The $3,000 Dinner I’ll Never Do Again

I finally did one of those sponsored dinners.

You know the kind—your agency pays to “host” a table, and in theory, it’s a great way to meet new people in the DTC or marketing world.

In reality? It sucked.

Since moving out of NYC, I’ve been itching to connect with more people in Florida. I figured this would be a good way to meet operators, founders, maybe even a future client.

Instead, I sat between two people I liked—but couldn’t talk to anyone else the entire night. The format felt forced, transactional, and a little like speed dating... but with steak.

I’d bet money that 80% of the room forgot what Pixel Theory even was by the time dessert showed up.

Don’t get me wrong—I love meeting people. I just hate anything that feels forced or pitchy. I'd rather grab a coffee or have a casual dinner where we can actually talk and get to know each other.

So here’s the better offer:

If you're in South Florida, hit me up on LinkedIn. Let's grab coffee or dinner—my treat.

I’d way rather invest in real relationships than try to yell over a prix fixe and business cards.

—Graham