Fior di Risorse... Networking Italian Style!

Okay, so I joined a LinkedIn networking site last month called Fior di Risorse. It had a "dinner meeting" last night at Tavola di Cavalieri "Knights' Table" which was described as ten minutes from Assisi. Since the good people at FdR went to the trouble of having in Assisi out of all places in Umbria, I was certainly going to make it.

The website of the Tavola di Cavalieri wasn't all that helpful in providing directions. It showed a map of Umbria. Might as well have showed an Italian flag. So Google map was employed... a bit helpful. What was more helpful for me was the fact tht one of Jax's school buddies, Lorenzo, lived nearby and I had seen the signs. Now Lorenzo does not live ten minutes from Assisi... more like twenty on a clear day... or perhaps more if you mind the speed limits. In the end, the locale was two miles past Lorenzo's house.

So I show up about five minutes late, but I see only two other cars. Was it called off? After all, it was raining and dark. I see two men and and ask "Fior di Risorse?" and they assure me. Where was everyone else? Hummm... This was quite out of the way. Did they get "Blair witched?"

I kid the two guys Francesco and Maximiliano that I was here to observe the Italian version of networking and was duly noting how 7:30 did not really mean 7:30 and that ten minutes did not really mean ten minutes.

At about 9 pm, we are seated for dinner. Remarkabley, the seventeen people or so that said they were coming, came! During the course of the night, I discover that Maximiliano, who I was told lived in Rome, was actually going to drive back to Rome that night!!!!! Yikes!

During the antipasta we start the self introductions anwhen it becomes my turn, I offer to give mine in English, Italian or my more fluent Italian hand gestures.

I try to determine the goals of FdR. This internet networking stuff is all pretty new anyways. It is stated that FdR wants local successful Umbrian entrepreneurs to come and share their stories or "ethics". In exchange FdR is to share their professionalism. I think I may have lost something in the translation.

Networking works so long as the participants offer up something.. anything to the network... it can be entertainment, connections, leads to another deal or just some tiny bit of information. I offer up www.TED.com as a source of stories which I had just discovered. I also offer up the fact that Helen imports Ralph Lauren Polo.