What We Learned Planning 704 Collective's Launch Event (And the People Who Made It Worth It)

By Josh | Co-Founder, 704 Collective

When Adam, Gabbi, Timi, and I first sat down at a coffee shop and said "what if we actually did this?"—I don't think any of us really understood what we were signing up for.

Fast forward a few months, and we found ourselves standing in the middle of the launch party on a Thursday night in November, watching 150 people mingle, laugh, and exchange phone numbers like it was the most natural thing in the world.

This is the story of how we got there—and more importantly, the people we met along the way.

The Problem We Couldn't Stop Thinking About

Here's the thing about Charlotte: it's one of the fastest-growing cities in America. People are moving here every single day. And almost every one of them eventually asks the same question:

"How do I actually meet people here?"

I know because I've asked it myself. I've lived here for years, and making friends as an adult is genuinely hard. Dating apps exist for romance. LinkedIn exists for jobs. But what exists for just... finding your people?

That's what kept us up at night. That's what 704 Collective became.

The Reality of Planning a Launch Event

Let me be honest with you: we had no idea what we were doing.

We knew we wanted to throw something big. Something that would show Charlotte what we were about. But the logistics? The venue coordination? The audio equipment? (Turns out you need something called a "PA system" and not just your friend's Bluetooth speaker.)

Two days before the event, I'm frantically Googling "how to rent a microphone in Charlotte" and calling Guitar Center like it's my lifeline.

We went through approximately seventeen versions of our event flow. Should we do speed networking? Table topics? Ice breaker games? At one point, someone suggested a scavenger hunt and I thought we'd lost the plot entirely.

What Actually Worked

Sometimes the Best Plan Is No Plan

Here's something they don't tell you about throwing events: sometimes you have a plan, and then when the people actually show up, it goes right out the window.

We had this whole thing prepared. A slideshow. Talking points. We'd rented AV equipment and everything. We were going to get up there and present—welcome everyone properly, walk through what 704 Collective was all about.

But then I looked around the room.

People were already deep in conversation. Groups had formed organically throughout the venue. Someone was laughing so hard I could hear them from across the room. The energy was exactly what we'd hoped for.

And I realized: if I grab that microphone right now and interrupt this, I'm going to kill it.

So we didn't. We never gave the presentation. The AV equipment we'd stressed about getting? Didn't even need it.

Sometimes the best thing you can do as a host is get out of the way.

The Vendor Feedback That Blew My Mind

I'll be honest—I was nervous to ask our vendors how the night went. I'd been so focused on making sure people were connecting that I hadn't gotten a chance to walk around and see if anyone was actually buying from them.

So when I finally worked up the courage to check in, I was bracing myself.

One vendor told me it was the coolest night she's ever had.

Another said it was her most profitable night. Ever.

A third vendor said he'd made several hundred dollars.

I literally couldn't believe it. We'd created something where people were actually supporting each other—not just networking, but showing up for local businesses, putting money in each other's pockets, building something real.

That's when I knew we were onto something bigger than just "events."

The People Who Made It Real

But here's what I actually want to talk about. Because the logistics and the planning—that's just infrastructure. What made the night special was the people.

I met a woman who had just moved from Chicago three weeks ago. She didn't know a single person in Charlotte. She told me she almost didn't come because she was nervous about showing up alone. By the end of the night, she had a group text going with four other people she'd met.

I watched two guys discover they were both working on apps in the same space. They exchanged numbers and I saw them deep in conversation for the next hour.

A group of Charlotte natives decided to organize a monthly dinner to introduce transplants to the "real" Charlotte—the spots that don't show up on Instagram.

This is what we built 704 Collective for. Not networking events where you collect business cards you'll never look at again. Real connections. Real friendships. Real community.

What Went Wrong (Because Things Always Do)

Let's not pretend it was perfect.

We underestimated how many people would show up. In a good way—but also in a "we might run out of name tags" way.

There was one point where all four founders were simultaneously trying to fix different problems, and none of us could find each other because none of us had thought to establish a "founder meetup spot." Rookie move.

And all that stress about the AV equipment? The frantic calls to Guitar Center two days before? Turns out we didn't even need it. Lesson learned: sometimes you over-prepare for the wrong things.

The Moment It Clicked

There's this moment—I'll never forget it—about an hour into the event.

I was standing near the bar, just watching. The noise had hit that perfect level where you know something real is happening. People were leaning in to hear each other. Laughing. Exchanging phones to add each other on Instagram.

And I thought: we did this.

Four people with a Google Doc, a shared frustration, and zero event planning experience—we actually did this.

What We Learned

If you're thinking about starting something—a community, an event, a business—here's what I'd tell you:

1. People are hungry for connection. We live in the loneliest time in human history, statistically speaking. If you create a space where people can actually connect, they will show up. They're waiting for someone to give them permission.

2. You don't need to have it figured out. We definitely did not have it figured out. We still don't. But we showed up anyway, and that was enough.

3. Find your co-founders. I cannot imagine doing this alone. Adam, Gabbi, and Timi each brought something I don't have. That's not a weakness—that's how it's supposed to work.

4. Start before you're ready. If we had waited until everything was perfect, we'd still be waiting. The event wasn't perfect. It was better than that—it was real.

What's Next

704 Collective is just getting started.

We're building a membership community for young professionals in Charlotte. People who want more than surface-level networking. People who want actual friends. People who want to feel like this city is theirs.

If that sounds like you—we'd love to meet you.

Because here's what I know for sure: Charlotte is full of incredible people. They're just waiting to find each other.

Let's make that easier.

Josh is a co-founder of 704 Collective and a financial advisor based in Charlotte.

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