Great post. I've been active in tech meetups in Milwaukee for a few years now and I can never stop telling people about how important they can be for your career and development. I wouldn't be where I am today without them and even if I were in a similar position I wouldn't be as happy without being part of the local community. After a while they aren't that hard to run, but one major tip is don't do it alone. There will be months you have other commitments and you WILL need help.