Business and networking events across central and northern New Jersey, updated weekly, with active networking groups listed county by county.

Upcoming events

• September 18, 2026 · 17:30 – 21:30 · 1435 Capital Board Game Social · 1435 Capital · 1435 Capital, 23 Orchard Rd, Skillman · Register
• September 24, 2026 · 11:30 – 18:15 · The Neuroscience of Productivity and Overcoming Distraction · Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) New Jersey · Maggiano’s Little Italy, 600 Commons Way Building E, Bridgewater · Free (RSVP, approval required – complimentary guest seats for qualified prospective members) · Register
• October 13, 2026 · 18:00 – 21:00 · Real Estate Investors Dinner · Cogent Connections (Chris Gittings) · Chimney Hill Estate, 207 Goat Hill Rd, Lambertville · $150.00 + $5.73 fee (Executive Dinner Ticket) · Register
• November 12, 2026 · 17:30 – 19:30 · AI Beyond the Hype: AI Workflows (speaker Russ Abdrakhmanov) · New Jersey AI Hub · 23 Orchard Rd, Skillman · Free (dinner provided; reception 5:30, workshop 6:00-7:30 PM) · Register

Networking groups by county

• Bergen County — 10 groups
• Essex County — 4 groups
• Hudson County — 5 groups
• Hunterdon County — 6 groups
• Mercer County — 7 groups
• Middlesex County — 9 groups
• Monmouth County — 9 groups
• Morris County — 9 groups
• Passaic County — 2 groups
• Somerset County — 8 groups
• Sussex County — 2 groups
• Union County — 6 groups
• Warren County — 2 groups

Looking for something to do off the clock? See This Weekend in New Jersey.

Events via Cogent Connections.

Business Is Still a People Business

By Tiffany Slowinski

I’ve never really loved the word “networking.”

It makes me picture a room full of name tags, awkward small talk and people trying to figure out how quickly they can hand you a business card.

The good stuff doesn’t work like that.

Some of the best opportunities in my career have come from simply being in the room, getting to know people and staying connected to the business community around me. Sometimes it turns into business. Sometimes it turns into a referral. Sometimes it’s an introduction to someone you never would have met otherwise. And sometimes you just walk away with a really smart person you can call when you need advice.

All of those things matter.

I’ve spent a lot of years around business organizations, entrepreneur groups, referral groups and local events. The groups are all a little different. Some are built specifically around referrals. Some focus on education or advocacy. Some bring together business owners who are dealing with the same challenges. Chambers often give you a much broader cross-section of the local business community.

There isn’t one right way to do it.

What matters is finding the rooms that make sense for you and then actually participating.

Because joining a group and disappearing is basically the business equivalent of buying a treadmill and using it as a coat rack.

You have to show up.

Over time, people learn what you do. More importantly, they learn who you are. They see how you treat people. They hear you talk about your business. They watch whether you follow through. That familiarity turns into trust, and trust is still one of the biggest drivers of local business.

It also keeps you connected to what is actually happening in your community.

You hear that a new restaurant is opening. You meet the owner of the company everyone keeps mentioning. You find out which businesses are growing, who is hiring, who just moved into town and who knows the person you’ve been trying to reach for six months.

That information rarely comes from sitting behind a desk.

It comes from people.

One of my favorite things about being around other business owners is realizing that nobody has everything figured out. I’ve sat in rooms with incredibly successful entrepreneurs talking honestly about hiring mistakes, difficult decisions, growth problems and the things keeping them up at night.

Those conversations are valuable because running a business can be strangely isolating. Having people around you who understand it makes a difference.

And yes, relationships can absolutely lead to revenue.

People refer people they know. They introduce people they trust. When somebody asks, “Do you know a good contractor?” or “Who should I call for this?” the names that come to mind are usually the people they have actually met, heard from and built some kind of relationship with.

That part of business hasn’t changed.

Google matters. Social media matters. AI matters. Visibility matters.

People still matter too.

So no, I don’t think you need to join every chamber, attend every breakfast or spend your entire week bouncing from one event to another. That sounds exhausting.

Find a few communities that fit you. Get involved. Meet people without immediately wondering what they can do for you. Be useful. Stay visible. Make introductions when you can.

Then give those relationships time.

Because the best business communities aren’t really built around transactions.

They’re built around people who know each other well enough to pick up the phone.

About the publishers

Tiffany Slowinski is co-publisher of Garden State Circle. She is Membership Chair of EO New Jersey (Entrepreneurs’ Organization) for 2026–27, a past president of the BNI Patriots chapter, and the host of Garden State Circle’s Circle events for local business owners.

Jake Slowinski is co-publisher of Garden State Circle. He served on the board of the Somerset County Business Partnership in 2023–24.

Together they publish four City Lifestyle magazines in New Jersey.