The event, which took place at the Park Inn, Thurrock (South-East Essex), was organized by Caroline Thomas of Sales Scene. Caroline’s first promotional email billed the session as ‘A different kind of networking’. Well, every networking group that ever gathered thought it was ‘different’, didn’t it?! ‘So, what’s new about this one?’ I wondered.

I’m always on the look-out for networking events – different or otherwise, though, and the subject heading told me this one was close to home. So although I didn’t open the email immediately, I didn’t delete it.

When a reminder came through, I was having a bit of an in-box tidy-up, so thought I’d better make my mind up whether to open or delete. I opened – and was curious.

It was an invitation to ‘Thurrock Jelly’ which was apparently free – but what the hell was business ‘jelly’?

I found out more when I interviewed Caroline for my radio show a couple of weeks ago – but it only really made sense when I saw it in practice.

To call it ‘networking’ at all is misleading really – it’s actually about co-working. Yes, some organic networking went on (which I always think is the best kind) – I’ve got two meetings tomorrow as a result; but the emphasis isn’t on sales and marketing, making contacts and swapping cards. It’s all about people who spend a substantial part of their working lives alone, getting together to work on their own projects in a more normal office environment, maybe to trade skills and ideas but certainly to break the day-to-day tedium of only having the computer to swear at!

So why is it called ‘jellying’? I thought it was something to do with everyone ‘gelling’ together – but, no. Apparently, the two IT freelancers who came up with the concept in New York in 2006 were eating jelly beans when inspiration struck… Let’s just be thankful they weren’t enjoying foot-long hotdogs…!

There are now several regular sessions in the UK and across Europe. They’re all different, but they have three things in common:

1 – Organizing the event itself is not a business;
2 – Jelly organizers don’t make money out of it (although as I saw for myself, they certainly have to work!); and
3 – Jellying is free.

Thurrock’s next event will be in June or July (dates to be confirmed) – and we hope next time to see some real jelly! If you spend too much time staring at your office wall (at home or elsewhere), longing for the phone to ring, ‘just to talk to someone!’, or marvelling at the conversational versatility of your coffee cup, why not give this a go? It’s so much more than just ‘another bloody network!’

If you’d like to attend, but have not yet received an invitation, drop me a line at sherie@savvybc.com.

Get Business Savvy

“The People Business”

Launching the Savvy Business Community

Come and help us celebrate!

When?   Monday 11th May at 6:00 PM

Where? At The Wine Tun, 2/6 Cannon Street, London EC4M 6XX – by St Pauls Cathedral (http://www.davy.co.uk/winetun)

Why?     You will be able to:
o See presentations by the core team behind the Community
o Get a guided tour of the new website
o Meet founder members
o Find out how the Community could help your business
o Network with businesspeople from across the South-east region and beyond
o Have a drink on us!

RSVP by 3rd May 2009.

For more information, please email sherie@savvybc.com or call 0844 371 2941

In case you’re wondering (as I was) a tun of wine is eight gallons. I don’t expect to get through that much on the night – not before the presentations anyway!

It’s an “invitation only” event –so if you’d like to join us but aren’t yet on the mailing list, please, let me know. I’ll post a copy of the invitation here when it goes out.

Of course it’s a business event – but for me, it’s more than that. It’s the culmination of two years’ work to effect a major career change (into something I’m convinced I’ve always been much better designed for than law) and the chance publicly to acknowledge and thank the people who have supported me through the transition, helped me lay the all-important foundations for Savvy’s future – and who will hopefully be part of the company and the Community for a long time to come. If that sounds very personal, I make no apologies – it is.

Sherie