Our New Media User Group turned 1 year old in February, and in that year it’s grown far beyond my initial expectations. We’re still tiny, of course, but I’ve learned a lot about how to start a group up. It’s a lot easier than I thought, so if any of you out there are going through the I wish there was a group of people I could hang out with, take heart! It is doable!

The first step was to realize what it is I wanted from a group: an experience that felt like the kind of gathering I would like. While the group’s actual membership has grown more diverse, I find that our core values have remained largely unchanged. I just wrote the following on our group Basecamp welcome page:

So how do you know you belong in the New Media Group? You want to share stories about your work and life experiences with a group of interested and diverse people. Although we started with art and interactive media as a base, our discussions include technology and other professional practice. If you enjoy learning, you’ll fit right in no matter what your background. You are seeking other creative people who are passionate about something, in a supportive environment. We do our best to avoid the “uh, I don’t know anyone here, and everyone already knows each other” effect. You are not interested in traditional “business networking”. When we’re at the table, the talk is about what we do. Bring us your story, not your resume! Of course, after you get to know people, business tends to happen naturally :)

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