MEET THE FOUNDERs
Hey, We are Troy & Hilda
Troy and Hilda started Dink & Deal Network because they were both tired of networking events that felt forced and fake. After discovering pickleball as a way to stay active, they realized something powerful: the best business relationships were forming naturally between points, not in conference rooms.
What began as Thursday morning pickleball with a few professionals has grown into the Triangle's premier networking community—where genuine connections happen through play, not pitches.
Here's what we've accomplished together:
Built a 5.0-rated community with 46 perfect reviews and 50+ active members who actually look forward to networking
Created authentic connection by ditching elevator pitches for paddles—because real relationships form when you're being yourself, not performing
Proven the model works with members closing deals, forming partnerships, and building friendships that extend far beyond the courts
Troy brings 17+ years of business development experience and runs grobot, a B2B lead generation platform. Hilda serves as Chief Evangelist, keeping our community connected and growing through genuine engagement.
We're not trying to build the biggest networking group in Raleigh—we're building the best one. The kind where Thursday morning becomes the highlight of your week, where business happens naturally, and where you actually know the people in the room.
Come see what we're building. Your first visit is free.
— Troy & Hilda Vermillion
READY TO GIVE US A TRY?
Check us out for FREE today!
No pressure. No commitment. Just show up this Thursday at 8 AM, grab some breakfast, play some pickleball, and see if this is the networking group you've been looking for. If you hate it, you're out nothing. If you love it (and we're betting you will), you've just found the best $10-30/month investment in your business and network.
OUR STORY
How Dink & Deal Network Came to Be
We started with a simple observation: traditional networking is broken. Business cards get lost, coffee meetings never happen, and those "let's grab lunch sometime" promises fade into digital dust. Meanwhile, the professionals who could genuinely help each other never actually connect.
So we built something different... a Thursday morning ritual where authentic relationships form naturally through breakfast and pickleball, where your character matters more than your elevator pitch, and where business happens because people actually know and trust each other.
Here's what makes our community special:
Weekly Thursday sessions creating consistent touchpoints that build real relationships, not one-time interactions that go nowhere
Semi-annual Premier events bringing 50-70 decision-makers together for evening networking that feels more like a celebration than an obligation
Cross-generational connections bridging the gap between industry veterans and emerging talent in ways traditional networking never achieves
We're not the biggest networking group in the Triangle; we're building the best one. The kind where members close real deals, form lasting partnerships, and actually look forward to showing up. Where sponsors become founding partners in a growing community, not just logos on a banner.
This is networking reimagined. Come be part of it.
