Atlanta is a city chock-full of ambition, where entrepreneurship is on the rise. Its burgeoning startup culture marks it as a destination for creatives, innovators, and business founders.
But if you’re new to the city, or just visiting, how do you tap into local networks, find like-minded people and make new business contacts? Where should you go if you want to meet a client over coffee, or relax after a busy afternoon of networking?
Here are my recommendations for entrepreneurs visiting Atlanta, from the best restaurants for a business lunch, to my favourite places to park my laptop.
Best place to get a coffee
Aspiring entrepreneurs have long been scribbling down business ideas on the back of napkins at Octane Coffee Bar + Lounge. As well as the best coffee in the city, the Octane Westside, Grant Park and Atlanta Tech Village are great places to gather over a latte or a craft beer.
Some of my favorite conversations about Atlanta’s tech, startup, and arts communities have happened at Octane. I recently went there for a drink with a local musician/producer and a contact at a music tech company. We chatted about the ways that tech startups, business leaders, and artists in Atlanta can better collaborate and support each other’s work.
Making contacts
There are many great ways to get involved in Atlanta’s startup community. One of the best methods to get acquainted with the companies and people involved is to check out the monthly Atlanta Startup Village event where five founders present their startups to hundreds of attendees. If you’re looking for a casual way to connect with new contacts, look no further than Startup Chowdown, a weekly lunch at Atlanta Tech Village that attracts about 250 people
I’ve met some incredible entrepreneurs at these events. My favorite piece of advice came from Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb, at Startup Chowdown when he leveled with a few hundred entrepreneurs about how hard entrepreneurship really is. Joe spoke about Airbnb’s days in the “trough of sorrow” after the early buzz around the product wore off, before they really started to scale. I looked around and saw many nodding heads and knowing looks from other startup founders around the room.
Along with great weekly and monthly gatherings, the city has a fantastic event for meeting investors, corporations, and other startups in Venture Atlanta, the region’s annual venture conference. Venture Atlanta is one of the best places to hear from the newest, most innovative startups in the city, startup founders who have successfully built businesses, as well as the investors who have helped fuel their growth.
Where to set up your laptop
Contacts and community are crucial to success but you also have to do the work in order to get your startup off the ground. Need to pop in somewhere and get an hour or two of work done but don’t want to end up at Starbucks? You’re likely to be near to one of Atlanta’s co-working spaces such as Atlanta Tech Village, Strongbox West, Roam, Industrious, C4 Atlanta, Opportunity Hub, Foster, or NEX Atlanta. Most of them offer day passes so you can drop in, use their spaces, and connect with other entrepreneurs.
Where to unwind
If you’re taking a day off to reenergise, why not enjoy a classic Atlanta day – a late brunch and bottomless mimosas followed by a walk on the Beltline or an afternoon in Piedmont Park? Or, if you want to avoid the crowds and enjoy a more unconventional Atlanta oasis, venture over to Lake Claire Community Land Trust near Candler Park.
On the days when I want to escape the city and soak up a bit of history and nature, I head 25 minutes east of Midtown to Sweetwater Creek State Park and explore the old ruins along the trails. This park is one of Atlanta’s best-kept secrets.
Business drinks
Atlanta offers a variety of options for dinner or drinks after a day plugging away at your business. Tech Square is just minutes away from some of Atlanta’s best restaurants and bars, including Empire State South, Barcelona, Serpas and Krog Bar.
Head a bit further into downtown and you’ll find Studio No. 7, one of Atlanta’s newest bars, which doubles as a co-working space for creatives and artists during the day. One of my favorite’s is Noni’s, which is on the new Atlanta Streetcar line. Their pasta is delicious, plus they’ve got a great wine list, and I love their vintage decor. It’s spacious enough that you can find a nook and have a one-on-one conversation or network with a larger group.
Leaving [north Atlanta neighbourhood] Buckhead after a long day of networking at Atlanta Tech Village or Roam? Try King + Duke, Holeman and Finch, or Seven Lamps. Want to accompany your cocktails with a killer view of the city? Look no further than Whiskey Blue, one of Atlanta’s best rooftop bars.
Or – if you prefer a more low-key evening – try a historic pub in Virginia Highland like Atkins Park or, my personal favorite, Manuel’s Tavern. If you’re up for an evening of fun, play a game of billiards or bocce at Ormsby’s in West Midtown or go bowling at The Painted Pin. No matter how you spend your time in Atlanta, it’s nearly impossible to leave the city uninspired, having had some interesting conversations and made some great contacts.
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