My little purple book
I’ve been networking, on and offline, for more than a decade. I know good people.
I want to help people, particularly fellow small business types, but the thing is... it takes up a serious amount of time.
Early morning breakfast meetings. Community lunches. Late-night networking events. Consistently showing up. Following up. Discovery calls. Connection requests. 1-2-1 meetings. In fact, my "being helpful" referrals were regularly taking me 1-2 hours after each meeting. That's a lot of time, emotional labour, and - cutting to it - money coming out of my small business. For more than ten years.
So I’ve had to make things a little more self-service now. Below are my go-to’s - people, places, stuff, communities, events, causes and motorsport-specific stuff. These are all people I’ve worked with or things I’ve been a part of that I’m happy to recommend. They haven’t asked to be on it, and like a Nando’s Black Card, you can’t request to be a part of this either.
Just reach out directly to them and tell them I sent you!
I’ll update this list from time to time, so you can always check back later now you have the secret link. All I ask is that you don’t publicly share this link; you probably know by now I’m big into privacy, and this list wasn’t set out to be a replacement for the Yellow Pages.
I'm not an uber-cool influencer, or an affiliate, that makes money off recommendations. So if I've sent you in the way of someone/thing/where awesome, maybe you can send me a virtual Earl Grey in a couple of taps. I’d really appreciate it.
If there is someone more specific you want me to introduce you to, and you can’t find them via search engines or social channels, then please do still ask.
Accountancy
Ask for: Christina Nawrocki
Email: christina.nawrocki@wellersaccountants.co.uk
- People
Cafe
Ask for: Tami Battle
Email: Tami@nicholsonsgb.com
- Places
- Women in business
Copywriting
Ask for: Chelsea Groome
Email: chelsea@fierce-content.com
- People
- Women in business
Creative events & production
Ask for: Amy Johnson
Email: amy@amymeadows.co
- Women in business
- People
Events, networking and support
Email: community@customersuccess.network
- Communities
Events, networking and support
Email: Peta@thecircle.ngo
- Women in business
- Communities
- Causes
Events, networking and support
Email: ben@oxfordshireproject.co.uk
- Communities
Events, networking and support
Silverstone Technology Cluster
Ask for: Pim Van Barsen
Email: pim@silverstonetechnologycluster.com
- Communities
- Motorsport
Events, networking and support
The Motorsport Industry Association
Ask for: Fiona Aylett
Email: fiona.aylett@the-mia.com
- Communities
- Motorsport
Facilitation and coaching
Ask for: Mandy Spooner
Email: mandy@peptalktraining.co.uk
- People
- Women in business
Facilitation and coaching
Ask for: Phil Walsh
Email: phil@walshslearningtoachieve.co.uk
- People
Fitness and sports performance
Ask for: John Camilleri
Email: john@boomerangpro.fitness
- Motorsport
Health and safety
Ask for: Alison Thompson
Email: alison@thesafetyelf.co.uk
- People
- Women in business
Local business support
Ask for: Yasmin Kaduji
Email: bcoc@banburychamber.com
- Communities
Local business support
Ask for: Rebecca Peary
Email: info@banburywomeninbusiness.co.uk
- Communities
- Women in business
Local business support
Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership - OxLEP
Email: info@oxfordshirelep.com
- Communities
Local business support
South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership - SEMLEP
Email: growthhub@semlep.com
- Communities
Market Research
Ask for: Amanda Claesens
Email: amanda.claesens@acemr.co.uk
- Women in business
- People
Modern calligraphy and lettering
Ask for: Illyahna Johnson
Email: hello@illyboodesigns.com
- Women in business
- People
Placements and internships
Ask for: Nancy Buckley
Email: Nancy.Buckley@activatelearning.ac.uk
- People
Placements and internships - Engineering
Ask for: Gordana Collier
Email: gordanacollier@brookes.ac.uk
- People
- Motorsport
Promotional merchandise
Ask for: Jody Fletcher
Email: jody@chillipromotions.co.uk
- Stuff
- Women in business
Pub & restaurant
Ask for: Jo Robinson
Email: jo@thekitchenfarnborough.co.uk
- Places
Publishing
Ask for: Adrian Goodsell
Email: adrian.goodsell@racetechmag.com
- Motorsport
Recruitment
Ask for: Hannah Nicholls
Email: hello@cameoconsultancy.co.uk
- Women in business
- People
Removals & storage
Ask for: http://www.jamiebriggs.co.uk/
Email: julie@jamiebriggs.co.uk
- People
Science communication and engagement
Ask for: Renee Watson
Email: renee@curiosity-box.com
- Women in business
- Stuff
Simulator interfaces
Ask for: Simon Hodgson
Email: sales@precisionsimengineering.com
- Motorsport
Social media
Ask for: Laura-Anne Williams
Email: lauraanne@get-social.media
- Women in business
- People
Team development, facilitation, and coaching
Ask for: Amy Reynolds
Email: amy.reynolds@teamflair.co.uk
- People
- Women in business
Theatre, studios, meeting rooms, gallery and cafe
Ask for: Emma Nooney
Email: Emma.Nooney@themillartscentre.co.uk
- Places
Travel
Ask for: Dawn Gascoigne
Email: dawn.gascoigne@travelcounsellors.com
- Women in business
- People
Videography
Ask for: Simon Harrison
Email: hello@kingdom-creative.co.uk
- People
- Motorsport
Virtual administration
Ask for: Christina Taylor
Email: christina@adminsupportandsolutions.co.uk
- People
- Women in business