Meetup is an online free service that helps you find other people in your local community who share the same interests as you. The big idea is: find & connect online, meet offline. This is great social media tool to meet people around you. Try an account I say, it works brilliant.
Today, they sent me this email. Its their story of origin. I've found it a beautiful story that exactly embodies my excitement about the potential of online structure with an offline effect. I share this email here, because this story is a icon of the #JUSTdoit spirit.
I donât write to our whole community often, but this week is special because itâs the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and many people donât know that Meetup is a 9/11 baby.
Let me tell you the Meetup story. I was living a couple miles from the Twin Towers, and I was the kind of person who thought local community doesnât matter much if weâve got the internet and tv. The only time I thought about my neighbors was when I hoped they wouldnât bother me.
When the towers fell, I found myself talking to more neighbors in the days after 9/11 than ever before. People said hello to neighbors (next-door and across the city) who theyâd normally ignore. People were looking after each other, helping each other, and meeting up with each other. You know, being neighborly.
A lot of people were thinking that maybe 9/11 could bring people together in a lasting way. So the idea for Meetup was born: Could we use the internet to get off the internet â and grow local communities?
We didnât know if it would work. Most people thought it was a crazy idea â especially because terrorism is designed to make people distrust one another.
A small team came together, and we launched Meetup 9 months after 9/11.
Today, almost 10 years and 10 million Meetuppers later, itâs working. Every day, thousands of Meetups happen. Moms Meetups, Small Business Meetups, Fitness Meetups⊠a wild variety of 100,000 Meetup Groups with not much in common â except one thing.
Every Meetup starts with people simply saying hello to neighbors. And what often happens next is still amazing to me. They grow businesses and bands together, they teach and motivate each other, they babysit each otherâs kids and find other ways to work together. They have fun and find solace together. They make friends and form powerful community. Itâs powerful stuff.
Itâs a wonderful revolution in local community, and itâs thanks to everyone who shows up.
Meetups arenât about 9/11, but they may not be happening if it werenât for 9/11.
9/11 didnât make us too scared to go outside or talk to strangers. 9/11 didnât rip us apart. No, weâre building new community together!!!!
The towers fell, but we rise up. And weâre just getting started with these Meetups.
Scott Heiferman (on behalf of 80 people at Meetup HQ) Co-Founder & CEO, Meetup New York City September 2011â
Cool story, don't you think?