Put Up or Shut Up

If you read my post: What has  been your experience of networking?  You’ll have noted I made it clear my experiences, have been less than great.  Of course, this is just my personal reflection but speaking recently, it occurred to my experiences may be linked to the type of work we do at Topform, which is high value.

Anyway, I had been thinking about networking  events in general and perceived what I think to be flaws, in some of the current formats.  I had whined and moaned a bit about it, for example most cost to join and the free ones, limited in service, but then it’s free, so no complaints!  Also I thought a bit more facilitated networking to help those less able to mingle.  I decided to take some of my own advice on goals setting and taking action and started a new women’s networking group, aimed at addressing the issues.

I got a free site up and running, (we are using a temporary logo, the business will go to a woman shortly) invited some women, got the mission & everything together; after having done, some off the cuff research, into the ideas I had.  The result has been the birth of Truly Me.   It is a new women networking group that is cross- sector, aimed at over 25s  (there’s currently a lot of provision for the under 25s, in UK) with a multi –faceted agenda.  We’ll have mini seminars and workshops, run by attendees with something to share, facilitated networking, a chance to exhibit, promote and sell goods and services, at all events, which will run at different times and locations.  There’s no on- going membership fee and each business promotion service, optional.  Only the attendance fee, of £9.99 mandatory.   It’s been a good start, a little funding from Santander, to help social entrepreneurs has motivated us.  We launch 24^th September

Glad I took the plunge, lots of good feedback so far.  So I if you’ve had experiences you haven’t particularly liked- are you putting up or shutting up?   Will keep you updated as we go along.  Joins us for £9.99 or free, for the open forum from 8- 9:00pm, with the bar open afterwards, for a Truly different experience in networking FB, Twitter, LinkedIn