From Senior Management To Hats, Comedy & The Olympics

Networking events provide a great opportunity to make valuable new contacts and to build relationships to promote your business but rarely do they provide an opportunity to meet an Edinburgh Festival Standup Comedian.

Eighteen months ago, Sandy Newell and I set up Spalding Networking - specifically for small business owners trading in Spalding and the surrounding area to make valuable new contacts  The Group's meetings are designed to be friendly and informal.  It's really taken off and we are now achieving between 25-30 small biz owners attending our monthly meetings.

We invite guest speakers along with something useful to say to the Group and over the course of the 18 months we've met some fascinating and knowledgeable speakers.

This time around was no exception and an absolute gem.

I got chatting to one of  Drive By Website's clients recently - Anne Lawtey - Mabel Lily Hats.  During our conversation, Anne happened to mention her remarkable journey to stand-up comedy.  I just couldn't miss this opportunity and invited her to speak at one of our networking meetings and she very kindly agreed.

Spalding Networking attendees were truly entertained. Anne proved to be a consummate entertainer and ranconteur.  She charmed us with her wit and enthusiasm for her hat making, stand-up comedy and her involvement with the Olympics.  Redundancy for Anne wasn't an obstacle but a career launch-pad.

For readers of the Drive By Websites blog - if you are looking for a unique hat for that special occasion or, indeed, a public speaker then look no further than Anne Lawtey.