Infusion Xmas Party: An informal Networking Cocktail Function

For those of you who are yet to be familiar with Infusion, in a nutshell, they are a casual Asian-Australian business networking group who run calendar events throughout the year that call upon guest speakers and professionals to share their experiences. I have connected with them via my daily rituals of what I termed “google stalking”; this is a deliberate exercise I engage in to scope what other people are doing that can connect with me and my interests. From here, I meet Judy Chueng – an Melbourne-based Infusion events director during my Melbourne University Maximum Choppage: Round 2 Screening. Finally, I connected with Sydney-based Infusion events director savvy marketer Sandra Lie through another Maximum Choppage: Round 2 screening, this time in Sydney. This has now led me to being invited to this Xmas function.

Its very difficult for a westie girl to get dolled up and travel great distances to attend a function in which she doesn’t know what to expect. I definitely didn’t want to look like that country bumpkin that was simply out of place. First things first, I rocked up 1 ½ late this time (highly unusual of me) and had difficulty finding the place. I trotted several times, up and down, down and up, bar to bar to find this “International Cultural Centre”. I envisioned a massive erected building of some sort with huge silver Times Roman Numeral signage but was met with a narrow entrance gallery type venue.

My plug on the venue:
Address: 72 Erskine – The Sydney International Cultural Centre – an events and exhibition, Centre (www72erskine.com), a minute walk from Wynyard Station, provides 4 floors of a unique location in the part of town where all you see is corporate buildings, Price Water Coopers, Macquarie Bank etc…

The more I spent time in it, the more I’d realized what a great little place it was. At the time, Ulrick Schild art collection was on displayed. These series of artworks feature bold vibrant colours splashed across huge canvasses. I fancied his use of courageous brushstrokes which adds to the boldess yet fresh approaches in life.

The food was far from fantastic. Standard finger food of spring rolls, quiches, cage, beef skewers, triangles, limited wine vouchers were the standard for the night. However, any person who goes to something like this should know the value lies in the networking

How did I feel? At first out of place, newbie about it. A little be awkward as to how to start a conversation. Usually feel in control at network but this time round, I’m in the back burner. Great learning experience though, watching people’s style of networking Chris Walker & Grant Mc Farland from Dark Blue Fire are particularly interesting and quirky characters.
Get InRhythm (http://www.inrhythm.com.au/) unique interactive entertainment proved to be quite fun and memorable and most definitely a stress reliever! I’d never thought that a series of communal drum pounding exercises can be so addictive and exciting. My hand is definitely ready to drum someone on the face If needed be! Hahaha! Jokes!

Maria Tran’s 5 Tips to Networking.
1. Don’t be afraid. Start with a smile and an introduction to your name and away you go!
2. Don’t come in too strong. Don’t ‘pitch’ yourself at any given moment as if you are trying to sell some product. It gets really annoying to those people who simply just want to chill out.
3. Keep within your space. Don’t cross over and invade people’s space cushion. It is really quite rude.
4. Never judge a book by its cover and pass them off. You might be passing off a potential opportunity
5. Listen twice as much as talking.