Cherchez South Cheshire

The South Cheshire group is hosted by Janice Mills of Higher Ground Coaching. Janice was so impressed by the relaxed, informal and supportive atmosphere at the Manchester events that she jumped at the opportunity to help make Cherchez networking available to business women around Crewe and Nantwich. Janice’s aim is to encourage the Cherchez ‘how can I help your business?’ culture of networking within the South Cheshire group.

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NEXT EVENT

DATE: Friday 2nd March 2012
TIME: 12 noon till 2.00pm
VENUE: Virgin Taining Academy, Tatton House, Crewe Business Park, Crewe, CW1 6ZD.
COST: £14 Cherchez Members; £18 Non-Members

Join us this month for more upbeat, relaxed and friendly networking with the added bonus of a really great Guest Speaker - Babs Golden from HSBC Bank.

Babs will be giving us an insight into budgeting for business, sharing hints and tips to use when applying for finance from your bank, and protecting the person behind the business. This is all invaluable information from an expert on the inside and it’s particularly relevant if you’re building your own business.

Book your place now by using the button below. We really look forward to seeing you there!

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Previous Meetings

3rd February 2012

Our February meeting was held at Alsager Golf and Country Club and we had a wonderful range of experience and talent in the room!

Our guest speaker was Caroline Hampson, author of ‘Tickover or Takeoff - how to build a multimillion pound business’. Caroline shared insights into successful owners of small businesses while challenging us all to step out of our comfort zones to grow our own businesses.

“Friendly, supportive and interesting group of women.”

“Loved everything about the meeting - does what it says on the tin!”

“Excellent speaker.”

I hope you all enjoyed the meeting as much as I did - what a diverse and talented bunch we are!

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13th January 2012

It was great to hold our first South Cheshire meeting of 2012 back in the historic Main Hall at Reaseheath College. Many thanks to Anne Sharrott of the Enterprise Delivery Hub at Reaseheath for encouraging, supporting and accommodating us.

We had a wonderful turnout that included both new and familiar faces.

Our guest speaker, Becs McNeill, was very well received as she shared her expertise in making social media work for our businesses.

In the business card draw, Vicki Spibey, from Arbonne, won the free place at the February meeting.

“Excellent talk from Becs! Venue good and good selection of businesses.”

“Very interesting to learn about the social media side to marketing … got some work to do now!!”

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2nd December 2011

“I just wanted to write and thank you for the meeting on Friday. I never like going into a room where I don’t know people, but it was a very welcoming group, so thank you. I loved the talk by Nicola, and look forward to seeing you at the January meeting.”

Our seventh South Cheshire meeting saw us back at the delightful Wellness Centre in Nantwich.

New and familiar faces enjoyed networking while sampling “alternative” nutritious drinks and protein shakes for lunch.

Our guest speaker was Nicola Cupples from My Style Companion who delivered an engaging and entertaining talk on how to style ourselves confident and stop making do! Charity shops will see a boom in business as we all come away and de-clutter our wardrobes!

In the business card draw, Caroline Gowing, from Pink Spaghetti PA Services, won the free place at the January meeting.

“Really good speaker. Buzzing event!”

“Very good presentation with lots of good tips. Lovely ladies again!”

“Wonderful meeting. Great speaker - she was excellent.”

“Loved it! Great speaker and my favourite topic!”

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4th November 2011

“Great venue, lovely food, great company and inspirational speaker!”

“Excellent again – really enjoyed it. Great guest speaker too – definitely food for thought.”

Our sixth South Cheshire meeting was kindly hosted by the North West Enterprise Hub within the stunning Main Hall at Reaseheath College, Nantwich.

Networking flowed quickly and easily over a lovely lunch and our guest speaker, Karen Hands, inspired us with her story of how she moved ‘from panic to poise’ when public speaking.

In the prize draw, Michelle Potts from Arbonne won the free place at the December meeting and Sue Roberts from The Utilities Warehouse won the prize donated by Karen Hands.

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Regent’s Park, Nantwich, Friday 7th October 2011

Our fifth South Cheshire meeting was the biggest and best so far!

Eighteen women in business enjoyed networking over a tasty lunch provided by Anna Morales at her delightful and ever successful Funky Monkey Café. Anna shared her inspirational story of the café, from her initial vision and opening of her first premises to her recent expansion into a space eight times bigger, where she already enjoys days when there’s not a table free!

This month’s talk was from Helen Jones, Managing Director of South Manchester Sandler Training. Helen gave us useful insight into personality types and the importance of choosing our communication styles to complement those of our business associates.

In the prize draw, Rosemary Douglas won the free place at the November meeting, Mumtaz Hussain won the Jamie at Home prize (kindly donated by Sue Kay) and Kate Nicholls took the sales book brought by Helen Jones.

We’ve had some really amazing feedback some of which is summarised below. For all the comments, go to our Testimonials Page.

“I really enjoyed my time with the ladies at Cherchez today and hearing all the great stories. I look forward to meeting you all again soon. I have already made some great contacts through networking, with seeds planted for collaborations!

I look forward to the next meeting.”
Kate Mason, Stella & Dot

“Fab, friendly event. Good networking in a lovely atmosphere”
Helen Rae, Helen Rae Photography

“A big thanks to Janice for the event yesterday & to Helen for a great talk.”
Mumtaz Hussain, Redshift Radio and Adamsons Law

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The Wellness Centre, Nantwich, Friday 2nd September 2011

Our fourth event saw us returning to The Wellness Centre in Nantwich – such a feelgood light and airy space for networking - with many new faces from a diverse range of businesses and backgrounds.

Delegates enjoyed healthy drinks on arrival and got to choose from a mouth-watering menu of smoothies for lunch.

Networking got underway quickly and easily and the highlight of the event was our guest speaker, award-winning journalist Mary Murtagh. Mary shared her top tips on how to market your business for free by writing a killer press release that would grab the attention of journalists. Her inimitable style of delivery made for an extremely informative and entertaining session.

“100% fantastic – thanks Janice” - Corinne Christou

“Lovely to meet everyone, mixing and learning in such a relaxing atmosphere! A big thank you to Janice for choosing such a wonderful venue and speaker. “ - Chrisoula Sirigou

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Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Friday 3rd June 2011

Our third South Cheshire meeting was back in the wonderfully light and airy space of the Circle Bar at Crewe Lyceum theatre.

We were delighted to have as our guest speaker Pam Dawson from The Blue Orchid business development agency. Pam brought her wealth of experience as both a business development adviser and as a business woman who has an eye for new business opportunities and acts upon them! We were all riveted by Pam’s enthusiastic (and humorous) talk and notes were being taken enthusiastically as Pam shared idea after idea. Most of us were challenged in our business thinking and it was interesting to see people having their individual “aha moments”!

On the networking front, women from a diverse range of businesses were supporting each other in true Cherchez style:

* recommending other Cherchez women who could provide services they needed
* exploring ideas to work collaboratively
* encouraging each other

In the business card draw the free place at a future Cherchez meeting went to Emma Berry (Personal Trainer), the bottle of fizz to Tracey Bastiman (H R Consultant) and the homemade cake to Helen Jones (Sandler Training).

Feedback from the session included:

“Brilliant. Loved listening to Pam Dawson with her no-nonsense approach! Very inspirational.” Emma Berry, Personal Trainer

“Thanks Janice for another great South Cheshire meeting, the talk by Pam Dawson from Blue Orchid was great; packed full of no-nonsense and practical advice.” Helen Jones, Sandler Training

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Friday 6th May - Nantwich

The second South Cheshire meeting was kindly hosted by The Wellness Centre in Nantwich, a perfect, bright and airy space for networking Cherchez-style: relaxed, supportive and friendly over a light lunch.

Jill Jeffries of The Wellness Centre gave a very insightful talk about health and nutrition, with simple but effective ideas for fitting exercise into the busiest of lives (must check my cupboard for two tins of baked beans) and we all saw our breakfast habits in a new light!

In the prize draw, Helen Jones won the bottle of bubbly and Sue Edbury took the free place at a future Cherchez meeting.

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Friday 8th April - Crewe

“Great Launch event. Enjoyed the talk by Janice and meeting the other ladies”

“What a pleasant comfortable meeting”

The first Cherchez South Cheshire meeting got off to a flying start. at Crewe’s Lyceum Theatre on Friday 8th April: great venue, good food and what a lovely group of ladies!

From Personal Trainers to Human Resources Consultants, we had a wonderfully diverse range of businesses represented and networking got underway quickly and easily.

A huge thanks to Jacqueline Wilson, from Cheshire East Council, for joining us. Jacqueline shared her genuine enthusiasm for supporting local women in business and raised everyone’s awareness of business development opportunities available from the Council.

Janice took the spotlight session and gave everyone an insight into Life Coaching and its benefits, along with some fear-busting strategies to take away and put into practice.

The business card prize draw saw Susan Kay taking away the bubbly, Emma Berry winning an hour’s coaching with Janice and Lucy Hill winning free entry to a future Cherchez meeting.