The Trading Post

Networking with Kids: A New Approach for Parent Entrepreneurs

• Trader Stu • Season 2 • Episode 2

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I accidentally created a solution for parent entrepreneurs struggling to balance networking events with family responsibilities by launching a family-friendly business networking group. The experience revealed how many business owners need ways to grow professionally without sacrificing precious time with their children.

• Found that traditional networking events force parents to choose between business growth and family time
• Created "Networking with Kids" events at Jungle Java with another Alignable Ambassador Dr. Mary from Susie Q's Kids
• Strategically scheduled from 4-6pm following school pickup times
• Provides contained environment where kids can play while parents network
• Saw immediate success with natural connections forming among both parents and children
• Planning expansion to additional venues and potentially multiple monthly events
• Available through Alignable, Meetup, and Eventbrite for interested participants

If you're in the Metro Detroit area, join us at Jungle Java on Hall Road in Clinton Township from 4-6pm on the first Thursday of every month. Parents and kids of all ages are welcome!

RSVP for the next event!

https://www.alignable.com/groups/alignable-alliance-of-metro-detroit-mi/events/networking-with-kids-may-2025?_faid=16503&cpd=1

https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-qwiaqsgd/

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/networking-with-kids-tickets-1317605566719?aff=oddtdtcreator



“Whistles In The West” was written, recorded, and produced by Durracell, exclusively for use with Trader Stu’s platform.
 
 This original jingle is a Western/Cowboy-inspired piece, reflecting Trader Stu’s signature style—always rocking the cowboy hat. Set in the key of D minor, the track blends rodeo whistles with a country-like guitar riff.
 
 The track is protected under U.S. Copyright (filed and registered), and rights to use have been granted specifically to Trader Stu for content and promotional use related to his brand and media presence.
 
 For additional licensing, custom audio, or to inquire about future collaborations and performances, contact:
 📧 durracellmusic@gmail.com
🌐 www.durracell.com

“Whistles In The West” was written, recorded, and produced by Durracell, exclusively for use with Trader Stu’s platform, always rocking the cowboy hat. The track is protected under U.S. Copyright rights to use have been granted specifically to Trader Stu for content and promotional use related to his brand and media presence.

contact:
 📧 durracellmusic@gmail.com
🌐 www.durracell.com

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The thoughts and views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and do not reflect the official policy or position of Metro Trading Association. Although the host is an employee of Metro Trading, this podcast is intended to educate entrepreneurs on the benefits of professional trading, regardless of their location. Additionally, the host reviews various pieces of camping gear due to the association of trade, barter, and prepping.

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Speaker 1:

Well, alright, it looks like it's been a little while since I was able to get on here and do a podcast. It is amazing how fast the time goes. I'm looking at the last update here on my Buzzsprout and it looks like I guess it hasn't been a month yet. Okay, well, march 24th that was the quick one about the Gaming Ad Revolution and I wanted to mention something about that. That is a really good idea, for it's like evergreen, almost evergreen content. You do it once and you got your ad up there for was it four or five years is the average game life expectancy, so not a bad idea. When you put it all out there like that with the $5,000 a year times five years is $25,000. And that's how much it costs about $25,000, to put an ad on that. So, hit the gaming ad revolution. That's what I did in the last episode there. Listen to that real quick. And also there should be a mid-roll about the get prepped video game that's being manufactured right now and developed. So, anyway, let's get into it. All right. So I wanted to mention something about my latest endeavor by accident. So if you know what Alignable is, if you're an entrepreneur in business or anything of that nature. You might know about Alignable, which is I always explain it as LinkedIn and Facebook had a baby and out came Alignable. It's kind of like a chamber or a B&I, but digitized. Of course. It's a social media platform only for people in business, and so you're not getting a lot of the job search functions that you get on LinkedIn, like I'm looking for a job, are you hiring, or you're not getting all the Karens complaining about God knows whatever on Facebook and people ranting about politics and all of that. You don't get any politics in Alignable. You don't get any politics on Alignable. You don't get any people looking for jobs or hounding you about things like that. And also, actually it's even frowned upon to co-call on Alignable, though they don't like you pitching. So it's all about helping other people get leads or contacts and then hopefully in the future they you know, they remember you when they come across something that would benefit you and help you out and give you a referral. That's the whole like the giver's gain, like BNI sort of speak thing that they're doing.

Speaker 1:

And I was in BNI for a while, god I don't know it's been. Let's see 2008. I got out of the military and got into the ADT business-to-business alarms, and I think it was 2009, maybe 2010. And I was in B&I that whole time and then even got a new job, stayed in B&I and then eventually just fizzled out. It's a lot of work. I was even a vice president with the B&I group there that I was in.

Speaker 1:

We had to go every Thursday I think our show time was 6 am until 7.30, and then you get to come with a referral or closed business or one-to-one that you want to get done, or you kind of get a slap on the wrist and then, if you don't do, I think you get two or three strikes or warnings and then they ask you to leave the group. And it's expensive, dude. I looked it up online the other day. I think it's $1,000 a year or something like that. I think it's a $300 right now application fee and then $600 a year, and if you do two years at once, I think they give you a deal for like 1300 bucks or something like that. I mean it works, but that's a lot of money, dude, to put down for networking group. And there's so many others out there, but I'm not talking bad about them, but I'm just saying that it's. It's a it's. You need to really be committed for that and they make you be committed. That's kind of the cool thing. So that's why it works, because they make you be held accountable. It works. For some others it don't, and anyway it don't work for me, for my line of business it just won't work.

Speaker 1:

So I do chambers and other things. I'm alignable and I'm trying to get better on LinkedIn and anyway. So I want to get back into it. I digress, I was in alignable and basically what's going on? Why I don't want to do this networking with kids group was because I was in the chamber. I am still in the chamber and they do a lot of like after hours events.

Speaker 1:

So one time I decided you know what? I'm going to bring the kids and wife to the bowling event and it's a public bowling alley. It's not like the chamber bought out the bowling alley. So I was like, hey, just come and hang out and play video games or whatever, right, so that way I could hang out with my kiddo At any rate. Everyone ended up loving it, like everyone in the chamber, and I think some maybe were a little bit like spiteful or resentful maybe of it. They could kind of tell they were like distasteful or whatever, I guess, but I don't care, like it's a public place, dude, so you know they can come and go wherever they want, anyway. So I was like man. That worked out really well.

Speaker 1:

I wonder if you know something like this would benefit people with kids that wish they could network, especially after hours, and but they can't, or they feel obligated to get home because they miss their kids or they have, you know, practice of some sort soccer, basketball, you name it, dance, you know, and then uh, or pick up the kids, even from school, you know, because grandma, grandpa don't take, take over, they don't have babysitters or, you know, insert, whatever situation is, I'm lucky because my wife's able to stay home with the kids, so that's not an issue. It's just that I didn't have a kid to work my life away and then not, you know, be there in the evenings and tuck them in and read them stories and bedtime stuff and all that you know the fun stuff, and play with them before he goes to bed, cause, you know, by the time I get home at five, you know, those two hours, two and a half hours, go quick, dude, by the time you, everyone knows that. You know if you got kids by the time you get home, you do dinner, you do a quick little play session and take a shower and boom, it's bedtime, you know. So I don't like missing that stuff. So I was like man, I just kind of posted randomly on Alignable and there's different groups in Alignable where you know like there's like a dads and business group, there's parents and business, there's they're called parentpreneurs, which is pretty funny and cool and clever.

Speaker 1:

So of course I joined it because I like clutter and I just kind of posted in the groups. I was like, hey, is there anywhere around that anybody knows of? That is a networking group, you know can kind of hand out contact information, schmooze and you know business cards, the whole thing, like you do at chamber events, but it's family friendly, you can bring your kids and then the kids can play or even, if they want to. The other idea was is that if they're old enough and they're in like you know what do you call it Girl Scouts, boy Scouts, and it just happened that we just missed Girl Scout season when my first event took off was they could maybe sell cookies and set up a table and they teach entrepreneurship at Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts because they do the popcorn thing or whatever. Somebody else wants to do lawn mowing. Well, you know, sign up people at the event for mowing lawns or whatever you know, insert whatever entrepreneur thing or craft that you want to sell at this event. That's the whole idea. And then the younger kids if they're not interested in entrepreneurship, they go play and they I don't say they call it network with other kids because you're just playing. Let's not turn this into something more serious.

Speaker 1:

But you know, I'm on Nextdoor app and I hear all the time is that people are new in town and new moms or parents, whatever. They want to make new friends. How do I make friends? I'm an adult, I have no time. By the time I go to work and I get home and I put the kids down, like I just said, you put them in bed and shower and whatever, and then, boom, how does that happen? How do you have a friend? How do you go out and make friends when you don't have babysitters or can't afford babysitters and things of that nature?

Speaker 1:

So you know, my wife and I are always trying to find different ways to find new mom friends for her or whatever, and for me, honestly, I don't really get along with many people in a friendship-wise like situation unless they've been in the military and there's an instant rapport there like situation, unless they've been in the military and there's an instant rapport there. So cause I? I think the other vets get other vets and I don't know. It seems I don't want to get into it, but um, anyway, it's not about me, so uh, anyway. So I was like well, let's uh, is there anything around here that does that? And everyone's like no.

Speaker 1:

But you know, definitely, let me know if you find something because it's a good idea and I would do that. I'm like okay, well, the only other problem with the lineable is that it's a nationwide program. So even though they try and niche it down to like just your area or region or city, you end up getting outside of that and honestly, I kind of almost wish I could just like get rid of all of the connections I have outside of the Great Lakes region, which is my territory, michigan I call it the Mayo or Mayo, I guess, however you want to say it. But Michigan, indiana, illinois, ohio, and that's kind of like my region. I guess you want to say where it would benefit people to be in Metro Trading Association. That's what I sell, that membership. And so, anyway, they're like yeah, let me know how it goes, and hit me up when you get it running.

Speaker 1:

I was like, no, no, no, no, no. I don't want to start nothing, I don't want to get nothing running. I'm not trying to do that, I'm asking where is it? I just want to go to these events. They're like, oh, there is nothing. So if you want it, you're going to have to do it. I'm like, oh man.

Speaker 1:

So then right away, dr Mary hits me up. I'm one of the groups and she owns and runs Susie Q's Kids, which is a nonprofit based off of her daughter who had died, and then she gives out these coloring books and a bear and markers and other things, this little grab bag to help kids that are in hospitals or in foster care, going into court systems that help the kids feel better, right? So she's like I work with kids and I love this idea. We're going to do it and you're going to be I have to make you an ambassador on Alignable. So then you're going to go through the program because you qualify, and then we're going to be I have to make you an ambassador on alignable. So then you're gonna go through the program because you qualify, and then we're going to head up this group together and we're going to do this.

Speaker 1:

I was like, oh man, like I got enough going on, I don't want like too much extra work, I guess I don't know. I never headed up a group before, like I don't know. You know what I did one time. I did a meetup group I think I bought. I forgot what it was even about. It was like 15 bucks a month to be the host of a meetup group and I bought it and I think I dropped it after six months and I forgot what the heck it was even for or about. Huh, I had to look up my old account and see what I started, but obviously I didn't go anywhere, because I have a tendency of starting things and then it fizzles out after the excitement gets over and then, uh, well, you know, it goes off.

Speaker 1:

Like I've been through so many different YouTube channels. I tried getting into YouTube. I think it was back in 2015, maybe 17. No, it was before that 15. Yeah, I was in Rochester and I was going to like this whole. You know, whatever, I only get into the whole I had seven different YouTube channels and they all didn't make it.

Speaker 1:

So it's hard, dude. Podcasting is enough, doing audio only, and then you want to combine in there video. Especially back then I didn't have a computer that could render it, so I had to throw that thing in the freezer or the fridge or whatever while it rendered the video because it kept overheating and shutting itself down. But now you can do the stupid rendering on your cell phone. It's insanity, dude. It's crazy how much power is in your pocket and people just don't even realize it.

Speaker 1:

I've been through it. I'm the beginning of the millennial 81, 1981. So I've seen it all come and go. Not even go. I guess it'll go, but whatever. So anyway, I digress again.

Speaker 1:

So, dr Mary's, like, all right, we're going to make you an alignable ambassador, and then we're going to head this up. You're going to be a co-ambassador for this group, and that was in the Macomb County group. And then there's five groups, by the way, in Detroit, metro Detroit. So then we get this going. I go through all the training. It takes like a week or it's like six hours or something like that of watching videos and taking quizzes. I can't remember it. Anyway, it doesn't matter. And so I finish it up in a few days and I'm like, okay, cool days. And uh, like, okay, cool. So now they're like oh, by the way, your macomb county group is now combining with, uh, metro detroit, oakland county and then, I think, wayne county and there was, I think, greater detroit area or something like that.

Speaker 1:

So we got from, went from 537 members or something like that to, I think we're at I don, 3,200 or something like that. Like it definitely multiplied the group by many, many times, right. So I was like, wow, what timing. So now when I send out these invites to the group, not just 500 people get it, but like 1,300 or 3,300. I can't remember what it is, but yeah, way better, you know better odds, right, for shows, anyway.

Speaker 1:

So we set up this event and I make in Canva a little deal and I'm like, okay, cool. So here's what we're going to do. It's for so parents or moms or dads or grandparents with kids that have to take care of their kids, or aunts or uncles that have kids, or basically anybody who is responsible for kids. It might even be a good benefit for people who are in like child care, right. So they come they network, hand out business cards and be like hey, you know, bring your kids to this daycare or whatever, like that, and you can do it one or two days a week. We're going to do this, that's why I'm bringing it up. But you can drop the kid off one or two days a week, go running around, get some errands done, get things done, clean the house without it getting trashed behind you. As fast as you clean it, you know how kids are. And then that way, you know, but that's $85 a day or something crazy. We're going to have to go back to work. I said to my wife you know, if you want to do that, that's what is that? $160 a week, that's say $200. And then so that's $400 every two weeks, that's $800 a month, or so $700 to $800 a month just to put him in a daycare for a few hours for fun. Like this place looked cool, like I would want to go right. So I was like, well, no, we're not doing that Anyway. So I realized how expensive childcare is, right. So all right.

Speaker 1:

So the whole idea was the event is you started at four o'clock and then it goes till six, just a quick two hours. So why four? Well, because you're picking up the kids at you know 3, 15, I think it is. My stepson gets out. I forgot what it is now. 3, 15, 3, 20, I think it is 3, 20. So then, by the time you pick them up, you turn around, you go over to it's currently hosted at Jungle Java and then on Hall Road, by the way, and you go there at four. You show up a few minutes early there at four. We show up a few minutes early, don't matter, you know I'm there at 3, 30 and then. So then, yeah, you come in, you hand out your schmooze business card.

Speaker 1:

It the kids play was what's kind of cool is that? The one girl that was there I think she was 11 and the mom was like, yeah, she's super shy and doesn't really know, you know, doesn't play with kids much and whatever. And so my wife took my stepson over and like, hey, you guys are going to play now Go get lost Like the old school ways, right. And they took off and we never really saw them again and one time she came back beet red from running around in these tunnels. And if you've ever been in the jungle, there's basketball in these tunnels, so it's good for all kids. There's a toddler area and the mom was like, hey, you having fun? She's like, yeah, this is awesome. So then a few minutes later, a half hour later goes by and she's like, hey, you ready to go? And she's like, nope, and so she didn't want to leave. So that was kind of a cool thing.

Speaker 1:

So that's kind of what I kind of figured. You know, if the kids have fun, I mean they want to come back. You know they're going to drag their parents back right. So it's kind of a sneaky way to get repeat uh show times at the, uh at the thing, uh at the event. Um, because a lot of time parents are like oh, you know, I'm an adult, I'm a parent, I'm like I don't feel like going to this networking event, I'm going to cancel or just not show because, you know, insert reason here, right. So I was like, well, that worked out well and the showing was relatively small. I was expecting a few more. I think there was a total of four or five of us, maybe six adults anyway, but the kids, I think there was what there's three minimum and they had other friends. Now that was.

Speaker 1:

The other cool thing too. I forgot to mention is that. So, as the kids go out and play and they have a little click already, right, there's like a little group to kind of know each other because they're all part of our group and they we all, they know the parents or whatever. So then they met other kids who wanted to join them because they are already rolling Right. So then all of a sudden there's this new kid in our group at the table and he's just coloring with the markers and paper that Dr Mary brought. And so, of course, here comes the mom. You know she's like oh man, my kid just went and crashed a party, right, like this ain't his party? Like no, no, no, cool.

Speaker 1:

And then, you know, of course, I asked her do you own a business? You know, are you in, are you in anything? And she's like no, I just have a regular job or whatever. I'm like okay, well, you know. Then people were like well, here's a business card. We had a massage therapist there. And she's like if you need, you know I make affordable rates and I come to you if you're busy. You got kids and you know I'm a traveling massage therapist. And then another one handed a business card. I hand a business card and you know there's a contact right there maybe referrals and she was like, oh, this is really cool. I'm going to tell my friends that are in business that this is going on, right, boom. And so hopefully, every first Thursday of the month people show up and we get new members and things of that nature.

Speaker 1:

I just hear all about it all the time and it's working. I think it'll work. It'll get some ramp up time or period there, but you get it rolling and maybe it'll not fizzle out in the summertime, who knows, because people are on vacation, the kids are gone, you're not picking up from school, you're not out of the house. The problem is getting out of the house or away from work, but having to pick up the kids makes that all happen. And then you hit up this event after you get them. That's kind of the whole point. So I'm not expecting anything great to happen until, was that September, june, july, august, september. Yeah, kids go back to school in September, right, I think, anyway after Labor Day.

Speaker 1:

So anyway, there's that and let's see, I just wanted to go through my notes here and make sure I didn't miss anything about this and if you guys are in the area. Like I said, jungle, java Hall Road, clinton Township, that's where it's. At 4 to 6, first Thursday of the month, we've got kids of all ages, right. So if they're a minor, bring them. Or even if they're not, if they're 18 and they want to get into, like I said, mowing lawns or do that, bring them along too. Like I said, thereowing lawns, we're like that, you know. Do that, bring them along too, because, like I said, there's a basketball court so they don't have to run through tunnels and go down slides. I did want to mention one thing too.

Speaker 1:

It was kind of cool is that, even though there was only a few of us there, the time went by so fast, right? So if two hours went by, boom. And the plan was that I was going to do a five-minute spiel on metro trading and how it benefits businesses and things of that nature, and it didn't even happen. All we did was go around, give our elevator pitches and just go like that. So it's hard keeping the agenda that Doc Mary and I had set up. It didn't even happen. Some of it did, but most of it didn't. So that was kind of cool and you know it's it'd be hard to do like a guest speaker or whatever, because of the kids, right, cause they're coming and going.

Speaker 1:

My wife was chasing my son and he's not even two yet. So he and he is like open throttle all the time. He just runs wide open. I call him two cycle because when he starts, when he wakes up in the morning, it's like firing up a chainsaw, like a two cycle chainsaw or weed whacker. It's just wide open, dude, and he runs until he can't go no more. You know I was making a joke. I'm like the old diesel or like an old World War II prop plane Takes a little while to get warmed up, he's just like gone.

Speaker 1:

So we understand that parents might not always have a helper to come help. And that was the whole point of it too is that you know inevitably, when you're waiting for kids coming down the slide, you kick up a little bit of conversation with the parent that's waiting there as well. You know it's bound to happen, right, but generally it's forced, awkward situation and you're just kind of like oh, it's a main conversation, just because. But if you're already there as part of the group, that is, you know the alignable group networking with kids, you know it's an open, invite to ask about what you do and, um, you know, do your elevator pitch, right? So while you're chasing kids around and that was the whole idea and I, we all understand that not everybody's going to sit there in the group, in the side in the party room and uh and talk and hang out.

Speaker 1:

Uh, I got lucky to where you know, my wife was able to run after a link and go for it and then come in once in a while and he would hang out with his brother occasionally, um, or another kid. It's all quarantined off right, like not quarantined, but like there's a door or whatever, right, and the people at the front know us. So there's no kids sleeping with anybody out the back door or front door without anyone knowing about it. So you can keep an eye on them, of course, but it's not like it's at a park where they're just going to like run away. That's the whole point of this. Why we didn't do it at a park is because we want the kids just like to run away and saunter off and like go off into the woods or out in the road or the parking lot. So at least at like a jungle Java it's four walls. The kids are contained for lack of a better word and then that way you don't have to be always on and you can you know chit chat as they're doing their thing with checking in on them from time to time. There's actually another member, uh, that wanted to do this as well and he has the same kind of concept, except for these tunnels and slides. He has an indoor bounce house. It's in the mall and I might be holding it there in the third Thursdays of the month, and then Jungle Java will always be first Thursday of the month, but we'll find out. Right now I think that one event per month is enough, but also I understand that doing two a month is probably better, but we'll see how it goes.

Speaker 1:

I just realized that I should also, if you're not unalignable and don't want to be unalignable and you don't want to get in one more networking thing, as I did. I had a bad experience where it loaded everyone in my contacts and sent everyone out a mass email to invite them in. I forgot that it did that. It's kind of like when you start Facebook up for the first time, or LinkedIn. It said do you want to add your contacts? And it was early morning and I just was clicking through everything. I was like, oh no. My roofer was like, what's alignable? I was like, oh no. It did say to everyone in invite Dang it At any rate. So just watch for that if you sign up. Anyway, if you're not on alignable, don't want to be.

Speaker 1:

We'll add the links to the meetup group that I made that is available for signing up and Eventbrite. I'll leave both of those links in the description for meetup, eventbrite and I guess I'll just do a lineable too. Why not, who cares? Right? So it'll all be in the description. I wanted to thank Duracell for making the intro music. The whistling music that you heard was brought to you by Duracell and I'll have his contact information in there as well that you can check out and look at his events that he's got coming up and that's it. Be good or be good at it.