would be remiss if it did not highly recommend your local chambers of commerce.
With so many cities in the greater Phoenix, AZ region, the opportunity exists to mix and mingle with attendees in any of many networking events hosted the region’s city chambers of commerce. It’s generally a 30-minute drive to any of these events, giving people the opportunity to expand their network.
Here’s a listing of major cities around (and including) Phoenix and their Chambers of Commerce. Check each website for specific listings for your desired events and membership options.
Greater Phoenix – http://phoenixchamber.com/
Carefree/Cave Creek – https://www.carefreecavecreek.org/
Chandler – http://www.chandlerchamber.com/
Gilbert – http://www.gilbertaz.com/
Glendale – http://www.glendaleazchamber.org/
Mesa – http://www.mesachamber.org/
North Phoenix – http://www.northphoenixchamber.com/
Scottsdale – http://scottsdalechamber.com/
Tempe – http://tempechamber.org/