networking M4 Business Network Profile of a typical member?


Mix of SME business owners / Professional services directors and partners. Joining costs and on-going costs?


Annual membership of £150 giving access to a minimum of 4 breakfasts


What form do your meetings take (how often, cost, speakers, meal, free bar etc)


7.30am - 9.15am / informal networking, followed by seated breakfast and address from celebrity speaker. Janet Street Porter / Gerald Ratner to name but a few.


Explain if you go for the formal or informal approach and why?


The mood of the club is informal, though the structure does introduce some degree of formality with sponsors having their own tables and individual members sitting together on mixed member tables


What would you describe as a ‘result’ for your club?


Improved profile for the sponsor companies and their ability to invite their clients / prospects to high calibre events. Connections to new businesses for the individual members. Why do you think networking is an important part of business? Networking is business. People buy people ultimately.


What would you say to someone who has never attended a networking session? Get out more, you are missing business opportunities.


If we are interested, where can we find more details about your club?


Visit www.m4businessnetwork.org or call Colita Dainton on 01633 213318 / c.dainton@uhy-peacheys.com


A different kind of networking...


The Forum is a new network- ing club which Darwin Gray have set up and are sponsors- ing in partnership with Kilsby Williams and University of Newport Business School.


It is by invitation only and


will meet three to four times per year at the main board- room of the university.


Each meeting will be a small


invited group of about 15 local business people. It starts at 7.30am with breakfast and will finish at about 9am.


The intention of the small group is to foster dialogue


between the guests and also between the guests and the main speaker.


Some of the sessions will be


subject to ‘Chatham House’ rules, which we hope encour- ages an honest and open event.


The intention behind The


Forum is to give the business- men/women a chance to per- haps learn something that may be useful to them and their business; quiz the speaker; and also network with each other.


The first event is on 28


June. The speaker is Tracy Lee, MD of Newport City Council.


Gwent Business Women’s Network


Profile of a typical member? Members are an exciting, diverse group of enterprising business and professional women seeking support, encouragement and inspiration from other like minded individuals. The group is made up of sole traders, managers, company directors, new startups and franchisees. Joining costs and on-going costs? Individual Membership - £80 pa, Corporate Membership -£195 pa – a very cost effective option as entrance is included in the membership fee. The first visit is free to guests and thereafter we continue to welcome guests at £15 per visit if they chose not to enroll as a member. What form do your meetings take? Meetings generally take place on the first Tuesday of the month at the Hilton Hotel, Newport (off Junction 24 of the M4) at 6pm. There is informal networking at 6pm and a speaker then covers a topic of interest to the


members. The evening culminates with a buffet and more informal networking. Explain if you go for the formal or informal approach and why? We strive to strike a happy balance using both formal/informal approaches to networking. What would you describe as a ‘result’ for your club? We are a not for profit organisation and our success is due to our committee of talented volunteers who have worked hard to grow our membership. We believe the best is yet to come in our first women’s conference planned for early next year. Why do you think networking is an important part of business? We network, not ‘net-play’ to encourage our members to get to know and trust one another as a foundation for successful business. If we are interested, where can we find more details about your club? You can check out our website www.gbwn.net.


THEbusiness QUARTER 37


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