On the 1st of June, 2024, AngloNet proudly hosted its first highly successful meetup in Kolkata. This event marked a significant milestone for our community, demonstrating our collective strength and commitment despite numerous challenges.

As you may know, I started AngloNet a month back, and it has been going pretty well, reaching the stage that I envisioned. However, organizing the first meetup was an adventure filled with unexpected hurdles.

The journey to this meetup was filled with hurdles. Extensive planning was necessary, but we persevered and made it happen. Initially, the idea was to have a meetup at a cafe, but we decided to make it a more formal event. Unfortunately, just one day before the event, we encountered a major setback: our sponsor backed out at the last moment, turning out to be a scammer. This was a devastating blow, but our dedicated member Elvina Carr, who has supported AngloNet from its inception, stepped in to save the day. Elvina generously sponsored the event from her personal savings, ensuring its success. Without her, this meetup would not have been possible.

With only one day left for the event, I scrambled to get banners and mugs designed along with a photo cake. It was difficult; the heat was intense as I collected the ordered items after tremendous effort. As a one-man team, I endeavored to cover all aspects of organizing the event. However, the success of such a gathering relies heavily on the participation of its community members.

The day of the event brought its own challenges. I had expected Andrea to help out, but she fell sick. I was really tensed and didn’t sleep for three days, feeling slightly unwell and stressed as on the 2nd of June, we had another event by Bengal Business Council. After meeting Andrea, I came back home, tried having lunch, and then carried everything downstairs to the Uber. Somehow, I managed to carry the heavy weight, nearly falling down with everything but reaching the venue safely. Setting up everything at Your Space, Park Circus, which, despite being expensive, has kind and helpful people, was a relief.

Despite it being election day in Kolkata, with limited transport options, all available members made a concerted effort to attend the meetup. After setup, Andrea came, and we went to Mio Amore to pick up the cake and snacks. Although the distance was just 500m, I didn’t want to risk the cake, so we took an Uber back to the venue and reached on time.

I was thrilled to see everyone arrive on time. The event commenced with a casual networking session over snacks, followed by an introduction to the event and a celebratory cake-cutting ceremony. A lot of people had come, and it was a wonderful evening. I kickstarted it with introductions and then in-depth discussions about what everyone does. Each member had the opportunity to introduce themselves, share insights about their businesses, and discuss their goals and visions. This segment was incredibly productive, fostering a sense of camaraderie and mutual support.

After a while, my parents came, and towards 8 pm, Anirban arrived. We had fun, and I closed with my keynote. I did not expect it to go so well, and the feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive. The members’ support and enthusiasm were truly motivating, reinforcing our commitment to hosting more such meetups and events in the future.

This is a small step towards greatness, and we are excited about the big things yet to come. We are incredibly grateful to Elvina Carr for her financial support. Thank you to everyone who joined and contributed to making our first meetup a resounding success. Let’s continue to support each other and build a thriving community together.

Best regards,
Craig Gomes
Founder, AngloNet