Why I Host Events Like Mining4Beer
- Norm Adams
- May 22
- 4 min read
Updated: May 22
How many industry luncheons did you attend last year—white linens, lukewarm chicken, and rubber vegetables? The wine was complimentary but not great. Often, dinner is little more than a blasé interruption to a series of carefully curated panels where everyone stuck to their talking points, said just the right thing, but said nothing new.
I sound jaded. I'm not. It’s just that many conferences today are overproduced and lack authenticity. Again, many - not all - have become formulaic. Predictable. And often, forgettable.
What if we did it differently?
Enter Mining4Beer. No speeches. No lanyards. No podiums. Just a casual space where people can talk like human beings—preferably with a cold drink in hand.
We didn’t invent Mining4Beer. M4B events like this happen all over the world—from Perth to Vancouver to Val-d'Or. We joke that it’s become a “movement,” but M4B events have caught on because they answer a very simple question: What if we just let people connect?
Casual Collisions
The first time Perry Cook and I hosted a M4B, we didn’t really know what to expect. No RSVP list. No official agenda. Just a time and a space —and an open invitation to those who work in support of the industry. That list is very long by the way.
What happened surprised us.
People showed up. Lots of them. Not just the usual suspects, but a mix—engineers, field workers, project managers, Indigenous leaders, vendors, trainers, economic development people, permitting folks. People who wouldn’t normally cross paths in a conference session suddenly found themselves standing shoulder to shoulder over a beer.
They talked. Really talked. Not just about mining or permits or drilling programs—but about families, sports, fly-in days, shared frustrations, and real hopes. Conversations you don’t have with a mic in your hand.
There was no icebreaker. No forced networking game. Just casual collisions that turned into real connections.
Our first event in Prince George was one of the first post-COVID events in the City. The energy was something else. We hadn't considered how eager people were to just get out and connect again! A few folks even hugged us just for organizing it. That told me everything I needed to know—people didn’t just want another event. They needed this kind of space.
And here’s where it gets even better: our Mining4Beer events in Northern BC look a whole lot different than the M4B events in the city. There are fewer suits, and more boots. There's a lot more plaid, and the beards are out of control. The talk isn’t all gold, copper and front office moves. Instead, there's talk about how to get "there"; logistics; where to get things; who's hiring; who can help; and upcoming meetings with the Nation. The conversations are real, gritty, and grounded in the work that relates to the ground beneath our feet.
And that’s exactly the point.
Why Mining4Beer Works
Over time, I’ve come to realize why Mining4Beer works. It’s not magic—it’s just human nature. When there’s no pressure to perform, people relax. When they’re not being pitched to, they listen. When no one’s trying to outshine each other, they share. Unscripted chats and unexpected laughs—that's what M4B Events are all about.
I’ve seen business partnerships spark up at M4B - conversations that would’ve never happened in a hotel ballroom. What's more, I’ve seen people—new to the industry, or new to town—leave M4B feeling like they had a new experience. A genuine one.
A Different Kind of ROI
In my work at Pivotleader, I push clients to consider measurables. After all, if it's worth doing it's worth measuring, right? We all love a good ROI stat. But what’s the value of a conversation that changes the trajectory of a project? How do you immediately measure the return on a new contact who becomes a collaborator? Or the importance of having a local solution instead of using someone from Vancouver or, ahem, Toronto.
That’s what I’ve seen come out of our M4B events in Prince George, Smithers and Terrace. Perry even hosted one in Whitehorse!
There's an ROI of stepping outside of a curated environment and just being real with people. In industries like mining—where trust matters, and relationships take time—these conversations are a real starting point.
The Spirit of the Thing
You likely picked this up by now - Mining4Beer isn’t about the beer. Although, I admit, when I mention M4B events people chuckle. I think many have visions of overage frat boys hosting a kegger. No, we’re not serving beer from a barrel on a lawn and there's not a red solo cup in site. Our events are far less noisy.
In many ways, It’s not even really about mining. It’s about creating space. Unstructured, unfiltered, unpolished space for the kinds of connections that last longer than the event itself. It’s for the people who’ve sat through enough banquet dinners and leave wondering if they actually met anyone. It’s for the ones who want to be part of something—but don’t want to perform to do it.
We don’t need another event where everyone claps at the same time. We need places where people talk across disciplines, across roles, across divides.
Mining4Beer is that kind of place.
One Last Round
We never set out to become networking event hosts. But I do believe in building spaces where people can show up as humans. If you’ve been to one, you know the vibe. If you haven’t, consider this your invite.
No suits. Come as you are. No mics. No pressure. But, bring a business card. We may mock you if you don't.
Just real people, real conversations—and a cold beer.
In my book, is how business really gets done.
Norm Adams has over 30 years of experience in business development. He believes good business starts with real relationships—and maybe a pint or two. Reach Norm at norm@pivotleader.com
Norm and Perry Cook have hosted more than a dozen M4B events in Northern BC and the Yukon. To learn more, go to Facebook page or to BCYukonMining.com
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