First North Durham Business Network event sparks new connections and collaboration
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Businesses from across North Durham came together at Durham Cricket in Chester-le-Street for the first North Durham Business Network event, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for business networking in the area.
The new network builds on the success of the former Drum Business Park Group and Northern Tenants Network, creating a larger and more inclusive community where businesses, entrepreneurs and professionals can connect, collaborate and grow together. Attendees at the launch were enthusiastic about the opportunities that bringing the existing groups together could create.
Building on North Durham’s existing business community
Jon Brunton, Business Growth Director at Business Durham, opened the event with a welcome and introduced the ambitions behind the new network. He spoke about the importance of nurturing and developing an ecosystem that already works well, while finding new ways for it to evolve and benefit more businesses and people across North Durham.
Rather than replacing the strong relationships and communities already established in the area, the North Durham Business Network will build upon them, creating more opportunities for businesses to connect, collaborate and access support.
A fresh perspective on networking
The event’s main speaker was networking specialist Jeni Smith, who drew on more than 20 years of experience and her PhD research at Durham University to explore the value of building meaningful professional relationships.
Jeni encouraged attendees to move away from traditional networking introductions based primarily on names, job titles and descriptions of what their organisations do.
Instead, she invited businesses to have more purposeful conversations about the challenges they were facing, the problems they wanted to solve and the connections or support that could help them move forward.
This alternative approach created an open and collaborative atmosphere, with conversations focused on genuine business needs and opportunities rather than formal introductions or sales pitches.
Turning business challenges into conversations
Several attendees were willing to speak openly to the whole room about challenges they were experiencing, areas where they needed advice or problems for which they were seeking a solution.
These contributions quickly prompted further conversations between businesses that may not otherwise have connected. Attendees were able to share their experiences, offer suggestions and identify opportunities to continue discussions beyond the event.
The morning demonstrated the value of creating an environment where businesses feel comfortable being honest about what they need, as well as what they can offer others.
By bringing together businesses, entrepreneurs, professionals and support organisations from across the area, the North Durham Business Network aims to make it easier for people to find relevant connections, exchange knowledge and access practical support.
A positive start for the North Durham Business Network
The success of the first event highlighted the appetite for a more connected and collaborative business community in North Durham.
Future meetings will continue to provide opportunities for businesses to make meaningful connections, share challenges, exchange knowledge and discover new opportunities.
The launch provided a strong foundation for the network, with attendees embracing the opportunity to approach networking differently and contribute to the development of the new community.
Join us at the next North Durham Business Network event and connect with businesses from across North Durham and the wider County Durham area.
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