As a major metropolitan hub in the Southeast, Atlanta offers immense opportunities for business networking, development, and growth.
With limited time on a business trip, carefully planning your packed 36-hour visit ensures you make the most of Atlanta for career advancement.
From leveraging conferences to connecting with partners, discover how to maximize the 36-hour window in Atlanta best.
Things You Must Do to Advance Your Business Within 36 Hours in Atlanta
Here is how to maximize 36 hours in the city to create momentum for your company or career:
Friday
Morning
1. Check schedules of industry events
Scan Eventbrite and industry sites for relevant conferences, trade shows, or networking meetups happening while you’re in town.
Registering for a pivotal industry or role-specific event is a huge growth opportunity.
2. Research companies to connect with
Identify Atlanta-based businesses and leaders in your sector that could be beneficial partners or clients. Email to schedule an intro coffee meeting.
3. Outline discussion topics
Prepare specific business topics, partnership ideas, and questions to cover in your meetings to avoid generic small talk. Have an agenda.
Afternoon
1. Browse shared office spaces
Check out co-working spaces like WeWork, Strongbox West. You can also gather to get a feel for Atlanta’s startup scene and identify possible partners co-located there.
2. Visit industry hubs
Travel to relevant business hubs, technology parks, incubators, or commercial centers related to your field to absorb energy and scout possible collaborators.
3. Network over lunch
Arrange a power lunch with new local connections through LinkedIn or peers.
Discuss business opportunities and what is disrupting your industry. Exchange ideas.
Evening
1. Attend an industry association event
Look for evening gatherings like mixers or speaking events from associations in your profession to grow your community.
2. Go to business leader presentation
Research if any esteemed area business founders or executives are giving open talks or keynotes to glean advice.
3. Introduce yourself to local influencers
Attend a business happy hour and make personal introductions with movers and shakers in your networks. Start relationships.
Saturday
Morning
1. Stop by high-growth startups
Get coffee at rising startup businesses in your sector. Introduce yourself and demonstrate interest in their success. Offer support.
2. Take a pitch/strategy session
Book time with an Atlanta entrepreneur coach, SCORE advisor, or trusted peer to refine your business plan and presentation. Incorporate feedback.
3. Browse creative hubs
Visit innovative spaces like The Gathering Spot or Ponce City Market to spark new directions for your business through cross-pollinating ideas.
Afternoon
1. Participate in an accelerator program demo day
Attend startup incubator demo days to evaluate potential strategic alignments with emerging companies and get their A-list mentor feedback on your own growth strategy.
2. Brainstorm with entrepreneur groups
Join a discussion with the technology or entrepreneurship group at Georgia State University, Morehouse, Spelman, or Georgia Tech. Explore fresh perspectives.
3. Evaluate expansion viability
Analyze area demographics, local policy, talent availability, operating costs, and infrastructure. Research could support expanding here.
Evening
1. Attend VC/angel investor events
If seeking fundraising, look for open venture capital networking events or angel investor gatherings to start conversations.
2. Enter a business pitch competition
Find pitch events through Startup Atlanta or similar groups. Pitching helps refine your business case and visibility.
3. Discuss opportunities with mentors
Set up dinner with experienced Atlanta entrepreneur mentors through SCORE or elsewhere. Ask insightful questions.
Read Also: 20 Top In-Demand Jobs in the USA: Best Career For You
Sunday
Morning
1. Visit Forbes Under 30 Summit
If the timing aligns, attend the Forbes Atlanta Under 30 Summit to connect with young leaders and promising startups.
2. Browse Black-owned businesses
Shop, dine at, and engage with thriving Black-owned establishments like those listed in The Village Market ATL.
3. Tour corporate innovation centers
Check out innovation labs from major area corporations like Coca-Cola, Delta, Georgia-Pacific, or UPS for inspiration.
Afternoon
1. Attend relevant industry conferences
Conferences occur year-round in Atlanta. Identify any in your field like fintech, bioscience, film/TV production, etc to attend.
2. Enter a hackathon
Find Atlanta hackathons for solving business or social issues to showcase expertise while collaborating with new people.
3. Shadow an area expert
Reach out through social networks to find an expert in Atlanta willing to let you shadow for part of a business day to exemplify excellence.
Evening
1. Volunteer with a startup support nonprofit
Assist a Startup Atlanta event or with nonprofit innovators like Georgia Micro Enterprise Network to expand your purpose.
2. Watch a Techstars Demo Day
Demo days showcase the innovative new Techstars Atlanta cohort companies to potential investors. Inspiring and networking rich.
3. Advise a student business
Offer your insights to student founders at an Atlanta University Center institution or elsewhere through a mentor session.
Maximizing Your 36 Hours
Follow these tips for making the absolute most out of a brief 36 hour Atlanta business trip:
- Research extensively beforehand and develop a meticulous schedule and outreach list.
- Rent a car for maximum efficiency traveling between multiple meetings and events or consider Uber.
- Stay at a centrally located hotel near your primary business interests.
- Pack lightweight business formal attire suitable for events, presentations, and meetings.
- Bring ample copies of business cards, pitch decks, resumes, and marketing material.
- Download Atlanta business profiles to stay informed on the drive to appointments.
- Carve out designated blocks for email catch up and follow ups between gatherings.
- Take detailed notes of insights gleaned and connections made for post-trip development.
Conclusion
With smart preparation and planning, you can pack 36 hours in Atlanta with pivotal networking, research, mentoring, and visibility-building events to heavily advance your business goals.
Tapping into Atlanta’s vibrant startup ecosystem and business community leads to invaluable progress and relationships in just a day and a half.
Follow up diligently on every lead upon returning home to maximize your precious time spent in this hub of opportunity.