Ryze.com - Business Networking

What sort of web creature is called Ryze? The answer is a social network, aimed for the businessman-- hence the name Ryze, which is the very 2.0 way of spelling rise, as in rise to the top, and rise up, through networking. Ryze already has over 250,000 members worldwide; once you sign up they"ll point out Ryze members near you. The site has a stern, business-like demeanor with it"s grey and red color scheme and tabbed layout. There are five main areas of interest: friends, networks, events, classifieds, and invite friends. In the networking tab you"ll find groups interested in venture capital and private equity banking, chocoholics, public speaking, fun with photography, and million dollar mastermind, among others. The classifieds include job listings, businesses, real estate and other; you"ve got to be a registered member to access any of the features. Ryze is free, however paid subscriptions with advanced searching and contacting features are available. Ryze also hosts in own events-- they"re not strictly for work, there is some fun involved too.

“Ryze helps people make connections and grow their networks. You can network to grow your business, build your career and life, find a job and make sales. Or just keep in touch with friends.

Networks for networking, i.e. climbing up the corporate ladder aren"t as robust and plentiful as are social networks for kids. Ryze is precisely what the business world needs, a world wide network where you can meet and greet and make connections with people in and out of your area. So far their network has decent numbers, and it"s still growing.

Does business have to be so drab? The design is bit too suit and tie and it seems to be lacking in features. Other business networking sites have more style and less gravitas. This site really hasn"t got any real gems to it.