This afternoon I’m heading out to an event posted through Meetup.com, essentially an online forum for people across the country to start groups based on any subject and get together like-minded people. There are cupcake meetups, chess club meetups and countless meetups for businesspeople across all industries. For those looking for a starting point for their networking efforts, look no further than Meetup.com.

This afternoon I’m on my way to a meetup organized through the New York Entrepreneurial Business Network focused solely on tips and tactics for tech startups. Not only do I hope to get some insight into the thinking of tech start-up entrepreneurs, I hope to meet some and plant a seed for future relationships.

One of the first rules of small business (and one of the few that come free of charge): network, network, network.