Not everyone wants to be front and centre or spend time marketing themselves, and that’s absolutely fine. But I am convinced of one thing....everyone needs something at some point. That’s simply part of growing a business. At least initially, let my role as the host be to help with introductions. A good example from today: after separate conversations with two people in the group, it became clear they should meet each other. Both have only recently joined and were probably still working out what this space is all about. They’re both developers. They both need different things. So a call was set up. One was in Italy, the other in India, so a Teams call it was. Now, who knows where that goes, maybe nowhere, maybe somewhere useful. But the important thing is this: that conversation didn’t exist yesterday. And that’s really what this group is about. You don’t need to pitch. You don’t need to post a polished intro. You don’t need to be visible if that’s not your style. Sometimes it’s just about sharing what you’re working on or what you’re looking for, and letting the rest happen quietly. It might be a comment, a DM, or someone watching from the sidelines who reaches out later. This space simply gives you the choice. If you ever need help, perspective, or an introduction, feel free to drop it into the group — I’ll do my best to help join the dots.

We’ve had a really good run of conversations this week. Coffee Hours, new faces, and even a deal coming together. That’s exactly what I’d hoped this group would become… I just didn’t expect that last part to happen quite so fast. Before we head into the weekend, I’m curious: What are you working on right now? Or what’s top of your list for next week? At Coffee Hour this week we also had two people who’ve only just started out on their own. They’ve got years of experience in the corporate world, but stepping out solo is still a brave move, and in my eyes, a very sensible one too. One thing that’s already clear is the depth of experience in this group when it comes to running businesses. Helping people take that next step is genuinely enjoyable, and I’m hoping the connections here start firing naturally. If you need direction, perspective, or a sounding board, just drop it into the group. Doesn’t need to be polished. One line is fine. And if you’re switching off completely this weekend, that’s also a perfectly acceptable answer.

Was good to speak just now. Thanks @Adrian Cormican for facilitating! @Rory Cullen @Jamie Mckinnon - if you need any input or review / troubleshooting on Ampthill, let me know. Email is - [email protected] Jamie I will try to think where we've crossed paths before. Maybe looking at a site somewhere over the years. Or maybe mutual friends. Or maybe round a pool table by the sounds of it - I used to play for The Chequers then Westoning Rec Club many moons ago! @Yourgos Alexander - will have to look for a time we can arrange a catch up, as I think there may be potential mutual clients we can identify... Cheers!

We had two new faces joined @Nick Stafford & @Yourgos Alexander, great to see you. One slightly strange (and brilliant) coincidence: everyone who attended today was within 10 miles of each other… despite Skool being a worldwide platform. It’s funny how these things happen. The group has now grown to 49 members, and for me, meeting people and properly understanding what they’re working on, and what they need, is the most important part of this. My hope is that Coffee Hour becomes a safe, relaxed space to do exactly that. @Rory Cullen & @Jamie Mckinnon were back again today too. They first connected on our very first Coffee Hour, and since then they’ve offered on a site together, which is still amazing to see. That’s not forced networking, that’s just good people spending time together. Going forward, I’d love to see: - new people dropping in each week - familiar faces returning - and conversations continuing beyond the call No pressure to speak. No obligation to attend every time. Just a consistent place to show up when it suits you. Thanks to everyone who joined today, and hopefully see a few new faces next time.