East London Creative Business Women Peer-2-Peer Network What is it? A regular monthly meeting space to openly discuss ideas and challenges peer to peer with other women creative business leaders in East London Who is it for? Women creative business leaders in East London either you are a; 1. A women business owner in creative social enterprise / SME spaces Or 2. A women senior leader in creative independent, main stream , local authority and social enterprise spaces Why might you choose to join? ● You lack head space to honestly address new ideas and challenges ● You have limited access to support and resources ● You feel held back by fears of taking your business to the next level ● You feel unsure about your personal and professional leadership power ● You feel isolated as a women business leader ● You’re not clear about what exactly doesn’t work in your business, why it doesn’t and what could work instead The peer-2-peer network offers ● The powerful resource of shared experience ● A safe space to be authentic and honest about your vision and challenges ● A place to share and reality-test your ideas and project plans ● A space that will be nurturing and challenging, and will encourage you to grow your own enjoyment and effectiveness of leadership ● The opportunity to be part of a dynamic, accountable and doing-business community: we get stuff done! ● The opportunity to increase your abilities and access to resources to significantly grow your business i.e. the longer term an idea is to use the BNI model of in-group referrals to share business opportunities
● A place to learn and try out creative tools and techniques to look at things from a different perspective ● Guest speakers from a range of inspiring women creative business leaders including those who have won awards and are respected as leaders in their fields Other benefits that are possible once the group is formed and has agreed ways forward might include: ● Written testimonials ● Video testimonials ● Sharing hard skills i.e. filming ● Doing joint projects - collaborations ● Giving each other discounts on services ● Practicing for pitches, public speaking, tendering interviews The mission of the network To contribute to developing a deeper and more creative business culture that is exciting, mutual, successful and sustainable Format ● Frequency: the network meets for 2 ½ hours every 4 weeks and we ask you once you’ve decided to become a members to agree to a regular attendance ● Commitment: in one of our first meetings we will encourage you to identify clear goals for your business that you will work towards and review with the support from the network. The network will ask accountability of your steps and expect everyone’s commitment to growing their business and supporting each other to do so ● Method: we will use a structured and co-facilitated process based on action learning, coaching and mentoring during the session so each time you leave with a clear set of next step/s to significantly move you forward ● Practice: the network will make space for members to role-play or practice situations such as difficult conversations, pitches etc. ● Feedback: you will learn and practice to give each other feedback that supports growth ● Advice: there will always be place for sharing insights from each other around key issues or ideas
YOUR NEXT STEPS Now you have read the initial outline for the network do call Anna or Petra for more information about joining, being a guest speaker for the group or drop us a line via email or Twitter Anna B. Sexton Director Open To Create... 07941 655 856 anna@opentocreate.com www.opentocreate.com @opentocreate
Petra Hilgers Founding Director Deep Black 07963 492 880 petra@deepblack.org.uk www.deepblack.org.uk @deepblacklondon