In South Florida, the new third space isn't a coffee shop. It's your networking group

"More than 100 people descended upon an outdoor bar restaurant in Fort Lauderdale on a recent November night, lounging by the fireplace, sipping wine and snacking on chicken wings, talking and laughing. Some kept an eye out for romantic interests; others reconnected with old friends, or made new ones. But they weren't just there to have fun. They came to network."

"In a region known as "Wall Street South," networking might take on a negative connotation, depending on who you ask. But for many millennials and Gen Z South Floridians, events like the one in Fort Lauderdale have become more than just a transactional exchange that ends with a swapping of business cards. Now, they have become a third space, offering people a sense of community."

"'When we started, I didn't think there would be a need for a networking event, because there's a million,' said Esther Deutsch, 32, who co-founded Sunset Connect, which put on the recent Fort Lauderdale event. Deutsch moved to South Florida from New York during the pandemic, and quickly discovered many like her lacked community. 'Clearly, there's a need of some sort,' Deutsch said."

Networking events in South Florida have evolved into social third spaces that blend professional connections with community building for millennials and Gen Z. Large informal gatherings offer opportunities for romance, friendship, and professional networking in a post-COVID remote-heavy environment. Organizers like Sunset Connect emerged after newcomers reported lacking community. Demand has produced a wave of networking clubs and exclusive digital apps that curate micro-communities, from pickleball groups for healthcare innovators to book clubs for entrepreneurs. Some platforms restrict membership by resume, creating barriers to entry, while other groups grow through word of mouth and local social scenes.

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