Link4Growth Launches in the NW of England!

15th September 2011 saw another milestone for Link4Growth – the launch of the first board in the NW of England. Here Development Director Michelle McDines shares her thoughts on getting involved and her experience of the first board meeting.

Having initially turned down Chris Ogle’s suggestion that I get involved in launching boards here in the NW, because I didn’t want to be tied down geographically, a reworking of the role of Regional Board Director to Development Director meant that my objection had been tackled and I now had no excuse!

I trained as a business mentor a few years ago, and participated in a couple of mastermind and peer networking groups over the years, so I knew just how powerful a tool the Link4Growth board meetings would be for small business owners. My first task as a Development Director was to find a suitable Board Director for my first board. I had no hesitation in approaching Isla Wilson of Ruby Star Associates. Isla’s expertise is in bringing big business thinking to small businesses. A great fit with the whole Link4Growth ethos.

Having decided on the 4Networking meeting at Runcorn as our launch pad, Isla and I worked as a team to harness as many marketing channels as we could to raise awareness of the Link4Growth concept and the launch itself.

Come the morning of the board, we had a full house – a fantastic achievement for a completely new concept in the region. One no show due to a last minute business issue but other than that all went well.

The range of challenges raised by the attendees was broad and we were really spoiled for choice as to which to discuss. In fact we had a tie break for the fourth challenge and almost had to go to drawing straws as the second round of voting was neck and neck until the last two votes.

I was delighted with the level of engagement in the meeting. The participants whose challenges were chosen were open and honest in explaining where they were. The questioning to gain clarity was very powerful with well thought out questions and a willingness to answer as fully as possible.

Moving on to the suggestions round for each challenge had a real excitement about it as it quickly became clear just how much breadth and depth of expertise and experience was gathered around the table.

Everyone gave abundantly and there was genuine gratitude from those receiving advice and suggestions.

A great part for me too was that even though my challenge wasn’t chosen, I could relate to all the challenges that were and the solutions given to those participants will be as useful to me in my business as to them in theirs.

Two and a half hours flew by, but when the meeting did close, we realised just how hard we had all been working. Actively listening, thinking on the fly, adapting your questions and solutions to take account of those preceding you – our brains were in turbo mode and as the meeting closed there was the same buzz as if we’d participated in a sports match.

Armed with my Flip camera, I grabbed a couple of well-known participants to ask about their experience of their first Link4Growth board.

Here’s what Tom Lawrence of TLC Business Supplies had to say:

Jen Hinds had her business issue selected for discussion and here’s her reaction to the help she received.

The next Runcorn Link4Growth board will be meeting on Thursday 13th October at 11am at The Heath Business Park, Runcorn. You can reserve your place here