At Gone Bush, we love a networking opportunity as much as the next lot... but if we're being honest with ourselves, it's clear that the classic 'networking event' is fraught with anxiety, judgement and a lack of authenticity.
Completely appreciate that everyone's busy and time is money and position is status and money talks etc. But surely the hard and fast approach isn't always best when attempting to spark your most important business or 'strategic' relationships.
In 2016 we launched our Networking In Nature monthly events. In our minds, hosting a regular morning walk for professionals in an accessible nature-based location would provide a platform to both showcase a snippet of what our business provides to the corporate market as well as an opportunity to expand the network of Gone Bush VIPs and early adopters.
So far the event has been a worthy investment of our time and it has delivered on both of its original goals.
But there's been a greater success that has emerged from Networking In Nature and it's one that belongs to every single person who's come along so far - that is, its unfailing ability to truly connect people, reinvigorate them and provide a memorable shared experience.
Reflecting on the monthly growth in numbers at our Networking In Nature events, we reckon the secret ingredient is space.
Networking In Nature provides relationships with space to breathe, brew organically, express themselves and align on so many levels - to move beyond a pitch, beyond a 30 second time slot, beyond 'business as usual'.
Networking In Nature provides a space to move, space to breathe and a space to simply be you, along with your fellow human beings.
Perhaps this is why the event has continued to attract people rain, hail or shine (literally) and grow in numbers from the early days, where 4 or 5 people would show up to more recently where we've been gathering 15-20 people each month.
Combine the secret ingredient (space) with the fact that walking is good for you, the fact that time in nature is good for you and fact that being surrounded by good people is good for you.. and I think we've got a winning recipe for a refined, more-natural approach to networking for professionals.
Thank you to everyone who's come out to a Networking In Nature over the past 18 months and contributed to these special events.
We'll keep on running Networking In Nature rain, hail or shine each month in Sydney (first Thursday of the month) and look forward to seeing you at an event one day soon. Did we mention we're launching Networking In Nature in Melbourne in September?
Stay tuned for details and cheerio for now!
Question: Why do you think Networking In Nature is working?
Whether you're a GB VIP and regular attendee or just a casual observer - we're really interested in your thoughts.