Taking Toledo's Social Network Back to Its Roots

Getting most major tasks accomplished almost always takes teamwork. It's all about who you know and what each person brings to the table. When a group of men decided the Everyman could use some help getting things done, they formed Thosefellas LLC, and what followed was a grassroots effort to bring great things to Toledo.

"Thosefellas LLC is a organization that connects people for the purpose of community, economics, and social growth. We believe the more people meet, the more opportunities are going to be created from those meetings," said co-founder Kamaron Kyser. Thosefellas LLC holds 14 different events centered around networking, ranging from business networking to connecting youth with mentors.

"We felt like we could be a bridge between organizations, companies, and even government. When I say bridge, I mean connection. The city in almost every aspect operates in silos," he said.

At the center of the organization is The N.E.T.T., which is short for NETTworking Toledo, and stands for Networking, Economic Development, in Toledo, by Thosefellas LLC. N.E.T.T. has been bringing together hundreds of entrepreneurs and professionals for the past two years, helping to introduce individuals to opportunities that can be harder to find had they gone it alone. The idea is to embrace networking in a way that creates a stronger business climate, positive social change and community ties, in turn creating a vibrant city that's both enticing to businesses as well as residents.

"We would love to be able to bring a huge company to Toledo, and in fact that is one of our aspirations," said Kamaron. "People want to do business with people they know, like and trust. The N.E.T.T. can be the launch pad for partnerships, business relationships, customers, and possibly even friendships." This month's N.E.T.T meeting is Thursday, January 27th and covers topics like how buying local supports our community, how to move up the corporate ladder and how you can make your business more visible. All these tips are essential for survival in an ever-changing business landscape, but Thosefellas LLC said they're able to think even more critically about the problems N.E.T.T. attendees face in taking that first step to becoming a success.

"We don't have red tape," said Kamaron. "We have the ability to be very creative, but I think the biggest thing about Thosefellas LLC is we operate in an area of passion. It's not a job, this is something we are very passionate about. Coming to any of our functions is like walking into Cheers, you'll feel like you know everyone. There is a big difference between doing a job and doing something you love, and we love doing what we do."

Kamaron also said networking is a vital part of not only getting businesses or community projects off the ground, it's also necessary to keep the momentum going. He said sometimes organizations forget this, which can lead to catastrophe.

"We just watched a