Networking at REIA Meetings a Waste of Time??

[Account Closed]

Hello everyone,

I had some questions about networking at REIA meetings. I've been to five of my local REIA meetings since last Fall and I have yet to meet anyone who is willing to give me the time of day besides other new investors. At least once at each meeting, I will be talking to someone and within the first sixty seconds of introducing myself, they will excuse themselves and start talking to others. One hard money lender I was talking to literally turned his back on me, mid-sentence, and walked away.

I find that this usually happens after I tell them I'm new to investing, or when they learn I have nothing to offer them besides good conversation.

Am I missing something here?

Are networking events all business, all work and no play? Should I avoid any non-investing related topics?

Is this "speed-dating" approach to networking how it is normally or am I just completely oblivious to how networking events work?

What does a new investor have to offer an experienced one? And how can I quickly communicate that to these good folks before the bell rings and they move on to the next "date"?