DRINKING NOT DRINKING: PDX

While WNW is known for connecting creatives and companies, we also have a reputation for showing our community a good time. We sent a small budget to a few PDX members with the task of throwing a kick ass meetup on our behalf. With WNW Member #5622 Benji Brucker taking the lead, members #3283 Bernadette Spear, #1316 Meg Hunt, #1935 Aaron Rayburn, #4040 Katie Reardon, and #2257 Kate Bingaman-Burt banded together, using the WNW platform and network to rally their peers and give exposure to the PDX creative scene.

In Benji's words, "The crowd was fantastic, prompt and thirsty! An hour into the event 50+ WNW party affiliates were well on their way to not working for the weekend and possibly not even getting off the couch. Aalto Lounge was a perfect backdrop for personal passion project postulating, catch-up chat, and general tomfoolery, all of which were observed in full force."

One of the things we pride ourselves on here at WNW is making networking as seamless as possible. WNW Member #4288 Ben Sellon volunteered to be the night's photographer and couldn't help but notice how organically everyone networked... and how good looking they all were: "The night was really great -- good turn out and REALLY good people. You know that feeling when everyone is talking about all the cool shit they're making, but nobody is salesy or networky about it, and everyone just wants to go and do everything with everyone? It was one of those. Teamwork forever!"

Katie Reardon agreed that building a community is crucial to becoming a freelancer: "I'm new to the freelance game and am finding fellow freelancers to be the best support crew ever. All of us here in Portland are so helpful with each other's project hunts and weird tax questions and agency tips. This party was a nice celebration of that (and an excuse for us all to smile a lot and take awkward photos)."