Entrepreneurs Unite! Let’s Do Breakfast in Montreal
My friend Julien Smith has one of the most popular podcasts around, and he’s an opinionated fellow when it comes to doing good and connecting.
Julien feels there’s not enough community-driven things going on in Montreal. He unleashed a hailstorm of comments from people with opinions across the board. Many people disagreed, saying that the community is strong, vibrant and active.
Here’s my take - Montreal has a lot going on. But, there is a disconnect. That disconnect lies between the various groups of people in the technology space doing things for different reasons. Some are working exclusively on non-profit projects, others are more business-focused. Some do it for the art, others do it for the money. And, with a smaller city, you do get pockets of expertise - programmers in their Linux User Group meetings, artists collecting at art galleries, entrepreneurs…well…
Hugh McGuire (great guy behind LibriVox and blogging at dose) hits the nail on the head:
I have been around the world, and Montreal has something very particular, but also less cash and less alpha attack (maybe because of that). For me that’s a good thing: rents are cheap, people do art for art, and not to make a name for themselves (see what it’s like in NYC). (on the downside, no one can sell anything here).
A few things stand out there:
- less alpha attack - that’s bad.
- people do art for art - that’s good, but when art and business come together it’s even better.
- no one can sell anything - that’s bad.
The problem doesn’t lie with artists, technologists, a lack of resources, people too spread out (although it wouldn’t hurt to be geographically focused), etc. The problem is a lack of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial spirit.
When entrepreneurs get together magic can happen. Ideas are exchanged. The right questions are asked. People help each other more.
We need more entrepreneurs.
We need to bring them together on a regular basis, to share ideas, goals, contacts, leads, etc.
With that in mind, I’m proposing a weekly (or regularly scheduled) breakfast meeting for every entrepreneur out there doing something in the technology space. That’s a broad swath; from social media experts to hardcore geeks to business people in the Web world…If you’re an entrepreneur in the technology space in Montreal, you should attend.
Breakfast is easier for me (I got a young kid at home!) and meeting up with everyone would be a great way to start any day. How about Wednesday? Thursday? (I’m flexible on location.)
If others are interested, I’d also propose we think about ways of connecting at the breakfast. I don’t think we need to play musical chairs or introduce each other in a kumbaya circle, but what if each of us asked everyone else casually in conversation, “Is there any way I can help you out?”
I wonder what kinds of connections we’d create then.
So, anyone interested? Fellow entrepreneurs…you folks out there?
(PS. If you’re counting, I’m going to use this effort to cross off one of Ron McDaniel’s buzz marketing challenges. Ron suggests that you arrange a networking lunch. He recommends inviting 2 or 3 people together that don’t know each other. To help kickstart the idea, meet with 1 person and ask them who they’d like to meet. Then call up the 2nd person and bring ‘em together. I think this is insanely cool and powerful. My networking breakfast isn’t quite the same, but it should still bring people together that don’t know each other!)
this is a great idea. if you’re looking for a place, i like le comptoir, which is around Papineau and Laurier; it’s comfortable and friendly and they’d love to have us.
I’m also into the idea. Closer to St. Laurent is good for me. Perhaps Cafeteria?
St. Laurent works for me as well. I know there’s some amount of concentration there of entrepreneurs.
Anyone else?
sure, i’m in. st-laurent is good.
maybe you should specifically invite some people “who don’t know each other.”
Hugh - I don’t know who you know and don’t know - but I hope we can bring in people who’ve never met, that would be a big point of all this.
Thanks for tossing your hat in.
I’m in. Anywhere is fine, as long as it doesn’t take 10 minutes to find parking and the place serves fruit and whole wheat bread. There are way too many fat/sugar-filled breakfast menus out there…;)
I’m in! I was planning to organize tech startups breakfast on my own, starting in a few weeks. Let’s start small, but I already had a shortlist of 5-7 interested minds…once or twice per month would be good.
I feel more than that is not possible for busy entrepreneurs, enven then, people might miss some, so let’s be sure to have an online counterpart so people can “catch up” if the miss an event or two).
Also, let’s make sure we have a good muti-cultural representation there, I think St-Laurent is the perfect symbolic spot in Montreal for “diversity”.
Sylvain et al: Let’s podcast it! I have the equipment and breakfast places are usually pretty dead on weekdays.
Sylvain - I’ll touch base soon via email directly, but do you want to send over those that were interested to this post and see if they “sign up.”
I’m thinking ONCE / MONTH - Tuesday morning? Maybe the 2nd Tuesday of every month?
I don’t want to interfere with YulBlog and YulBiz, although the group is a bit different, since we’re focusing on entrepreneurs.
Not sure what kind of online presence we need, but I’m open to ideas…I could put a forum up here, maybe setup an email list?
Julien - I’m totally open to podcasting it. Maybe we can do some interviews and post them here. I’m planning a new podcast series here anyway, so it’d be a good start.
Ben,
Set a place. Set a date. Set a time. Don’t try to email-focus-group it (I know that’s not a word; I just invented it), it won’t work.
Will the place/date/time be perfect? No. Does a perfect place/date/time exist? No.
Bottom line, choose one. Get the ball rolling. Once a couple of meeting have happened, ask for feedback and go from there.
MS
Ben.
I would be interested as well, if you guys would have me!
Warren
Tuesday morning is good, something from 8am to 10am would be good, long enough to catch early risers and late comers…
I will send an email to my friends with a link here, comme ça ils pourront se manifester directement.
Je pense qu’on devrait par contre se limiter un peu, 20 personnes pour la première fois, ça devrait être un maximum.
Gack! Warren wants to come…run away! Run away! Warren, you’d be a great addition. I really do hope you’ll come.
Marc - I agree. We won’t over plan whatsoever.
Sylvain - I was thinking the same- 8am-10am.
I’m not worried about a limit right now - I’d be surprised to get 20 off the bat, but let’s see.
You don’t have to ask me twice. Count me in, but please give me fair warning.
I would also take this opportunity to let you know that Austin and I are involved in the YES Montreal Entrepreneurship Conference, which is taking place on Saturday, March 3rd - info here - http://www.yesmontreal.ca. Full disclosure: I am on the Board of Directors at YES Montreal.
It’s also a great resource for start-ups - they have mentors, money to give away and lots of resources. Sorry for the impromptu NPO commercial, but I’m not sure how many people know about this amazing resource in Montreal.
We should try and hook something up with the Atwater Library project between the two orgs.
Anyhoot, yes, count me in
[…] I always find it fascinating when I have an idea and that boiling on the backburner and then serendipity does it’s magic. I started to discuss with a few local entrepreneurs and startup related folks about doing some cocktails or breakfast just to get things going. Thru some blogosphere echo, I stumbled on Ben Yoskovitz’ post “Entrepreneurs Unite! Let’s Do Breakfast in Montreal“… […]
I suspect I’m one of the people Sylvain is talking about. Count me in.
If working on my own (for a lot of you guys) counts as entrepreneur, then I’m in.
When reading “St-Laurent” I was thinking “La petite marche” but… it’s on St-Denis just below Laurier, oups.
On St-Laurent, I’ve never been but there’s a place corner of St-Viateur I think that it’s supposed to be good. Cafeteria has breakfasts, bit higher than Sherbrooke but I don’t think that’s the right kind of space.
Sylvain Carle’s blog pointed me to this post. If you guys, from time to time, want a young and impressionable venture capital dude to join the discussion and to throw things at (preferably ideas), I’m your man. And I LIVE on St-Laurent, so…
(my usual breakfast hangout is Vieux St-Laurent, just south of Duluth, greasy spoon type place, cheap and good… “Bagel etc.” near Marianne is also fantastic, but maybe not set-up for a group meeting).
i like vieux st-laurent and cafeteria, they’re both good. somebody’s gonna need to choose, btw.
i’d vote for greasy spoon over fancy place.
I love the idea and I think the plateau is central enough for everyone.
Now you just need to set a date/time/place and we’ll let you know if we can make it or not.
Great initiative!
Another interesting (and classic!) greasy spoon for breakfast on the Plateau is Ty-Coq, on Mont-Royal Est (between Papineau and Delorimier).
David,
You’re more than welcome! You’ll bring the VC point of view to the whole Web entrepreneur discussion and it’s sorely lacking in Montreal.
I’m leaning towards doing something ONCE per MONTH - the 2nd or 3rd Tuesday of every month.
If we do the 2nd Tuesday my only problem is I can’t make it in February! So maybe we’ll do February 20th, but then revert to the 2nd Tuesday of every month after that…
I’m still taking suggestions for a place - I would like something more than a greasy spoon; somewhere that you can lounge a bit? Anyone?
And everyone who has commented so far is certainly welcome!
[…] Entrepreneurs Unite! Let’s Do Breakfast in Montreal : Instigator Blog Commentez, ou laissez un trackback à partir de votre propre site. […]
There’s a cafe called Java U in Old Montreal which is virtually empty during weekdays… that place is quite loungy and they don’t mind people sitting there for hours (i.e: they don’t focus on turnover).
It’s also pretty big and we can easily reserve the top floor.
I think they even have WiFi for those who might need to “work” during the meeting/breaks.
Also correct me if i’m wrong, but i’m pretty sure there’s a Java U on the plateau, although it might not be as quiet during the daytime (thus impossible to reserve a section for the meeting, depending on how many peple are present).
What do you guys think about the Java U on the Plateau? It’s on St. Denis I believe. Casual but a bit nicer than a greasy spoon, so people can get something a bit healthier if they like, and it’s got more of a lounge atmosphere.
I’m leaning towards starting on February 13th (because this coming Tuesday is too soon) — and either we’ll stick with the 3rd Tuesday of every month or then switch to the 2nd Tuesday of every month.
We can also change locations too if we’re not happy with our first choice.
So — Java U? Votes?
February 13th? Thoughts?
I liked the idea of Cafeteria on St. Laurent.
I’m not sure I can make it on the 13th. Ironically, I am speaking to the entrepreneurship class for McGill’s MBA.
Maybe we can hold the breakfast in the class!
actually, i think i like cafeteria better too. it’s more restauranty. i’m kind of done with cafes. but wherever it is, i’ll be there on the 13th.
my vote is:
a) anywhere on st-laurent
b) if cafeteria is a preference for others, I’ll vote for that too to help get to agreement. decision.
Guys - Cafeteria it is. 8am. Tuesday, Feb 13th.
We’ll see about a regular monthly schedule and location after that.
I’ll be posting an announcement on Instigator Blog momentarily.
[…] week I completed a buzz challenge by trying to organize a technology entrepreneurs Montreal breakfast meetup. The response was very positive, and so today I’m announcing that we will have our first-ever […]
[…] friend Ben Yoskovitz responded when he posted this great idea for an entrepreneurs networking breakfast and got a great response. I’ll be in attendance and […]
I’m definitely in! The Montreal tech scene is rather boring and I’d like to see this change!
Carl - I look forward to seeing you there.
[…] forget! The entrepreneur’s breakfast that Ben set up is happening at Cafeteria tomorrow morning… 8 am sharp! See you guys there. […]
[…] BarCampMontreal — started by Fred Ngo, a cool cat I got to meet earlier this year — and Montreal Tech Entrepreneur’s Breakfast, these tech companies I long to collaborate with are starting to finally come out of the woodwork. […]
Hello! Ben & Everyone,
My name is ER SHEN, a graduator from the major of media and communication in Concordian University and a native Chinese.
I’ve beening staying in Montreal for long…time (around 4 years:-)) and struggling the French language with my big big Chinese accent. But, still, lovely city and lovely people. Even, here is less Entrepreneur-oriented.
As a half-IT and half-media person, sometimes I’m even confused by myself. Shall I belonge to the group of tech people or the group of media ? (I mean the traditional media ones, TV, newspaper, radio….).
So, Internet becomes my destiny. I started this one, http://www.media-5.net . Does it seem I’m not a very Web 2.0 person (or not yet)? I borrowed an old idea. But it’s very popular in Asia (or China) and they make huge money. They use this simple technology to publish multimedia magazines online and digitalize catalogues. Readers are counted by millions. Because of this project, maybe I should call myself an entrepreneur: young (still), educated, experienced, passionated and …not achieved yet.
Luckly, I found this community. I’ve beening seaching for a while to look for a young IT entrepreneurs’ community, where we meet and share our passion and ideas. And the most important is that we help each other and make things done. For myself, I need partners. Not just for the current online publication project, but also for other possibilities. Don’t foreget I’m from China, a place full of the chances and ventures.Montreal is such a creative city, having an incredible amount of talents. We should do something to bring the energy together. Meanwhile, if you need any advice about IT business in China, or simply travelling to China. I can be a very good consultant.
I’ll go to the Entrepreneur Breakfast on the 10th of July. Please counte me in. Also, I’m trying to registe to the DemoCamp on the 26th of July. Hope to see you there!
And thank you, Ben. You are really the person who brings people together. Hope to know you soon.