Collaboration in business is a key part of any business development strategy and it’s something we’ve naturally done as we’ve worked hard to grow our business, and help our clients to grow their businesses.
This month one of our collaborations – the North Worcestershire Business Leaders networking group – has had it’s first anniversary event, and the Bucks Fizz flowed as we celebrated in style at Hogarth’s Stone Manor on Tuesday 17th May 2016. Guests enjoyed bacon rolls and birthday cake, and we were host to several inspiring speakers, including a grand finale from one of the UK’s top close up magicians, Craig Petty.
NWBL, which is being renamed as simply WBL or Worcestershire Business Leaders, collaborates with a number of local council teams – the North Worcestershire Economic, Development and Regeneration team, Bromsgrove Economic Development Theme Group and the Partnership Team – as well as Worcestershire County Council, the Chamber of Commerce and the Business Crime Initiative, to name a few.
Setting up WBL has always been about much more than networking, with aims including raising money for local causes, helping young people in enterprise, and promoting business opportunities in Worcestershire.
At our birthday celebration event, Sharon Chance of The Worcestershire Education Network and Apprentices in Business, spoke about her own experience of collaboration in business, including the story of how tapping her network enabled her to find her current role as Business Development Manager at solicitors firm Parkinson Wright. Collaboration also enabled development of The Worcestershire Education Network – a directory of genuinely local suppliers for schools.
We believe that collaboration is about much more than networking – it’s about actively helping others to succeed – and it’s a vital part of growing and learning as you build your business and add to your network.
Collaboration won’t always work out, and there will be challenges along the way, but this provides good opportunities to learn and benefit from collaboration, whatever the outcome.
We’re delighted that WBL has made it to its 1st birthday and we hope that those of you who have attended and benefited from the group will continue to do so.
Our new website – a collaboration with Stuart Avis of Audacious Creative – has just gone live so please do take a look, let us know what you think, and consider signing up to our new £99 annual membership, which comes with a range of benefits. The monthly events will remain FREE of charge, and we’ll continue to ask for a voluntary contribution of £5 for our chosen charity. Click here to find out more, including details of our upcoming seminars with the inspirational coach Rob Holcroft of Superhumans, who is brilliant at raising energy levels and uplifting people while teaching skills including public speaking, motivation and relationship building.
Membership will also include access to the BizSmart SmartRoom, a valuable resource giving you access to downloadable resources to help you grow your business, along with regular specialist webinars and blogs.
As we enter the second year of WBL, we’ll continue to collaborate with organisations across Worcestershire, continue to raise money for local causes, and continue to grow our membership. We do hope you’ll join us at the next meeting on 21st June 2016, from 10am to 12pm at Hogarths Stone Manor.
