networking


Lisa Redmore, Acorn.


John Newell, Owner of Kingston Newell Estate Agents in Bridge Street, Newport


Do you attend networking events?


I attend the Dragons of Newport Business Club at Rodney Parade every Wednesday morning.


What do you feel you get out of each of the events you attend?


Great opportunity to meet other local business people, develop new relationships with a view to doing business with them, learn and share advice and experiences from fellow members


Is there anything you’d like to see at any of the networking events you attend?


Lewis Lewis, Director of Corporate & Client Services (UK & Middle East) at international construction consultants Lewis and Lewis Ltd,


Devon Place, Newport


Do you attend any networking events?


City of Newport Business Club, M4 Business Network, Fifty One 3, and IOD


What do you feel you get out of each of the events you attend?


New contacts, new business, profi le, opportunities for business


Guest speakers are always popular especially when there is a generic subject they address that is of interest to the whole of the group. Paul Miles, the business support manager at Newport City Council, and Craig Tamplin, business advisor at The Centre for Business, were two popular recent speakers.


I would like to see representatives from some of the larger national companies based in the area attending some of the events because they can then meet potential local suppliers.


What sort of format do you prefer?


I personally prefer a format that allows all or as many of the attendees to introduce themselves to the group. This then enables me to work out who I might be able to do business with and I can then prioritise to make the best use of my time.


Do you attend networking events?


Introbiz, BNI South Wales and Bridging Newport Business.


What do you feel you get out of each of the events you attend?


I have been a member of Introbiz for two years and have made excellent new business connections and developed key relationships. Introbiz encourages people to work together to see how we can help each other create win-win relationships. The events are vibrant and have a great atmosphere. They are a fantastic way of presenting Acorn to an ever-increasing audience.


I have been a member of BNI for two years, and again I’ve made good contacts within my Heritage Chapter and other Chapters throughout Cardiff, achieving new clients and business referral partners. BNI is quite structured and you are encouraged to attend every week and to be very active in presenting referrals and testimonials.


development


Is there anything you’d especially like to see at any of the networking events you attend?


Interactive events / demonstrations Business leaders / entrepreneurs


Greater media and PR presence as after all we are all there as businesses to get noticed


What sort of format do you prefer?


I like the less stuffy networking events where you can perhaps have a drink, a chat and build valuable business contacts for the future.


I also think networking is defi nitely not about who can collect the most business cards but about making new friends who we you may even do business with.


And lastly, I attend the Bridging Newport Business events on a monthly basis. These events present another excellent network group. It’s mainly aimed at Newport businesses and there is a very relaxed network atmosphere with a friendly welcoming feel. I have made lots of new contacts in a very short time.


Is there anything you’d like to see at any of the networking events you attend?


I think it’s very important to have different types of networking groups to suit different people and business needs.


What sort of format do you prefer?


Informal. The Introbiz events are always so vibrant. It’s well facilitated, as the organisers make sure that someone is always talking to someone else. This is followed by a strategic power group networking, where eight to 10 people sit around a table for the last hour and everyone has fi ve minutes each to tell everyone around the table what they do, what customers and referral partners they want and how the group can help each other.


Robin Hall, operations director, Kymin Corporate


Do you attend any networking events?


I attend many networking events, including City of Newport Business Club, South Wales Chamber of Commerce, M4 Business Network, Wine Tasting at the Celtic Manor and Bridging Newport Business


What do you feel you get out of each of the events you attend?


I have been networking for many years and built up many contacts, but over the past year or so myself and my colleagues have turned a fair number of these contacts into people we would now class as friends. These are now people we have also started to do business with on a reciprocal basis.


Is there anything you’d especially like to see at any of the networking events you attend?


No, not really, I think that we are


well catered for, with the amount of networking events available locally, whether you rather the more formal early morning breakfast or the afternoon/early evening light hearted event with a glass of wine or two.


What sort of format do you prefer?


I prefer the more informal type of networking events and from experience we have gained more business and connections from this than from more formal events.


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