For the last 8 years we have been specialising in brand development for the drinks industry, so we didn’t really get to many non-drinks related events or seminars. When we got an invite to the Durham FSB event it was a great opportunity to do something new, and a chance to meet business owners and industry leaders from a wide range of other sectors.
In the past, some events just didn’t seem accessible due to the travelling involved and the time constraints we all have when running a business. We had always looked to join the FSB but decided to take the plunge after attending an FSB Virtual Event. We were really impressed with how it was put together and how Howard made everyone welcome and completely at ease. We joined FSB shortly after this and have attended the Virtual Events regularly ever since. We found they really are worth taking the time to sit down, focus and enjoy the short presentations from the Guest Speakers. It makes a real impact when we hear a piece of advice or a snippet of knowledge that we know we could incorporate into LemonTop to help build the business or simply just make the workflow a little smoother. Each event has something that is informative and beneficial to the team at LemonTop, and the virtual interaction allows us to find out more about other businesses, what they do and how we can work together to the benefit of everyone involved.
When networking, we always like to do something different to stand out and make people smile or simply break the ice. The Virtual Events have allowed us to take this one step further. We often turn up as an animated versions of ourselves, which always brings a smile and a few comments (most of them nice). A lot of people have been impressed with this and enquired as to whether we can create animated characters for them, which we are always more than happy to do. Like we said earlier, it’s just something that’s a little bit different, injects a bit of fun and creates a relaxed atmosphere.
The Virtual Events have been a great success for us and have been designed to help us all keep connecting, collaborating and supporting each other at a very uncertain time. They enable us to reach out and interact with other businesses around the area and showcase what we do, which was always a difficult and time-consuming task before joining the FSB. We do hope the Virtual Events remain as part of the FSB’s calendar. The way the team have organised and managed these events has given us the perfect platform and opportunity to work with people we probably wouldn’t have met if it weren’t for the FSB.
We always recommend the FSB as an organisation to join as the benefits far outweigh the cost. Apart from being a great source of information the FSB help with a whole host of business matters from raising awareness of new working practices through to helping fledgling startups find their feet. The FSB provides a great opportunity to build your contacts, get excellent advice and also be supported by a great team.
