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The Upstairs — Downstairs Exchange

  • Velvet Stone 128 Genesee Street Buffalo, NY, 14203 United States (map)

A two-level networking experience designed around capacity, choice, and connection. Move up — or down based on energy, NOT expectation.

The Upstairs–Downstairs Exchange is a curated networking experience designed around energy, not expectation. The venue offers two floors — or levels, upstairs and downstairs, each offering a different way to connect.

There’s no “right” place to be. You’re free to stay upstairs — or downstairs all night, or move between as your energy shifts.

How it works:

  • Downstairs is a low-hum space — casual conversation.

  • Upstairs is a higher-signal space — deliberate dialogue.

Both levels are open all evening.

And to make networking feel easier, everybody receives optional tools at check-in, including name tags and visual connection signals, so folks don’t have to guess how to approach you — or what they’re open to.

This event may be a good fit if you:

  • feel curious about networking, but unsure where you fit,

  • prefer real conversation over pitching,

  • warm up once you’re in the room,

  • appreciate choice, pacing, and low-pressure spaces, and — or

  • want to meet folks without having to perform

And — or a/an:

  • entrepreneur or early-stage founder,

  • creative professional or independent worker,

  • introverted, thoughtful, or neurodivergent (including ADHD),

  • new to networking, returning after a break, or new to the city, and — or

  • rebuilding or redefining your professional network.

Dinner and drinks are available for purchase throughout the evening.

This is a two-level venue with multiple stair access points. Seating and standing options are available on both levels.

Tickets are on sale.

Tickets

Instructor: Kenyana David, MBA, DBA(c)

Kenyana David, MBA, DBA(c), is the founder of 81Eighteen™, a curriculum-based marketing firm specializing in email marketing education for underestimated entrepreneurs. She’s the creator of the Fe-Mail Marketing for Entrepreneurs (FEMME) Academy™, a school teaching email marketing curricula to women and gender-expansive, BIPOC, neurodivergent, and first-generation creatives and innovators.

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