It feels as though new networking events are popping up everywhere at the moment… and what a great thing that is.
The more opportunities there are for people in business to meet each other, talk to each other, support each other, and build relationships, the better. Because not every networking event is going to be right for every person.
∙ FIND YOUR TRIBE ∙
We love that so many people love The Cotswolds Huddle, but we’ve also always encouraged people to try different networking events.
Try the breakfast meeting. Go along to the evening event. Walk into the room where nobody is familiar. Try the really structured one. Try the completely unstructured one. And perhaps go back more than once before deciding whether it’s the right fit. Eventually, you will find your people.
Some love structure, introductions, speakers, and a clear agenda. Others would rather have a coffee, spend an hour chatting to three people, and never be asked to deliver a 60-second pitch. Neither is wrong. What matters is finding the rooms where people feel comfortable enough to be themselves and where relationships have the opportunity to become genuine.
∙ NETWORKING WITHOUT THE PRICE TAG ∙
“There is one area where I’ve always taken a fairly firm view: networking shouldn’t come with a price tag. Basically, I’m uncomfortable with the idea of somebody benefiting financially from bringing people together. When the organiser has a financial interest in filling the room, it can change the dynamic, and that isn’t necessarily conducive to building the most genuine relationship“, ~ Mette, The Cotswolds Huddle.
This is one of the reasons The Cotswolds Huddle has always been free. There is no membership fee. No ticket price. No obligation to buy anything. No sales pitch waiting at the end. People come because they want to be there.
Of course, there are times when it makes perfect sense for there to be a cost attached to a networking event. If everyone is enjoying breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, or other hospitality, it is only fair that they pay for what they have.
But the importance of keeping the actual opportunity to connect free, is down to nobody has to decide whether they can justify the cost of walking into the room. A brand-new business, a sole trader, someone going through a quieter period, and an established company can all turn up on exactly the same terms.
Removing that financial barrier helps create a more open and varied room, where people are there because they want to meet, talk, share ideas, and build relationships. And ultimately, that is what networking should be about: making it as easy as possible for people to find each other and feel part of a business community.
∙ THERE IS ROOM FOR EVERYONE ∙
Perhaps the best thing about seeing so many networking groups and events appearing is what it says about the way people are approaching business. People are realising that they shouldn’t have to go it alone.
Running a business can be incredibly isolating. Even with employees, customers, suppliers, and people around all day, it can sometimes feel as though everything ultimately sits on one person’s shoulders. The growth in networking could therefore be seen as something much bigger than simply having more events to choose from: People are seeking togetherness in business.
They want people they can talk to. People they can ask for advice. People who understand the strange highs and lows of running a business. People who will recommend them, make an introduction, celebrate the good things, and occasionally just listen when things aren’t going quite so brilliantly.
∙ TRY THEM ∙
So, when another networking event pops up locally, perhaps the reaction shouldn’t be not another one. But why not give it a go? Nobody needs to commit to every group they walk into, and nobody needs to spend their entire working week drinking coffee at networking events. But trying different ones gives people the opportunity to discover where they belong.
The Cotswolds Huddle won’t be everybody’s cup of tea. It was never intended to be. But for some people, it has become an important part of their community. Others will find that somewhere else. And that is exactly why having so many different networking opportunities is something worth celebrating.
Business can be difficult enough. Nobody should feel they have to do it alone.
∙ GROUPS WE RUN + GROUPS WE’VE TRIED AND LOVED ∙
∙ The Cotswolds Huddle ∙ The Cotswolds Huddle is a free, friendly, and informal networking community bringing Cotswolds businesses together to connect, build genuine relationships, and support one another. Run on the first Tuesday of each month in a fabulous Cotswolds venue.
∙ Club Worcestershire ∙ Club Worcestershire is a free, friendly, and relaxed networking community bringing Worcestershire businesses together to connect, build relationships, and support one another. Run on the third Tuesday of each month in a fabulous Worcestershire venue.
∙ Campfire & Conversations ∙ Campfire & Conversations by Fat Squirrel Outdoor is a refreshingly different networking experience, bringing people together around a campfire in the Cotswolds for relaxed conversation, meaningful connections, and time to slow down in nature.
∙ Non-League Networking ∙ Non League Networking brings businesses together for relaxed breakfast and lunchtime networking at grassroots and semi-professional football clubs, helping people build connections while supporting their local clubs. Free, but cost for breakfast or lunch. Held monthly in several venues across the Midlands.
∙ The Cotswolds Weddings Roundtable ∙ The Cotswolds Weddings Roundtable is a supportive monthly gathering bringing wedding businesses together for open conversation, shared experiences, genuine friendships, and a culture of collaboration rather than competition. Free, but for Cotswolds Concierge members only. Run on the first Tuesday of each month in a fabulous Cotswolds venue.
∙ The Worcestershire Weddings Roundtable ∙ The Worcestershire Weddings Roundtable brings the county’s wedding businesses together for relaxed, conversational networking, giving members a space to connect, share ideas, collaborate, and build genuine relationships across the industry. Free, but for Cotswolds Concierge members only. Run on the third Tuesday of each month in a fabulous Worcestershire venue.
