WHEN JUDITH LEDERMAN WINKS AT A MAN, SHE MIGHT BE FLIRTING
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Judith Lederman, the Jewish Social and Corporate Wizard.
Judy Lederman wrote our editor-in-chief, a letter after she had read his article on the do's and don'ts in dating a Jewish woman. Here is an excerpt from her letter: "I recently started dating and WOW I was amazed at how guys refuse to buy you more than a cup of coffee on a first date lest they be "wasting" their money on a date that doesn't turn out to be more than a first date. Even a second date can be horrible. One guy bought me a drink and then ordered himself a bunch of bar snacks--nachos and chicken wings (even though he knew I couldn't/wouldn't eat junk food on my diet) and proceeded to scarf them down in front of me! (needless to say there won't be a third date with HIM even though he asked!) And often, I will pay because to me it is astounding at how adamant these guys are about NOT paying. It's easier for me to just grab the check--that way I don't have to worry about them freaking out if I order something that I want that costs a little more. And yes, there are the ones who regale me with stories about ex-wives who "stole" from them and are complete and utter JAPS. (btw, my jdate profile reads "The UNJap"--it's not like I will only date guys who spend big bucks on me, but if they squawk about money on a first date, it certainly does not make a great impression)."
When Judith Lederman “winks” at a man on a dating site, she may be flirting…but then again, she may be working. “I had two problems to solve,” explains Judith Lederman, president of JSL Publicity & Marketing http://www.jslpublicity.com in New Rochelle, New York. “As a newly separated single mom, I wanted to boost my non-existent social life—but I also had to find new clients. Being completely on my own with no adjunct income was a scary prospect.” Judith did what many newly single people do. She signed up for several dating sites. And she prospected for new business as she made her way through the dating pool. She met lawyers, architects, venture capitalists, and retailers, regaling them with charm and pitching business at the same time. She recalls one luncheon with a venture capitalist where the two spent more time punching numbers on cell phones and blackberries then they did talking about life and love. They shared contacts—exchanged information and ideas, and then went on to their respective business meetings. “It was the most productive and exciting lunch I’ve ever had in my life!” exclaims Judith. “I can’t wait until our next date!” But dating aside, there are many new ways entrepreneurs are prospecting. Take David Drake, (www.thesoholoft.com) president of New York City Corporate Housing, New York Housecleaning, Brick House Security and Elite Vacations as well as several other businesses in New York. He opens up his Soho loft each night and invites people from different walks of life to shmooze around his large kitchen cooktop, as chefs produce food. The nibbling mixes with networking. Drake has had as many as 80 people, hand-picked and grouped carefully, connect on any given night. His loft will soon be renovated by one of the architects invited by a networking guest to a recent event. His “core group” of in-house staff cares for attendees and make sure the flow of conversation is productive and fun. “It’s a formula,” explains David, “Not just a party. We bring people in to network and add value to the event so that everyone leaves with a few good contacts.”
Tom Jaffee, the Boston-based inventor of 8 Minute Dating, the leader in speed dating, has also responded to the call of the business-seeker. He recently announced the launch of NetworkingMatch (http://www.networkingmatch.com/), a highly innovative way for business professionals to meet the right people at conferences, trade shows, business meetings, charity events, or social functions. Building on its experience of hosting thousands of singles events, the company is now applying its expertise toward helping business people efficiently meet one another. The patent pending NetworkingMatch system draws from the most relevant aspects of both in-person singles events and online dating websites to enable business people to optimize their chances of meeting the people, who they want to meet, avoid those who they’d rather not meet, and then reconnect with individuals when there’s potential for future business. “NetworkingMatch provides a huge opportunity for Meeting Organizers to give attendees what they really want, and as a result, increase attendance for their current and future events,” says Tom Jaffee, CEO of Match Events. “The number one objective of most meeting attendees is to establish business contacts, and NetworkingMatch provides the best way ever devised to accomplish that goal.” Another entrepreneur determined to change the face of business networking is Richard Braun, CEO of NetLive.com, (www.netlive.com) a video chat technology that brings social networking to a new visual state. The technology enables people to video-chat—up to 17 in a chat room. The business-to-business platform is being offered to sites that typically encourage networking. “Seeing the people you are chatting with and networking with, offers a whole new dimension to the relationship,” explains Braun, who first launched his technology on dating site www.attractone.com and later on www.facenow.com, a social networking site. “It really brings people together on so many different levels.”