Hello Friends,
I am extremely elated to write this recap to re-live February 16, 2025. We have celebrated the extended birthday of Google Maps throughout the week carrying forward from our last Meet-up in GG series to this meet-up. This meet-up was also dedicated to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Google Maps, as part of Celebrating 10 Years of Local Guides: Let’s Connect and Contribute!.
I am pleased to observe the Responses and Reactions of all the participants during the GG kick off meet-up first and subsequently followed in GG meet-up–02 and GG meet-up–03. There were 20 participants including the Meet-up Moderator (MM), Guest Speaker and a Connect Moderator during the third meet-up of GG series. I am thankful to all of you who supported this idea and made this happen (MTH).
I have captured the gist of this meet-up under various heads. Please go through and share your views.
Quick Introduction of the Attendees
The participants have introduced themselves by sharing their Name, City, LG level and the Connect id. They were also requested to write down these details in the chat box.
Overview of the Meet-up
The MM explained the objective behind starting this GG Meet-up series and how it got conceptualized.
Ghummakad Gossip Meet-up series is created for all of us, by all of us and with all of us. This is to create more cohesive and collaborative platform to Share & Learn for everyone here.
He also explained, why the series is named as Ghumakkad Gossip? Ghumakkad is a Hindi word which in English means ‘Wanderer’ and Ghumakkad Gossip means ‘Talk with Wanderer’. Here, the emphasis is on Traveller and not on Tourist when we talk about Ghumakkad.
Introduction of Guest Speaker
The topic for this meet-up in GG series was on Importance of Co-Host in the Meet-up and for this, our Guest was none other than the Guiding Star, a Mentor to many LGs, the Meet-up Champion – TravellerG (@TravellerG) himself who is also a great influencer of the concept of having Co-Host in the meet-up.
Gossip with Guest Speaker on the topic
Conversation with Guest speaker started with the understanding about ‘challenges of host while planning and hosting a meet-up’. TravellerG (TG) explained the various challenges Host faces for a meet-up and he started with defining Host and Co-Host first. He further added that there is a different set of challenges, Hosts may face in case of Virtual/In-person/Hybrid meet-ups. In part 1 of Importance of Co-Host in the Meet-up session, the focus was on Virtual meet-up.
MM posed a discussion point on involvement and role of a Co-Host. To that TG explained the detailed Roles & Responsibilities of a Co-Host at three phases namely:
- Pre-Meet-up
- During the Meet-up and
- Post Meet-up
Below is the extract from his (TG) discussion points about Roles and Responsibilities of a Co-Host in Virtual Meet-up:
- Pre Meet-up
- Collaborate with the host for
- Planning
- Publishing the ‘Announcement Post’
- Submitting the Meet-up application for approval on Connect - Helps
- conducting brainstorming sessions
- conducting technical trials and mock-up sessions
- in Meet-up promotion
- Collaborate with the host for
- During Meet-up
- Engage the participants
- Admit and Welcome
- Ask to write User details in Chat box for attendance purpose
- Answer or keep a note of the points raised by the participants - Keep a record of discussion points
- Engage the participants
- Post Meet-up
- Assist the host in preparing the RECAP
- Selecting the photos, screenshots, videos
- Creating a Banner etc.
@Anil6969 as a participant to this meet-up further emphasized on the importance and benefits of having Co-host in the meet-up.
@AjitThite shared his views on having some recap discussion on the previous GG Meet-up topics at the start of any future GG Meet-up. MM along with few other participants appreciated this idea and shall be further analysed for feasibility and practicality keeping the timeframe of GG meet-ups in consideration.
Attendees to seek more clarity
During and towards the end of the meet-up, participants had open round of discussion and got their queries addressed by TG. One of the questions raised by the participants was ‘whether we should invite a non-LG to conduct a virtual meet-up?’ To that our Connect Moderator @TusharSuradkar very beautifully replied by saying ‘make that fellow a LG first and then let the person conduct meet-up’. Thank you, Tushar, for addressing the question so rightfully.
Special Thanks
I would like to extend my special thanks to @TusharSuradkar, @PrasadVR and @RosyKohli for capturing beautiful candid moments which I couldn’t resist myself from sharing here.
Debriefing & wrap up
The MM summarized the overall discussion and thanked all participants for joining and making this meet-up a success. A BIG THANK YOU to our Guest Speaker TravellerG (@TravellerG) for sharing his precious time and knowledgebase with all of us.
All participants were eager to know the next topic, name of the next Guest Speaker and the date of next GG Meet-up. Thanks for your interest and enthusiasm. And, there is a BIG news for you as the topic we are going to have in our next GG Meet-up is going to be the Umbrella topic and of interest to everyone.
Please block your calendar and fasten your seat belt as this is going to take you off from your current position.
See you around.
This is an opportunity for the Local Guides to Support and Shine, Share and Learn.
I express my sincere gratitude to all who have joined and expressed their interest throughout the session.
@Rahul001, @TravellerG, @PrasadVR, @Anil6969, @ModNomad, @AjitThite, @RosyKohli, @Ssiddharth2000, @K.K.Sharma, @Raj_Tayade, @Gvipin, @Shrut19, @SarathUpendran, @Gouri_S_Prakash, @Supriyadevkar, @MathanVibranarayan, @Gopinallaiyan, @KetanChhaniyara, @TusharSuradkar
Please let me know if I have missed any name.
This photo is the testimony of togetherness for the reason we all have met up for.
Key Takeaways
- Co-Host plays an invaluable role in the meet-up.
- While primary Host focuses on the topic of discussion, Co-Host manages the entire show.
- Co-Host role is much bigger than the Host.
- It is advisable ‘Must to have’ Co-Host if the number of participants is expected to be 20 or more.
Key Success Factor
- Meet-up promotion through various networking channels (Thanks @TravellerG, @TusharSuradkar).
- Friendly gesture to coordinate and handle participants flow of interactions. (Thanks @TusharSuradkar, @Anil6969, @AjitThite)
- 80% participants joined on or before time helped MM to start and end the Meet-up at the scheduled time. Thank you all. This also avoids waiting time to Admit the participant, if they join on time.
- Mockup session/s before the final meet-up between MM and the Guest Speaker.
You can also view brief recap this meet-up on my post: 
Your contributions truly deserve all the appreciation. Best wishes! 