How a memorable evening at Tavern by the Sea reminded me what networking should really be about.
By KC Cuijpers, CEO, Town & Country Property Co., Ltd.
My father once gave me a piece of advice that has stayed with me throughout my business career.
“It doesn't matter who you know. What matters is who knows you!”
At first, that might sound a little arrogant. But think about it. You can collect a thousand business cards, shake hands with half of Pattaya and have a telephone full of important contacts. Wonderful. But when somebody needs a property consultant, a lawyer, a contractor or simply a reliable introduction, will they remember YOU?
That's what networking is really about. And it's probably one of the reasons I became so involved in Pattaya's business and social scene.
Before Movers & Shakers, There Was Lighthouse Club
The Lighthouse Club is an international organisation with its roots in the construction industry, supporting workers and families affected by accidents and hardship. A worthwhile cause, and something I was happy to support.
When I became involved with Lighthouse Club Pattaya, its local networking activities needed some fresh energy. I was eventually asked to take on the chairmanship, and I saw an opportunity to make the gatherings more attractive to a wider business community.
Why limit networking to a relatively small circle of construction professionals when Pattaya had developers, hotel operators, bankers, lawyers, architects, consultants, business owners and entrepreneurs who would all benefit from meeting each other?
We introduced a more entertaining and welcoming format, with attractive venues, good hospitality and a stronger emphasis on bringing people together. Less ceremony. More conversation.
After all, nobody really wants to attend a networking function where the highlight of the evening is a forty-minute speech about how wonderful the organising committee is. Haha!
The events became increasingly popular, and Lighthouse Club Pattaya developed into a familiar fixture on the local business calendar. Most importantly, the gatherings also supported charitable work, including the Melissa Cosgrove Children's Foundation. I enjoyed that period enormously.
Meanwhile, Movers & Shakers Was Born
In 2009, I had already launched another idea. Movers & Shakers.
I wanted to create a networking experience that was a little different from the conventional chamber of commerce reception. Something with atmosphere. Good venues, interesting people, music, entertainment, perhaps a little glamour, and certainly no shortage of opportunities to make new friends and business contacts.
The concept was simple: bring together people who might otherwise never meet.
Our first major event took place at The Village in Pattaya in September 2009, combining a daytime golf outing with an evening networking party. Around 450 guests attended. Fantastic!
There was entertainment, a fashion show, drinks, food, plenty of familiar faces and just as many new ones. And then the heavens opened. Torrential rain!
The sort of tropical downpour that makes you wonder whether somebody upstairs has a personal problem with your event planning.
But the guests stayed, the party continued and I learned a valuable lesson. Never organise another major outdoor networking event during the rainy season. At least, not without a very large roof.
Despite the weather, Movers & Shakers was an immediate success. The following events became bigger, more glamorous and increasingly well attended. We were onto something.
The Chairman With the Very Important Name Badge
Now, let me tell you about an evening I have never forgotten.
After my time as Chairman of Lighthouse Club Pattaya came to an end, the organisation passed into new hands. Let's call the new management Joe and Bea.
I was naturally interested in seeing how the new committee would continue the networking tradition. So when one of their early gatherings was announced at Tavern by the Sea, on the premises of the popular Amari Hotel Resort Pattaya, I decided to attend.
I brought along my regular event photographer, Khun Chaianan, who had photographed so many of my networking functions over the years.
We arrived at the registration desk, paid our admission fees like everybody else and entered the venue. Nobody particularly welcomed us, but never mind.
We went to the bar, ordered a drink and looked around. We had hardly finished that first drink when a gentleman approached us.
Around his neck hung a rather prominent badge.
CHAIRMAN OF LIGHTHOUSE CLUB.
You couldn't miss it.
Now, I have never had much use for titles at networking events. Whether somebody is a CEO, chairman, managing director or chief bottle washer, I believe everybody deserves the same friendly welcome.
Apparently, our new Chairman had a slightly different approach. His first question wasn't: “Hello KC, good to see you!” Or even: “Welcome, gentlemen. Enjoying yourselves?”
No. He wanted to know what Chaianan was doing with those cameras.
I explained that we had simply come to see how the new Lighthouse Club gatherings were progressing. Chaianan would take a few photographs, which we could share on social media. Facebook was becoming increasingly popular, and I thought a little extra publicity could only help.
Apparently not. Mr Chairman informed us that taking photographs required his prior permission. And then, quite unexpectedly, he asked us to leave.
I pointed out that we had both paid our full entrance fees and had only just arrived. But frankly, our mood had already disappeared.
What fascinated me most was that he either didn't recognise me as his predecessor or simply considered his new position so important that it didn't particularly matter. Haha!
Anyway, approximately fifteen minutes after arriving, Chaianan and I walked out of Tavern by the Sea.
I never attended another Lighthouse Club Pattaya gathering. As I recall, the new committee continued for a while, but the networking scene I had known was never quite the same again.
Sometimes, Walking Away Is the Best Decision
Was I angry? Not particularly. Surprised? Absolutely. Disappointed? A little.
But something became very clear to me that evening. I had spent years trying to create networking opportunities where people felt welcome, comfortable and appreciated.
And here we were, two paying guests, being asked to leave because somebody hadn't approved a camera. It was almost comical.
I remember walking away thinking that this was precisely the sort of unnecessary formality I never wanted associated with my own events.
Movers & Shakers already existed, of course, but that evening strengthened my conviction that we were heading in the right direction.
Forget the titles. Forget the egos. Make people feel welcome.
Networking should not be complicated. People come to meet people. And preferably enjoy themselves in the process.
Movers & Shakers Takes Off Like a Rocket
As Movers & Shakers developed, we attracted an extraordinary mixture of guests. Property developers, hoteliers, bankers, lawyers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, members of the diplomatic and chamber communities, and plenty of people who simply enjoyed being part of Pattaya's social scene.
Our events moved into some of the region's finest hotels and venues, including Centara Grand Mirage, Holiday Inn, Hilton and other well-known establishments.
Pattaya was growing, and so were we. Eventually, Movers & Shakers expanded to Bangkok, bringing together business communities that had traditionally operated in different circles.
Some evenings attracted hundreds of guests. There was music, entertainment, occasionally a little extravagance, and always plenty of conversation.
I wanted people to leave an event having enjoyed themselves, made useful contacts and already looking forward to the next one. Not rushing for the exit as soon as the speeches ended.
Having Fun While Doing Some Good
From the beginning, I believed that successful networking should also give something back to the community. Through Movers & Shakers and related charitable networking initiatives, we helped raise substantial funds for worthwhile causes.
The Melissa Cosgrove Children's Foundation was one of the beneficiaries closest to our hearts. I still remember presenting a THB 300,000 donation during a Lighthouse Club gala event in 2012, money that would help support a nursery for disadvantaged children.
Moments like that made the work worthwhile. Because organising these events was not always easy. Sponsors had to be found. Venues negotiated. Invitations sent. Entertainment arranged. Guest lists managed. And, occasionally, the weather gods needed convincing.
Over the years, more than 60 Movers & Shakers events and gatherings have welcomed an estimated 15,000 guests, contributing to charitable fundraising efforts totalling approximately THB 4 million.
Those are numbers I am proud of. But the friendships, introductions and business relationships created along the way are impossible to calculate.
The Real Value of Networking
Looking back, I don't measure the success of Movers & Shakers by the number of people standing at a bar. Or the number of bottles of wine consumed. Although I suspect both figures were rather impressive.
I measure success by the relationships that developed. People found business partners. Developers met investors. Service providers found clients. Newcomers became part of the local community.
And many genuine friendships began with a simple introduction over a drink. That's the magic of networking when it works.
It should feel natural. It should be enjoyable. And nobody should need to display an oversized badge announcing how important they are.
Would I Do It All Again?
Absolutely.
I have no regrets about my involvement with Lighthouse Club Pattaya. We achieved good things, supported worthwhile causes and helped bring the business community together.
And I remain grateful to the many sponsors, volunteers, committee members, hotel teams, photographers, entertainers, friends and supporters who contributed to our networking events over the years.
Movers & Shakers became something much bigger than I originally imagined. What started as an idea in Pattaya developed into a recognised networking name, bringing together thousands of people from different backgrounds and industries.
And it reinforced something I have always believed. Business is about people.
Of course, experience matters. Professional knowledge matters. Integrity matters. But relationships are what hold everything together.
Which brings me back to that memorable evening at Tavern by the Sea. Two admission fees, one unfinished drink and fifteen minutes later, we were standing outside.
I couldn't help smiling. I had just been shown the door at a networking event. By the Chairman. Of an organisation I had previously chaired.
You couldn't make it up.
But perhaps the greatest lesson of that evening was also the simplest.
If you want people to come back, make them feel welcome in the first place.
And remember what my father told me all those years ago: “It doesn't matter who you know. What matters is who knows you!”
Just make sure they remember you for the right reasons.
KC Cuijpers
CEO, Town & Country Property Co., Ltd.
Founder, Movers & Shakers
Pattaya, Thailand