You can ask us anything…

Recently a new Insider and business owner asked us some questions to help them decide if they should join us. We thought we would share what we said. It sums up what we can do for you, your business and your team.

We really are happy to answer any questions you may have, so if we’ve missed something get in touch here.

However, before we get started we will have some questions for you too, because not everyone uses us in the same way (you will see why in our replies below) so we need to know;

• Are you looking to grow your business?
• What do you need for business?
• What are you working on?
• How much capacity for new business / customers do you have?
• Is business good?
• Are you looking to build your team?
• What are you struggling with in business right now?

It is always good to know what you are looking to gain from working with the BWN so we can ensure that’s the direction we go in. You can email us your answers here so we can be honest as to if this business mastermind and networking community is right for you. *

The BWN helps in 2 main ways 1. To network and gain new business – spending time with people that get it and 2. To learn new ideas, learn trends, learn ways to grow your business and share your knowledge.

Is there a membership fee? Is it expensive?

Mandie Holgate set up the BWN in 2009 and was adamant we would always be low cost and have no membership. It used to be £125 for the year (1 event per month) and then £10 per month for the Insiders. People could come along to networking events ad hoc for £15 for any of the 17 events we were hosting across the UK. (Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Hertfordshire, London, Kent, Warwickshire, Cambridge.)

During the pandemic when we moved online we hosted networking events and business growth training via the BWN Insiders group, so we could cut the costs again. (Our mission is not to make money out of the BWN, but to re-invest everything we make from it back into building it for the good of our members. So the pandemic became a good opportunity to do more for business owners.

We also give all Insiders a 50% discount on all business, blogging, confidence and communication courses too – https://www.mandieholgate.co.uk/rocket-profits-confidence-success/

I’ve got little ones and they don’t always want to watch CBBc!

We love it when children appear on screen. At our last networking and business growth event we had one young lady (5 years old) draw a picture for us and she said she intended to be a business woman like her mum – so cute. All joking aside we are a professional business growth and networking organisation so your little ones won’t delay or interrupt that. We like to run an organised networking and business growth event that is relaxed enough for everyone. So if you are in a busy office that’s okay too. We often have colleagues waving in on the virtual networking events wondering what we are discussing!

I’m not that confident, can I just come along and see what it’s all about first?

Not everyone is confident so you get involved as much or as little as you like. Mic on or off. Camera on or off. Your call. We are very good at building confidence so go at your pace and we will support you to grow and grow and grow. You will be amazed how good confidence is for business.

I really don’t want to do a 60 seconds elevator pitch, is that okay?

Yes of course. Our coordinator will ensure you feel comfortable and if you don’t want to speak, then don’t. We have an accompanying post on the confidential mastermind group so that you can add your links, offers, news and business information to that and never have to say a word if you prefer. Remember, we are experts in delivering 60 seconds and we want you to feel comfortable and confident in everything you do so we can help you become an expert in that and sell in 60 seconds too. You ever get 50% off of the public speaking course, confidence course and the elevator pitch courses.

I hate to say it, but my budget is small…

£20 a month is hopefully affordable to all – and we give business owners and their teams approx. £3000 of support a year for that price. This includes, webinars, training, mentoring, coaching, events, exclusive competitions to win courses and training, planners, advice, business promotion on our site, writing for our blog for free (businesses pay us £75 per article – you get that for free and it’s great for your website SEO!) promotion through our socials and more. £20 has never worked so hard!

Where abouts are your meet ups? 

Virtual – members are mostly UK based, there’s a few in Europe, 2 in the middle east, 1 in South Africa and 2 in America. We think one maybe from Canada too but we don’t like to pry. You share as much or as little as you like, however it’s good to note attracting different people is really good for learning different ideas from around the world too. Our trend advice year on year is usually spot on. We are already talking 2025 trends and how businesses can take advantage of them.

What other types of businesses do you have involved?

Because our Founder is a business coach, best selling author and works with businesses to grow the business and the teams too, we’ve a really diverse mix of members. Business owners from all sectors, Public sector workers with side businesses, staff, charities – it is incredible and is part of the power of the Insiders. You don’t even need to own a business or be responsible for sales to benefit.

How many other businesses are part of your membership?

Currently there are 180+ members of the Insiders – it is not something we promote a lot because we genuinely work together and support each other in the growth of our businesses and anything else we wish to discuss. This will become your business family and then will cheer your successes, support you through the tough times and be there no matter what. Can you tell how much we all love it and how much we want you there too!

How big are you?

Personal question, but we like those too! The reach of our network is huge and not just the Insiders. All members can write for our blog at any time and that is promoted through our social media accounts. We’ve not checked our follower numbers recently (We worry about quality of engagement not number of followers) but we believe that’s around 35,000 for the BWN accounts and then Mandie’s accounts are an additional 55,000(ish). (Her’s are huge due to her role as a blogger for big publications like @Lifehack , her best selling books (Taking control of your mind and Fight the fear – books on understanding yourself to achieve more, click here to read more), her international speaker status and the amount of years Mandie has been networking and featuring in the press.) We’ve good DA scores for both businesses and the socials accounts connected with them.

Do you have any other network marketers? 

Yes, we do, and do you know what we love? We love that they will help each other. We’ve seen 3 Tropic ambassadors in the same networking event share ideas and support for one another – we are a business family and believe in collab not competition.

Do you have anyone else from my company? I understand I wouldn’t be able to be involved if there was. 

There is someone that does what you do however only as a side business and we don’t think we’ve ever heard them mention it at an event on in the confidential mastermind group. We don’t have block outs, so you would be very welcome and if this is your main business we would estimate you would do far better than the person that does it on the side and doesn’t mention they are a representative. It’s like the gym membership – you won’t love the results if you don’t get involved! And it doesn’t take a lot of involvement to help you and your business grow.

What coaching does your founder offer? 

All sorts! Business growth, sales, confidence, team management, leadership, resilience, marketing, blogging for business, public speaking, elevator pitches. It matches a lot of the courses we have a 50% discount on – learn more about them here. And we are happy to talk more about that anytime so you can email us here or message us through our social media accounts. Mandie loves her clients like family and would pretty much do anything for them. Yes, she even did a nude calendar with 28 business owners for charity!

Sorry for all the questions 

You can pretty much ask us anything, except what do you weigh? Because as Mandie says “I’ve not weighed myself since 2003 when I tried to kill myself – that’s a story for another day, but it’s why I trained as a coach so near death led to my best life.”

Ready to join us?

We would love that, click here

*If it doesn’t feel right for you. (It can occasionally happen!) then you can cancel your subscription at any time. Just email us to confirm you’ve cancelled your payment and we will remove you from the confidential business community and update the discount codes so that you can’t benefit any more. We don’t believe in minimum sign up periods. We know you will love it like everyone else!

PayPal not for you?

That’s fine. Just email us and we can send your our account details to join us that via DD. We really do hope you can appreciate how flexible we aim to be and why professionals, business owners, sales teams, charities and those with a side business love us.