So, let’s talk networking, something that used to literally make me want to run for the hills. It’s now actually become something I really enjoy, and I have met some great people over the last couple of years. As an owner of a small business, it can feel a bit lonely at times, even with a team around you. You need to be incredibly self-motivated, disciplined with your own time and no-one is really holding you accountable except yourself.

Therefore in business it is so important to find your people, other like-minded business owners who will help you to navigate challenges, offer advice from similar situations they have encountered and become your cheerleaders. Pre pandemic, when all the events I attended were in person, I used to dread walking into a room of strangers and making small talk. I would have to build myself up to it and to be honest, it was always fine, and I pretty much always was greeted with a welcoming bunch of people. When we went into Lockdown 1, I went into a world of homeschooling and networking took a backseat, until the September of that year when I found a new group who were purely online, and I found I actually started to enjoy networking. Over the past few years, I have really grown my network of business friends and no longer have the fear I used to have of such meetings. Last year I was even asked to join the committee for The Society of Bristol Business Women, so not only attending events but running them, which I am really enjoying.

I have tried various groups and am now a member of a few different circles, each one bringing different things to the table but all very inclusive and supportive.

Networks are powerful and we need to nurture them. A couple of weeks ago I put a post out to my LinkedIn network to say I was looking for guest speakers to come along and talk to a group of Kickstart employees (18-24 year olds taking part in a government paid work experience scheme), during the session I would be asking them to talk about their career journey and offer words of advice to the group of young people starting out in their career. Gillian Scofield of Kustom Copy, who I had recently met through The Society of Bristol Business Women tagged Jamie Stewart of Circle Networks and Charlotte England from Marketing Barn into the post, both of whom then said they would be happy to come along and speak. I had meetings with them both over zoom and knew they would both bring different things to the conversation, they were warm, friendly, and keen to give back to inspire young people. When I spoke to Jamie, I asked him about his networking business, Circle Networks and he invited me along to a session last week. What a lovely group I encountered, so welcoming and several 1-2-1’s booked in to follow up on conversations we started. Jamie has been so supportive already of my business and I’m looking forward to becoming part of Circle Networks after the school holidays are over. 

I also had other volunteers from my existing network put their names forward to speak and Claudine Reynolds recently came along to share their story which the group loved. We have many more to follow in the coming weeks.

I’m pleased to say I no longer fear networking but look forward to the people I will meet.

“I would have to build myself up to it and to be honest, it was always fine, and I pretty much always was greeted with a welcoming bunch of people”