FROM OUR FOUNDER

When I started my photography business in 2016, I knew absolutely nobody in business.

So off I went to networking meetings, convinced I’d come home full of confidence, armed with business wisdom and probably a list of lovely new friends.

That’s not exactly what happened.

The more networking meetings I went to, the more convinced I became that I wasn’t cut out for business. Everyone seemed so confident and knew exactly what they were doing. Everyone had a plan. Everyone spoke about turnover, referrals and business strategy. Meanwhile I’m googling under the table ‘what does SEO stand for?’ and hoping nobody asks me a question I didn’t know the answer to.

Then one day I found a group of women.

There weren’t hundreds of them. There wasn’t a stage. Nobody was trying to be the loudest person in the room. They were just … really nice people.

They laughed. They admitted when business was hard. They celebrated each other’s wins without making anyone else feel small.

And, most importantly, they made me feel like I belonged.

I stopped showing up in a way I thought people expected me to show up. I started asking questions. Learning. Developing.

I realised that everybody was learning as they went along, because that’s the reality of actually owning and growing a business. Nobody knows it all right?!

Funny how reassuring that is.

Over the months my confidence grew. I started saying yes to opportunities I’d have talked myself out of before. My business grew alongside it.

Looking back now, it wasn’t because I’d suddenly become a better photographer. It was because I’d found the right room to be in with the right people.

Then the group closed. Honestly, I was gutted. There was nothing else locally like it.

And that’s exactly why The Women Who Business Community exists today.

I built it because I needed it, I knew this type of support needed to continue. I didn’t need it for networking, I needed it to feel part of something different and real. I built it because not everyone wants to network in the traditional way, they want more.

I need conversations with interesting people. I need new and different perspectives. I enjoy working with people. Sometimes I need someone to tell me I’m overthinking things. Sometimes I just need someone who understands and can relate to the challenges of juggling family life whilst running a business. I need to feel part of something inspiring.

Business can be lonely if you let it be.

It doesn’t have to be.

That’s why every Women Who meeting starts with exactly the same intention it always has; To make sure that if one woman walks through the door feeling like I did back in 2016, she leaves feeling seen, heard and valued, knowing she’s not doing this on her own.

Because growing your business isn’t just about finding the next sale. It’s about finding the people who will lift your aspirations, help you learn, champion you and talk about how brilliant you are in rooms you’re not in. That’s what happens in communities like ours. It’s networking, done better!

Everything else, the growth, stability and the income, has a funny way of following afterwards.

With love, Lisa Lloyd

Founder & Managing Director

Our story is only just beginning, and you can be part of it.

We have ambitious plans to bring the support we offer to women up and down the UK.

We’re on a mission to ensure more women are aware of the benefits of business ownership.

We plan to visit more educational settings to talk to younger generations about how to start a business.

We’re creating funding opportunities to help break financial barriers.

We’re community building with real women, running real businesses, making a real impact.