Meet New Friends. In Real World. With Grouper
There are about 81,100,000 results on Google search on the subject of 'It's hard to make friends in London' and over 755,000,000 (!!!) results on 'How to make friends in London'. So I guess I could make billions by writing a book revealing some top tips and tactics on meeting new people in London but I will give it to you here in one blog post. Or should I rather say - in one word - Grouper.
Grouper who? Set up by Michael Waxman in NYC in 2011 (and backed up by the famous in the tech/startup world Y Combinator), Grouper is a social club that sets up drinks between two groups of friends: 3 on 3.
How does it work? Once you sign up to Grouper with your Facebook, you then nominate two friends of yours to join you for the unforgettable time out (yes, you need to have at least two friends to start meeting new exciting people ;) ). Grouper's sophisticated software then matches you with the other group of three friends who are just as awesome as you three are, and Grouper concierge adds a human touch to the selection by making sure you are all set to have a great time. You then get an email with some info on the venue, time and theme and tips to get your good times roll!
And then? You just show up! We headed to a quirky bar off Old Street and chatted to two Aussies and one Venezuelan (who I still believe must be Canadian at heart!) over drinks from prohibition era, and before we knew it our concierge Polly surprised us with a special Throwback Thursday and sent us to our very own private 80’s hotel suite bash - a The Boundary Hotel. The 80's movies and moves, neon accessories, 2 truths and a lie, lots of stories and dozens of photos hardly describe all the fun of a typical VIP Grouper time out.
Is this yet another dating thing? (Doh!) You never know where love finds you, of course. :) The very Michael Waxman of Grouper in fact is dating a girl he himself met on a Grouper date when he was 25. And I saw with my own eyes an email from one lucky Grouper'er who proposed to (and got engaged to) a girl he met on Grouper. It is however much more than a dating thing. It pulls you away from your MacBook and iPad screens brings you back into the bright and colourful environment of real life - with real people! :) Unlike with online dating, there is no pressure to scroll through numerous profiles, struggle through the awkward one-on-one dates and leave hope that one date would be a dealmaker. At Grouper meet-ups you are connecting with great people - and if you are not connecting with someone there well enough, there are at least two more people to speak to, and your friends will back you up and support you! If your Grouper date sparks some further interest though - perfect, treat it as a bonus to the great time and new friends! Anyway - see what Michael has to say about the concept of the social club in the video here.
My disclaimer? I'm not sure if there is anything cooler than Grouper at the moment (it even partnered with some bars in the US where one can pay for drinks with Bitcoins!!). The only two downsides I have to make you aware of before you sign-up are: it might be so much fun you might never want the evening to end and for this very reason you might need to work with slight hangover the day after.
If you can't wait to sign up now... It takes around 2 weeks to get your Grouper membership approved however you can join here an enjoy the perks of VIP membership, including skipping the line (your membership will be approved straight away), go for your Grouper dates at premium venues, get bespoke matching experience and receive a free ride with Wheely whose drivers in nice and green Toyota Prius or gorgeous Mercedes E class cars will get you home safe and without hassle.
It's about time you now finish reading this post, join Grouper and head to a cool place to meet your new exciting friends!
