Last spring, I got the inkling of an idea. Oxfordshire, my local area, has a jam-packed networking scene. I’d been to events of all shapes and sizes over the years. But I began to realise there were no groups specifically for people like me: solo independent consultants who provide their expertise and services to business clients. So I decided to start my own.

Looking back this sounds crazy in such a crowded market but it just seemed the right thing to do. Why?

There was clearly an unmet need
The volume of networking groups underlined what I already knew, that Oxfordshire has a thriving business community. But at most events there was such a range of businesses, it felt totally untargeted. If I felt this way, I was fairly confident there were other consultants who felt the same.

I was inspired by others

I’d been to industry events and numerous after work drinks when I worked in London. I missed the combination of chatting to like-minded people over a glass of wine while learning something new. I was also inspired by other targeted groups I’d been to, including Oxfordshire’s Creative Meetup, started by fellow comms pro Catherine Warrilow and now run by Kate Stinchcombe-Gillies. 

To offer something different

From the beginning, I was clear that the Oxford Independent Consultants Meetups wouldn’t be just another networking group. You won’t find any white table cloths or formulaic elevator pitches at our events. It’s not about sales or swapping business cards, it’s about building relationships and supporting one another. 

It made my day when someone said at out last meetup, “I hate networking but this is different and I love it.”

To help and inspire others

Our meetups attract consultants from a wide variety of industries including, market research, HR, marketing and PR, training and coaching, finance, law, design, and many more. Yet we all have similar challenges and aspirations. Each Meetup is focused around a hot topic that impacts independents such as winning clients, pricing, or simply staying motivated when you work on your own. And of course we have plenty of time for chatting over a drink as well.

To leave my office and hang out with my ‘tribe’

As a busy consultant working from home, it’s easy to become chained to your desk. Ironic as that’s one of the reasons many of us left the corporate world! It can also be hard to justify going to face-to-face events when time is your most precious resource.

The Meetups provide a compelling reason for us all to get out of our home office for chat and motivation, especially on a dark winter’s evening.

Building a community of talented consultants

18 months later, we’re about to run our 10th event. We have a community of more than 100 consultants who are passionate about building and growing a successful business as an independent consultant. People travel from as far as Warwick and Winchester to attend the Meetups.

I couldn’t do it without others to help me: Charlotte Talmage, who helped me get my crazy idea into action, and ace facilitator Phil Walsh of Walsh’s Learning to Achieve my co-organiser who helps design and deliver our Meetup experience.

Come and join us

If you’re intrigued to experience an Oxford Independent Consultants Meetup for yourself, you can join us on Tuesday 12 November, from 6-8pm at Metro Bank in Oxford city centre. Our hot topic this month is ‘Pain-free pitching and proposals.’

Find out more and book here.