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You may not of heard much from us here at Networking Mummies recently but both myself and Joanne have been working so hard on this edition of the Business Mums Journal for both Dorset and Midlands but I had to just quickly write about this great story...

This story shows the power of Networking at its brilliance through Networking Mummies.

Kirsty Dee Bowerbank-Steel has been a member of Networking Mummies in Dorset for sometime now. She has worked very hard on building a business 'Work It Baby' from scratch and we like to think we have been with her along the way...

Julie Lacey is a Forever Living Consultant in our Hampshire branch.

The week before I was due to move back to Warwickshire, we had an event in Bournemouth about 'Chip and Pin' machines for your business. I spoke to Julie Lacey at this event for sometime about my upcoming move to Warwickshire and how I didn't know any mums up their with businesses so would have to ask around. She told me that the Forever Living Head Office is actually in Warwick and she would talk to a few people about me.

I then moved back to Warwickshire and I put a date in the diary for any mums in business to come to the first Networking Mummies (Warwickshire) event in a soft play area. I dragged along my long term friend from school Stacie, who I had known since the age of 4 for a bit of moral support. She was currently on maternity leave and didn't want to return to her demanding job but didn't know what she wanted to do.

Within 10 minutes in walks a bright, bubbly person called Sharon Bott. Along with some other people following closely behind. Sharon is also a Consultant from Forever Living and the only reason she came is because Julie Lacey had suggested it!

When the meeting had come to an end I noticed Stacie and Sharon putting a date in their diaries to meet up...

A week later Sharon has signed Stacie up to Forever Living and Stacie is over the moon that she now has a job that means she can also spend time with her children.

Forward a few weeks later and I am having breakfast and she is telling me how she has set a business page up on Facebook and that she was posting about her products when someone called Kirsty sent her email asking about them. She spoke to Kirsty at length and Kirsty from Networking Mummies (Dorset) has now just become a distributor under Stacie's wing!

As we speak Stacie and Sharon are in Bournemouth at Kirsty's launch of her new business and with their products. I am so sad I can't be there as I did have the opportunity to go down with the girls but unfortunately I am sat with a pile of work that has a deadline.

I just love this story as it shows what me and Joanne aRe passionate about and how it has connected like minded people and businesses. It incorporates all 3 branches of Networking Mummies and shows what the power of networking can bring  to small businesses.

As I always like to say 'It is not what you know it is who you know'...

It was the morning of our Social Networking for Business Workshop for Networking Mummies in Warwickshire and I have to say that knowing I had to run the workshop in front of 17 people I was feeling nervous! Normally, we have people running the workshops for us and I managed to stay in the background. It was weird not having Joanne there too!

We held the workshop at Scarman House at the University of Warwick, which has great conferancing facilities. Everyone arrived and enjoyed pastries, fruit, nuts, coffee, tea and juice on arrival. The workshop kicked off about 9.15am with introductions from me and about Networking Mummies and our ethos, which followed with everyone introducing themselves and telling everyone a bit about what they do.

The first half was all about Facebook and I was feeling a bit more at ease now and it helped that I had lovely people really interacting and asking loads of questions which is what I wanted. We stopped for a break just gone 11am for more pastries, biscuits and drinks and importantly some networking!

The second half was all about Twitter and Blogging and everyone again asked questions and the interaction was great. I had printed out there own 'How to Guide' to take home with them in their own personal folders which also had a copy of the Dorset Journal in and an invite to the 'Warwickshire Business Mums Exhibition' on the 4th October at the Hilton Hotel in Warwick.

The morning ended far too quickly in my eyes but I was really blessed to meet some lovely new people that also really motivated me. The feedback forms were all filled in and I was so pleased with the feedback given.

Watch this space for more details of other workshops coming soon.

Also check out Donna Pinnell's blog on her view of the workshop here!