Anyone run a meetup group?

[cricketwife]

Ugh. I'm trying so hard to meet people. I joined 2 meetings and one is a total dud. The other has been good so far and I was optimistic about making some friends. The organizer just emailed us all today that she is closing the group because she doesn't have time to do it. I'm thinking of taking it over. What should I know ? What should I ask her? Pros? Cons? Also does the/an organizer need to be present at every group meet up ?

[Deleted]

What about a private Facebook group instead?
I'm an admin in my local one, and we make plenty of events.

[af1212]

I don't run a meetup group but am on the board of my local MOMS chapter. We are a 5 person board and I have held various positions over the years.

I'm not sure how closely they compare but I am not present at every event, nor is a board member necessarily. Each of our events has a "host" and that is the person who is present at the event.

Our board has the responsibility of collecting dues, managing membership, adding and deleting people to our closed facebook group, hosting our monthly business meeting/social, and planning community service projects. We are a non-profit so the board also has the responsibility of filing the tax forms as a non-profit.

I have enjoyed my time on the board. I was the membership person for a while, which was a lot of work. I am the secretary currently, which is not nearly as much work. I have no desire to be the president as that seems like one of the more time-intensive roles.

Hopefully someone else will weigh in soon with actual "meetup" experience!!

[christy082]

I know in the group I'm in, an organizer is not always present.

[ilikedonuts]

Me!

My 4 best friends and I started one. We also have 3 or 4 event organizers. Anything we put up thats like a playdate at the park, etc we try to make sure there is someone (not necessarily one of the 5 of us) that will make sure people find each other. But if its something like a event put on by some place, we do not worry about being there. We more post those sorts of things just so people know they are going on and can go with they feel like it.

[ilikedonuts]

I am in charge of asking people to pay their dues (through meetup) and deleting those that don't. The person who created the group is the "Organizer" while the rest of us are "Co-Organizers" so the Organizer pays for the website twice a year.

Other than that its really not hard.

I also plan a yearly end of summer potluck for the group and I think we're going to use the majority of our excess dues to rent a bounce house. I rarely plan any playdates/events so I try to take over a few "bigger" things like holiday parties.

[cricketwife]

Jul 7, 2015 19:15:49 GMT -5 ilikedonuts said:

Me!

My 4 best friends and I started one. We also have 3 or 4 event organizers. Anything we put up thats like a playdate at the park, etc we try to make sure there is someone (not necessarily one of the 5 of us) that will make sure people find each other. But if its something like a event put on by some place, we do not worry about being there. We more post those sorts of things just so people know they are going on and can go with they feel like it.

My. Ask why you started one? If I had 4 best friends I feel like I wouldn't need av method , lol? I'm genuinely curious to know what motivates people to join/organize.

[ilikedonuts]

Jul 7, 2015 19:26:00 GMT -5 cricketwife said:

Jul 7, 2015 19:15:49 GMT -5 ilikedonuts said:

Me!

My 4 best friends and I started one. We also have 3 or 4 event organizers. Anything we put up thats like a playdate at the park, etc we try to make sure there is someone (not necessarily one of the 5 of us) that will make sure people find each other. But if its something like a event put on by some place, we do not worry about being there. We more post those sorts of things just so people know they are going on and can go with they feel like it.

My. Ask why you started one? If I had 4 best friends I feel like I wouldn't need av method , lol? I'm genuinely curious to know what motivates people to join/organize.

Drama! lol

One of us was kicked out of the group we all met through. So we started our own, then the other 5 of us got kicked out of the original so basially everyone else abandoned ship and joined us as well. 

[ilikedonuts]

There is a core group of about 15-20 of us (occasionally someone moves, or someone new joins the group that really clicks with us) that are overall pretty close. Our kids have started to pick close friends though and we have broken off into smaller groups for more day to day last minute stuff (hey lets go to the park down the street in 10 minutes).

Birthday parties are fucking crazy though. Don't even get me started on the number of kids.

[waterchurch]

I just started one too! The other groups I'm a member of the organizer isn't always present, other people can host.

[waterchurch]

Do people usually pay dues? One group has a garage sale to raise the money, but I don't want to do that. Would it turn you off to be asked for dues?

[cricketwife]

Jul 7, 2015 19:55:53 GMT -5 waterchurch said:

Do people usually pay dues? One group has a garage sale to raise the money, but I don't want to do that. Would it turn you off to be asked for dues?

I've seen several with nominal dues ...like $5 or $9 /yr. the group I may take over had no dues because the organizer was paying them. I'm willing to do that for a few months but not forever. Personally, I'd much rather pay $5 than do a garage sale.

[loskadoodle]

I actual do. It's pretty easy as long as you have a couple other organizers to help add things to the calendar. Pm me if you have questions.

[ilikedonuts]

Jul 7, 2015 19:55:53 GMT -5 waterchurch said:

Do people usually pay dues? One group has a garage sale to raise the money, but I don't want to do that. Would it turn you off to be asked for dues?

We charge $5. If paid through meet up I think they take like 75 cents of that. Ours is rolling so as of now I think we have 65 members who have currently paid (maybe 40 of those are active). We just hit the renewal period for all the original people about 3 months ago. 

I find it helps weed out people.

[ilikedonuts]

You can set up a trial period too before dues are due. Ours is 60 days, but I think we are going to drop it to 30 days.