When we started Escape the City we envisaged creating a community whereby people could self-organise and (without needing our involvement) use the platform to meet each other and do great things together.
So you can imagine our excitement when we heard about the Tel Aviv Meetup last week. This is what it’s all about!! Read on for a summary from Jo – one of the organisers. See the bottom for how to start your own Esc Meetup.
————————————————
Israel has the highest number of start-up companies in the world, despite it’s small size of only 7 million people, and at this start-up nation’s centre is Tel Aviv, a vibrant young city full of young people keen to dive into this entrepreneurial culture. But the start-ups around here are usually technology-based, so there is a demand for a more general Escape the City-type group.
On a Tuesday evening, twenty 20-30-something Tel Avivians met at a cafe to discuss escaping the corporate world.
We each shared our stories of the desire to escape: some are feeling trapped in unfulfilling corporate jobs; one guy had just quit his job and was wanting to get more meaning out of his life; a couple who had just returned from travelling the world are trying to start something exciting; and a photographer, Amit, talked about his small photography business that he is trying to grow (www.flyonthewall.co.il). I shared my story of escaping the corporate world to freelancing as a science communicator.
A networking session followed. There was a great, excited buzz in the room- it appeared that all these people were dealing with the same fears and hopes and just were waiting for the opportunity to share and get inspired.
The next day, one attendee Jessica Taylor launched a facebook page for her rock climbing fashion business, 3rd Rock www.facebook.com/my3rdrock. She decided to launch it following advice from the Escape group to just go for it.
We’ve started a facebook group for our members www.facebook.com/groups/273143229390840/, which is very active, and we plan to hold monthly meetings. The next meeting will feature entrepreneur role models who will tell their stories and answer questions. Then in the 3rd meeting we plan to workshop escape plans.
Here is the Meetup Group: http://www.meetup.com/EscapetheCity/Tel-Aviv-Yafo-IL/
————————————————
Massive thanks to Jo Savill for taking the initiative and helping organise the first Tel Aviv Esc Meetup. Hopefully the first of many! You can contact Jo here - www.peoplerinteresting.wordpress.com - @jobolobo - jo.savill@gmail.com
Our Invitation: Please start an Esc community in your city or town - full details here.
Related posts:
- Introducing Adam Street – Escape the City’s London Base
- 3 things I learned at last night’s meetup
- How to escape being ‘headstuck’ in your career
- Please come to our January Meetup on Tue 24th (share your Escape Plan & get help from like-minded people).
- 6 things Adele learnt about the Esc community at Wednesday’s Meetup