12th June Event – HMP The Verne

This event was kindly hosted by Sue Vallance at HMP The Verne and included a tour of the prison at the end of the evening.

Most plans describe (imperfectly) the competitors of two years back, contrasted with themselves in a year or two’s time, assuming a following wind”
~Sir Christopher Hogg

Opening Presentation – Karenlee Knott

Karenlee opened the event and offered an update on network happenings, because of feedback from previous events this event’s guest presentation was focussed on business strategy and direction.  

Guest Speaker Presentation – Caroline Brewer

Caroline has set up and run People and Strategy Limited for the last 10 years; the company specialises in Management Development, Culture Management and the human side of Change Management.  Refocus is a new division of People and Strategy which aims to support individuals through coaching to reflect, redefine and refocus their personal and professional lives.   

Caroline’s portfolio includes running strategy development workshops with senior management teams, training graduates in business strategy, and advising small business owners on business development.  Prior to setting up People and Strategy Limited she worked as Personnel and Development Director for a national food manufacturing and distribution company. 

Feedback Consolidation

Many people enjoyed the more interactive aspects of Caroline’s presentation and found it to be interesting and well presented. Almost all those present said they would be interested in attending a first anniversary special event.  

Topics suggested for future meetings included; networking, leadership skills, small businesses, business development, financial planning/sales forecasts, advice and support during an economic downturn, marketing strategies and web marketing. It was also noted that workshops and small group activities could be a good idea during these meetings to help get to know each other better.