What
is the main goal of the Minglers?
Expand your network - professional, social,
romantic - by making new connections.
Is
this a dating service?
No.
Do people get dates out of it?
Yes!
Is
this an employment service?
No.
Do people get jobs out of it?
Yes!
Can
I come with a friend or significant other?
No.
One of the characteristics that makes Minglers unique is the fact that
no one knows anyone else. This
levels the playing field and puts people at ease. You donÕt have to worry about coming by yourself because
everybody will be there solo! No
cliques, no groups, no history.
EveryoneÕs the new kid!
What
do Minglers cost?
$15 plus a drink or snack to share (youÕll get a
request to bring a certain item about a week before an event).
How
do I pay?
Once your spot is confirmed, go to Reserve A
Spot below > click on the $15 PayPal button. Please donÕt pay until youÕve confirmed that a spot is
available.
What
happens at the Minglers?
Get to know each other, appetizers, drinks,
games, low-key mingling, exchanging of contact infoÉ
When
are the Minglers?
Friday or Saturdays, at 8 or 8:30PM.
How
long do Minglers last?
However long people choose to hang out. Guests have stayed till 4:30am, but the
average Mingler breaks up around 1AM.
You of course may leave whenever youÕd like.
What
do I bring?
á
A ready to meet new people vibe
á
Your assigned snack or drink
á
Business cards if youÕd like (guests
often scramble for scraps of paper and pens to write down contact info)
What
if I'm a shy person? Will I feel
uncomfortable with a bunch of people I don't know?
I can't guarantee that you'll feel at ease, but
not knowing anyone there often elicits a freeing ÒI can be whomever I want to
beÓ sensation. Plus, I'm pretty
good at getting strangers to mesh quickly. And remember everyone is in the same boat - no one knows
each other, so youÕre all the new kid!
What
should I wear?
This is not a suit, stiletto heels, and buy a
new outfit evening. I can almost
guarantee I'll be in flip-flops 'n jeans.
Comfort comfort comfort.
What
kinds of people come to the Minglers?
Average age is early to mid 30s, though the age
range spans from 22 to 77.
Most live in the city.
Gay and straight.
Most are single, but open to people in
relationships too.
Sampling of jobs -
á
Copy Writer
á
Bartender/Party Planner
á
Lawyer
á
Grad Student- Architecture
á
English Professor
á
Harpist/Grant Writer
á
Financial Planner
á
Gymnastics Coach
á
Social Worker
á
Legal Secretary
á
Environmental Engineer
á
Actor
IÕm
gay. Can I sign up?
Of course!
IÕm
dating someone/married. Can I sign
up?
Of course!
But to maintain the popular dynamic of no one knowing each other, youÕll
have to leave your significant other at home.
Why
are the events called Mac 'n Cheese (MnC) Minglers?
My company is called Mac 'n Cheese Productions
because I like what the dish represents - comfort, nostalgia, universal-love,
overalls, and big wheels... MnC Minglers aim to evoke
the same feelings.
Why
is your website Òwww.macncheesedinnerparties.comÓ if you donÕt serve Mac Ôn
Cheese and itÕs not a dinner party?
Answer to the former above. The events started out as small dinner
parties and morphed into Minglers.
Why
are you doing this?
IÕve been throwing Òno one knows anyone but meÓ
dinner parties for years, to take advantage of a random and expansive circle of
friends. Over time, I became aware
that people were hungry for ways to make connections other than bars, the
computer, networking events, and other traditional methods, thus I transitioned
from informal, inconsistent gatherings for friends into a more organized
structure for everyone.
Are
you in cities other than Chicago?
No.
Have
you ever thought about franchising?
People from New York to London have approached
me with the idea. For now, IÕve
decided to maintain the simplicity of focusing on Chicago. But, this concept is by no means Òmine,Ó
so feel free to start your own version of the Minglers! Open to cross-promotion, i.e. if you
start them in NYC, IÕll market your events to my NYC friends, and hopefully
youÕd do the same for any Chicago folk.
Does
coming to a Mingler mean I can't meet anyone/get a job myself?
My philosophy is that you can never have too
many connections. Coming to a
Mingler means you want to consume some good food Ôn drink, play games, expand
your professional/social/romantic network, and not have a "I should've
stayed home and watched MadTV" feeling when you
get home from a night out.
How do I sign
up?
Go to Sign Up below. Make sure to fill out ALL the
fields. Add
ÒsayahillmanATyahoo.comÓ to your address book so I donÕt go to your spam
folder. Then sit back, relax, and
wait for an email with details of upcoming events. Respond back with your interest in attending. If a spot is available, reserve it via
PayPal.
When
will I be invited to a Mingler?
Everyone receives notification of an event at
the same time and then itÕs first come first serve (for the most part - if
someone you know is already coming, youÕll have to wait, and I try to balance
male and female numbers). I
usually have at least a couple a month, sometimes more, sometimes less.
If
romantic matchmaking isn't your primary goal, why do you strive to have a
balance of males and females?
It's a different dynamic. There just always seems to be a certain
vibe when the two sexes come together that's high energy and É just different.
Why
was my friend whom you don't even know invited before me?
Probably because of one of the following answers
-
a. You know someone who'll be at that Mingler
and/or their circle of friends, your friend doesnÕt
b. I needed a male/female, and you're the gender
I didn't need this time around
c. I thought that friend might better mesh with
that particular group of people due to job, age, personality, interests, etc.
How
can I help make the Minglers more frequent?
Spread the word, especially to your male
friends. The ratio is about 2455
girls to every 8 guys.
But
if I tell more guys, and I'm a guy, won't that make more competition and make
it harder for me to attend?
Not necessarily. I will throw more frequent Minglers as the number of males
increase.
Can
I come to more than one?
Yes!
Often have repeaters.
How do I get in touch with someone I met at a Mingler?
The easiest way is to ask the person for his/her contact info at the Mingler. If that doesn't happen for some reason, you can see if he/she is a member of the Facebook group, "Mac 'n Cheese Minglers" and message them that way. You can ask me for his/her info; I'll ask the person if it's ok if I share, and if they say yes, will give you their info.