Essex Business Woman Goes North (Well Norfolk.)
Susan Pattrick has been a member of the BWN since its launch in 2009 and is a passionate believer in our ethos and power to help all women in business succeed in all areas of business.
As Founder of Dancing Giraffe Susan wants to help all people with any disability access the services and support they need to. Here Susan shares why she jumped in her car and visited Norfolk’s Coordinator Denise Bretton and her events.
On 7th May I went up to Norwich to attend The Business Woman’s 
Network meeting held at Caister Hall Hotel at Caister St Edmund near Norwich. I set off at about 7.15 am not knowing how long it was going to take me to get there. It was a beautiful sunny day and the birds were singing in the trees – although I have to say I didn’t hear much of that because I had Radio 2 on. I love singing along in the car to cheerful songs as I am driving but I cannot sing in tune to save my life. It’s a good job that no one else can hear me.
I had to leave Gerald in the shed again (for those of you that don’t know, Gerald is my organisations mascot since our logo is a Dancing Giraffe and he loves attending Essex BWN events with me) he was most unhappy about that and sulked because I wouldn’t take him along. Of course it was polling day and he wanted me to take him along to the polls! He isn’t registered to vote, which is why I was trying to explain to him that he couldn’t cast his vote and even if he did it wouldn’t count! Anyway I managed to calm him down with a few tasty morsels of green shoots – that’s his favourite food and he seemed satisfied! At least when I got home he was pleased to see me – but that’s getting ahead of myself!
When I arrived at the hotel, (it was being used as a polling station), I was confronted with this beautiful old building set in the most gorgeous grounds and set back from the road in a very quiet area. It was 9.30 am when I arrived (half an hour before the meeting was due to start). I was the first one there – isn’t it always the way, the furthest away was the first one who arrived! The hotel reception staff were lovely and offered me a cup of coffee or tea whilst I waited for Denise Bretton to arrive. Unfortunately Mandie Holgate couldn’t make it because she had a client to coach. She was really miffed at missing out on the presentation. The photo 
here is the one with Mandie and I at the recent BWN event at the Crowne Plaza, Maldon where the Colchester BWN is held.
There was general networking to start with and about 10.30 Denise asked everyone to take their seats in readiness for Sophie Jewry’s presentation. Sophie Jewry, is a fabulous Business Brand Consultant. For the next hour she was very entertaining, explaining how to identify your ideal client (you need to do this for every client profile that you have) and put yourself in their shoes even down to personal things like who your ideal client loves, what they eat and how they dress. We were given a printed guide on how to identify your ideal client which is very useful to me. I didn’t realise how in depth it was just to ensure that you don’t waste money on clients that are never going to use your services. It was an absolutely brilliant hour and well worth the two and a bit hours driving time. I made several good contacts there including the Norfolk Knitters! If you get the chance to go and listen to Sophie then do take it. It is absolutely brilliant! Mandie did say that Sophie was going to come to Colchester BWN at some stage so don’t miss it! Thanks to Jayne Lloyd our fabulous photographer for the pic too. I’m the one in the branded yellow hoodie!
Join us at our events in Norfolk and Essex and if you are in any county in the UK, we would love to help you get paid to network. Learn more here.
Say Hi to Susan and learn more at Dancing Giraffes website – www.dancinggiraffe.com
Free Event With Intel For Women-owned Businesses & Business Opportunities
Thanks to our great relationship with WE Connect International we are able to put you in front of fabulous opportunities to work with some of the leading corporations in the world. Please read below for some great opportunities in certain sectors and a very exclusive free event being hosted by Intel. We hope this proves very useful to you.
WEConnect International is a corporate-led non-profit, and their goal is to connect more majority women owned businesses (those that are at least 51% owned, managed and controlled by one or more women) into the corporate supply chain. Their corporate members represent $700 billion in annual purchasing power and are true pioneers in inclusive sourcing and global supplier development. More information can be found on their website: http://weconnectinternational.org/en/
1. There is currently limited information regarding the following information, however if you fit the above critieria and would like the opportunity to work on contracts and business opportunities in these industries please contact Maggie Berry from WEConnect International as detailed below;
- Air conditioning units.
- Audio visual equipment and maintenance – this includes any AV equipment that would be used in meeting rooms such projectors, screen etc. The requirement is for a firm who can supply and maintain equipment.
- Car valeting.
- Car washing supplies.
- Cartographer – the need is for someone who can create city and country maps for multiple locations in the EU (France, Spain, Germany, Ireland and UK) – they can consider separate cartographers for each country if there is not one firm that can cover the EU. The corporate member needs their own maps and images that can be re-used.
- Corporate work wear (uniforms).
- Couriers – this is an on-going requirement.
- Drains – the requirement is for a firm that can empty and clean drains (via interceptor tanks).
- Electrical/lighting – there is specific interest in firms who can provide energy saving lighting solutions.
- Feminine hygiene disposal services.
- General tradesman – this includes firms who can provides services in any of the following areas: plumbing, carpentry, painting, decorating, roofing.
- Grounds maintenance.
- Hand dyers for toilet facilities.
- Laminated and aluminium tubes provider.
- Mobile accessories: the requirements is for a firm who can supply and maintain tablets / wifi enabled devices that would be rented out to customers.
- Office stationary supplies – paper, pens, coffee, teas, white boards etc.
- Security companies to provide alarms and bollards to secure offices and car parking areas.
- Transport Including taxis, minibuses. Locations are varied and include London and Aldershot.
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2. Are you interested in doing business with Intel and participating in a social media master class?
Then join Intel Supply Connections – Promoting Women at the Heart of Economic Growth on Thursday 12th March 2015 at Bletchley Park.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, Intel would like to invite you to their first conference of 2015. The event will include a workshop on social media led by Gail Hanlon, Marketing Specialist at Intel EMEA during which you will discover how to build a social media strategy and how to use social media to achieve the objective of either building your brand or creating sales interest. There will also be a panel discussion session with new suppliers to Intel including Ian Platt, Head of Supply Chain Services at BaxterStorey; Elizabeth Heron, Managing Director of HAMG360; Gill Thorpe, Managing Director of The Sourcing Team and Michelle Palmer, Managing Director of Canary Wharf & City.
Date: Thursday 12th March
Time: 10.00am to 1.30pm (with an option to take a tour of Bletchley Park at 1.30 – 2.30pm)
Venue: Bletchley Park, near Milton Keynes
Cost: Free
RSVP: By Thursday 5th March 2015
This event is aimed at majority owned women’s businesses – those that are minimum 51% owned by one or more women – who provide products and services in the following sectors: marketing, HR, recruitment, catering, training, advertising, merchandise, events, corporate services, facilities management, legal and technology. If your business falls into another sector and you are interested in attending, please email Intel via womensupplychain@intel.com.
More information and the registration link can be found here: http://www.weconnecteurope.org/event/intel-supply-connections-bletchley-park
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Maggie is incredibly helpful and passionate about helping business women so we hope this proves a useful connection to our members and if you do take advantage please do share your good news with us either privately for our records or publicly on social media so that we may promote your great news too! Twitter http://twitter.com/BWNcouk and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheBusinessWomansNetwork
Maggie Berry
Executive Director for Europe
WEConnect International
Email: mberry@weconnectinternational.org
Twitter: @WEConnectEurope
LinkedIn: WEConnect Europe
Facebook: WEConnect Europe
Website: weconnectinternational.org