The Door: your way in to the right people

New city, new project, or just tired of the same faces in your feed? The Door promises a way in to people and opportunities: it's a Telegram Mini App for networking, finding events and making useful connections. 🤝

The idea is simple: gather people with shared interests in one place and help them meet, online or at events. There's an English-language community plus a general chat for members across languages.

What's inside

• Profile. In the Mini App you fill out your card: who you are, what you do, what you're looking for.
• Networking. Search for people with similar interests and goals.
• Events. A selection of meetups and gatherings where you can meet in person.
• Partnerships. A place to find co-founders, contractors or collaborators.
• Community. A channel with news and updates, linked from the bot's profile.

A profile people reply to

In any interest-based meeting app, your card is the first thing people see. An empty profile with a cat avatar almost never gets a reply. 📝

1. A face photo in good light, no sunglasses.
2. One line about what you do, instead of a vague "entrepreneur and visionary".
3. What you're after: an investor, a designer, weekend company, a mentor.
4. What you can offer: expertise, contacts, help with a specific task. Networking runs both ways.

Writing the first message

"Hi, let's be friends" gets lost among a dozen identical messages. A good opener is short and specific: who you are, why you're writing to this person, and what you're offering. 💬

For example: "Saw you make mobile games. I'm a sound designer and did audio for two indie projects, happy to share. Would love to talk about working together." Three sentences, and the other person knows why to reply.

Events without standing by the wall

• Set a goal for the evening: three real conversations, not twenty business cards.
• Arrive on time. Early on people are more open; later everyone has split into groups.
• Ask questions instead of talking about yourself for ten minutes straight.
• Follow up the next day with anyone you clicked with. Skip this and most new contacts fade.

Staying safe while networking

Open communities attract more than helpful people. Be wary of anyone who jumps straight to an "investment opportunity", asks you to send money, or invites you into private chats with guaranteed returns. ⚠️

Hold first meetings somewhere public, and keep your home address and financial details to yourself until you know the person better. A real partner will understand.