3 Guys: One Cool Idea
Local entrepreneurs create a novel approach to networking

Bob Aber, David Akers and Jeff Nischwitz might be having too much fun organizing networking events in Northeast Ohio, but they’re not about to quit anytime soon. After a successful gathering of local professionals on the 55th floor of Key Tower, the 3 Guys, as they call themselves, greeted 40 guests at Franklin Castle for a Halloween-time tour of the allegedly haunted mansion, an event which sold out in five days. Now the 3 Guys are busy planning another event around Christmastime.

Aber, Akers and Nischwitz, fellow entrepreneurs and networking junkies, have developed a simple yet rather original formula for uniting area professionals. First, bring together diverse, interesting people. At one of their events you might meet a marketing guru, a couple of artists, a medical professional and a lawyer or two. Next, host events in little-known or unusual local spots. The Hermit Club behind Playhouse Square, one of the oldest private clubs in the country devoted to the performing arts, was the site of the first 3 Guys event. Finally, unite others to contribute to Cleveland’s renaissance. Steps one and two above work together to fulfill step 3.

“It’s all about the people and the location,” Aber says, summing up the idea behind the 3 Guys events. The concept has been working well since the 3 Guys introduced their People You Should Meet networking series in January 2008. People You Should Meet began with Aber, Akers and Nischwitz pulling together lists of interesting professionals they knew. Each invitee was encouraged to bring a guest. The response was promising enough for the 3 Guys to schedule another event the next quarter and the next and the next…

People You Should Meet events are invite-only. But the 3 Guys’ latest series, The Bucket List, is open to anyone. The Bucket List consists of places you should visit and things you should do before you—well, kick the bucket. The first event in this series was a cruise on a private 56-foot boat. Next came the tour of Franklin Castle. The goal, according to Aber, is to hold a Bucket List event every month.

While the focus at People You Should Meet events is clearly networking, Bucket List events tend to be more about enjoying new experiences. “The surroundings direct the conversation,” Aber says. “Not everyone has been on a 56-foot boat, for example, so the conversation might begin with, ‘Have you ever been on a boat like this before?’” he explains. The lines of communication are open and relaxed to build personal and professional relationships.

In the spirit of the season, the next Bucket List event will be a private viewing of "A Christmas Story" in the Capitol Theatre in the Gordon Square Arts District. Tickets for the December 8 event are $25 and include popcorn (or beer or wine). Visit http://www.ClevelandBucketList.com for more details.

Aber says he and the other guys have been encouraged by the level of participation from guests who have attended their events. “People give their ideas for places we should hold events in the future. Others have stepped up to offer their services to help plan the events.”

According to their website, www.3guyspresent.com, Aber, Akers and Nischwitz plan to hold events for the next 40 years. Based on the fun they’ve been having creating their networking events thus far, they may extend that deadline by another decade or more.

Photo by Linda's Lenses

Diane DiPiero is always on the lookout for interesting people and organizations that make Cleveland great. Her work has appeared in the Plain Dealer, Cleveland Magazine, Cleveland Business Connects, Crain's Cleveland Business and other local and national publications. Diane recently started Brand It Write, a company that creates web content, newsletters, press releases and other written communications materials for small businesses. A native of Youngstown, she blogs about the Cleveland and Youngstown areas at http://www.asiwaswriting.blogspot.com. Diane is a mother of three and is writing a novel in her precious spare time.