Are you a CEO , on the board or a very senior manager?

[Saladdays]

Hi, I'm trying to connect a fabulous new woman CEO into a peer group network (South East UK... or national)

Are you part of anything? Is it any good?

Would you like more peer support - and if so in what format (wondering about organising a Lunch, for example - not for profit)

All thoughts and ideas appreciated.

Bump
Or are you a PA or PR for a high flyer?

Bump - just in case now is a better time to ask!

I am a about to become a board director for a SME company in north midlands. Currently a top manager. Is that the sort of thing you were thinking of or am I not important enough yet?

Are you thinking about female peer group network? Because IMHO there is a woeful lack of such a thing. All the women in business groups I have found are desperately patronising and don't offer anything to me.

Sorry, that doesn't help does it!

Well - it kind of helps as my own searching has not found anything! (So you've made me feel less stupid!!)

There does seem to be a fair level (not brilliant but ok) of peer group / network events for SME women - so hope for you Pushmepullyou.

What I'm trying to find is something for the a larger corp senior execs. Some kind of peer support group / lunch / opportunity to vent & share ideas etc.

I've spoken to a couple of organisations today and they get excited about getting the women I have involved to mentor the others - but that's not what I'm trying to find in this instance.

I'm thinking 4-5 non-competing CEO / board level women having lunch to discuss business etc

By the way Pushmepullyou - Congratulations on the new role (your own business?). I ran my own business for about 5years so I wish you good luck, it is hard work but rewarding too.

The SME networking groups are the worst, the really patronising ones. The focus of their discussions seems to generally be about 'how can we make ourselves more like me?'

I don't know if you know these people. Not what you are looking for but they do have a big database of senior director level people. I have worked with Elizabeth Jackson in the past. It might be worth giving her a call to see if she knows of any such thing.

or even "more like men"!

Changes the emphasis somewhat.

Thank you Saladdays . It's not my own business, but somewhere I've been working as a Manager/AD for about 3 years. We're having a change of senior management as we have struggled a bit in the recession as we are involved with the development sector, but seem to be coming out of it a bit now.

I have found the whole SME thing a bit patronising as well tbh - glad it's not just me!

I'm intrigued. What do you want from a network / support for SMEs?

Need to go to bed Saladdays as I have a breakfast seminar to present to 40 SME owners at 7:30am tomorrow morning! But I will give it some thought and post again tomorrow night. To be honest, you are making me wonder whether it is worth starting something up...

Women find it easier to network with women, so a group for women is a good idea.

However, too often they focus on the wrong issues. Too often they feel a need to focus on 'women in business' issues when it is not necessary. Female SME leaders face the same issues as male SME leaders, so the topics of discussion should be the same. Tomorrow I am presenting on 'selling your business'. That is as relevant to women as men, but I expect 99% of the attendees will be men.

I expect that a support group that addressed that kind of issue would be far more rewarding.

Now I am going to bed.

Hope it went well. I think there is an opportunity - have you come across Prowess, Anthena Network and Women Like Us?

Bump