The Only Three People You Need To Know At A Party

By Andy Ellwood
Walking into a large room of strangers alone and having a good time is not always the easiest thing to do. I’ve been doing it for my entire career and flying solo to an event still takes a little mental pep talk. But, with a little strategy and just a touch more hustle than normal, it can be as good for you as it is for them.

Last night I attended the Gotham Magazine party honoring Yankees’ relief pitcher, Mariano Rivera. As I looked out across the room full of strangers, I pinpointed three people that I was on a mission to meet by the end of the night.

The Tall Guy – In a room full of people, you have to pick something that you are going to use as your reason for saying hello. Since I’m tall, I usually go find another tall guy. There is no science to this, but you have to pick something to narrow the field of people that you talk to. I also talk to guys wearing pocket squares, you know they have an extra level of swagger.

The Drunk Guy – There is always someone who likes the idea of ‘open bar’ a little too much. That person is also usually the one who, much to the chagrin of others, has unknowingly met half the people in the room as he consumed his liquid diet. Don’t linger too long for fear of guilt by association, but, the next time he bellies up to the bar next to you, ask him who the most interesting person in the room is and he’s sure to tell you.

The Host – The person organizing the event is always the busiest person at the event. But, they also have the best insight into who else is in attendance. It is extremely important that you don’t try and monopolize their time, but, with a quick “hello” you can thank them for your invitation and ask them “If there is one other person here tonight that I should make sure to meet, who would that be?” They’ll definitely point you in the right direction and your next new friend comes with an endorsement from the host.

Instead of the overwhelming task of meeting 250 people, I just made sure to meet these three people. By focusing my energy on my arbitrary goal, I ended up being in the right place at the right time throughout the night and the room full of strangers turned into a room full of possibilities.

For more thoughts on the art and science of hustle, follow  Andy Ellwood on twitter:@andyellwood