Isle of Man Women in Business is now Forward Ladies Isle of Man, a group of more than 11,000 individuals across the north of England.  (Please reset your browser to the new site for future updates.)

Founded by Etta Cohen in 2000, Forward Ladies began as a small group of professional women meeting and sharing experiences.  Since then, the group has  grown with its members driving the initiative forward to become  the North’s fastest growing, women’s networking and business support organisations.

Forward Ladies’ mission is:  “Promoting and celebrating the engagement and participation of women in economic success by enabling women to be more confident in life and business through knowledge, contacts, support and friendship.”

Forward Ladies membership embraces women from all sectors and stages of professional life.  The group offers a community for women to learn, share and encourage one another in a supportive environment.

Forward Ladies  organises hundreds of events every year from trade missions to workshops and training sessions as well as motivational speakers, business breaks and more.   The aim is to provide members with the opportunity to network with like-minded business women, work on the development of their businesses and themselves or just relax and unwind at a social event.

Already there are a couple of Forward Ladies Isle of Man events on the calendar.  More are in the works.

24 June

Pomagranate Private Shopping Evening

Event type – Social
Town – Isle of Man
Non members – £5.00 (Inc VAT)
Guests of non members – £5.00 (Inc VAT)
Venue – Pomegranate, 23b Village Walk, Onchan, Isle of Man, UK, IM3 4EB

Timing – 6.00pm – 8.00pm

Enjoy an evening shopping at the gorgeous Pomegranate in Onchan. Browse throughthe selection of lovely gifts, Luxury Food and beauty products.  There will be a raffle on the night with fab Pomegranate prizes. All proceeds to Radiance Healthcare initiative on the Isle of Man.

To book click here.

6 July

Developing High Performing Teams ( Paragon Recruitment)

Event type – Development
Town – Isle of Man
Date – 06/07/2010
Venue – Silverdale Glen, Ballasalla, Isle of Man, Isle of Man, UK, IM9 3DS
Timing – 9.45am – 3.30pm

A day designed to accelerate your ability to be part of and lead high performing teams and to sample the training formula of CPD, where purposefully designed activities are combined with expertly facilitated review, and with the latest in team development theory and research.

To book click here.

Becoming a Forward Lady

Being a member of Forward Ladies brings the opportunity to network with like-minded women and to grow  business. Here are the key benefits that membership can offer

Access to an extensive support network
A comprehensive events calendar
Members’ directory to promote your business to our website visitors
Access to the members-only discussion and support online forum
Low cost training and development workshops
Regular business surgeries offering expert advice
Mentoring from business professionals
Renowned inspirational speakers
International trade opportunities
Dedicated members’ website
Exclusive member discounts

Island Business Networking Group Joins With

North England’s Largest Women’s Support Network

Douglas, ISLE OF MAN, 10 May 10 — Women in Business (WiB), an initiative of the Isle of Man Business & Innovation Centre (IoM BIC) is to become Forward Ladies Isle of Man, part of North England’s largest women’s support network.

The deal follows several months of discussion, including a presentation to WiB members in January, and means members will enjoy improved services, more networking and professional development events and a broad range of other benefits.

“WiB has been a successful group from day one. But with more than 150 members, a calendar of popular events and considerable interest from potential sponsors and corporate members, the time is right to move to the next level,” explained Kate Lord, WiB steering committee member and IoM BiC manager. “Forward Ladies is the right fit for us in terms of our mission, framework and resources.”

There will be a special, final, meeting of WiB for members wishing to find out more on 13 May, Amber Lounge Bar,  18.00.  The event is being supported by Amber Lounge and Sleepwell Hotels and refreshments will be served.

Forward Ladies is one of the UK’s fastest-growing business networks with more than 10,000 members.  Isle of Man joins Forward Ladies groups across the UK including newly established ones in Manchester and Liverpool.

Forward Ladies mission is “to promote and celebrate the engagement and participation of women in economic success by enabling women to be more confident in life and business through knowledge, contacts, support and friendship.”

“We embrace women from all sectors and stages of professional life,” said Etta Cohen, founder, Forward Ladies. “We offer a community for women to learn, share and encourage one another in a supportive environment.  We welcome the women in business of the Isle of Man to our group.”

Membership benefits include:

• networking events
• partner events
• special offers and discounts
• online business directory listings
• online membership forum
• business missions to European and other destinations
• professional development opportunities
• peer support groups
• regular business surgeries
• mentoring
• general business advice
• more.

Exciting news – Isle of Man Women in Business is to become part of Forward Ladies this May!

The move follows months of consultation as to what WiB members want from their network and research into existing successful groups.  Dr Gloria Miller , lecturer in Strategic Management at the International Business School had compiled research as to Best Practice for women’s business networks.  This set the framework for how we would go forward to develop our netw0rk.

Hitting the top of the “wish list” for what WiB members want are: more events at different times, online access to other members, raised profile for themselves and their businesses, promotional opportunities, mentorship and personal development opportunities.

All of this was a pretty tall order for an organisation without funding and reliant on kindly volunteers! So, we made a plan.

We’ll achieve all this and more by becoming part of Forward Ladies, one of the largest and fastest growing Women’s business network in the British Isles.

We’re having a special, final meeting of Women in Business on Thursday 13th May, 6pm, at Amber Lounge.  If you have not already registered for the event, please do so at the following link http://event.pingg.com/ThinkingOfJoiningF .  You can find out about membership benefits and hear from Steering Committee members and Etta Cohen, founder of Forward Ladies.

Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.  Thanks go to Amber Lounge and Sleepwell for sponsoring our event.

Come along on 13th May and check out www.forwardladies.com for more info.

A big thank you to all the sponsors, members, facilitators and The Courthouse and of course the Steering Committee for their support of Women in Business.

We’ve truly valued the input we’ve had to create a better business network for women on the Isle of Man.

Kate

Third Tuesday is almost here again and we have a “Simply Networking” evening planned for Tuesday 20^th April 2010 6pm – 8pm at The Courthouse Club.

No speaker, no topic, no agenda- just call in to The Courthouse Club between 6-8pm.

It is a  free, informal meeting, open to all business women from the local area and a chance to mix and mingle with like minded people; just bring business cards and a sense of humour! Drinks are available to buy from the bar, either upstairs or downstairs.  Feel free to bring friends, colleagues or prospects.

Women in Business meet on the Third Tuesday of each month, 6-8pm at The Courthouse.  The date for the May meeting is Tuesday 18th May 2010.

Posted April 18th, 2010 by Kate No Comments »

At March’s meeting of the Isle of Man Women in Business group (sponsored by BigFish) Dr Helen Nightingale spoke about stress in the workplace.  Her talk was well received by more than 50 women who seemed to indentify with the topic.

Helen is a highly respected clinical psychologist with more than 30 years experience.  Her talk was very entertaining and  informative.  There were a lot of practical tips on how better to manage stress for your staff and for yourself.  There was a wide-ranging discussion after the talk and a lot of incredibly positive feedback.  For more information on coping in this fast moving life Helen by clicking here .  Or email her at helennightingale(at)manx.net

March Tuesday Club  welcomes Dr Helen Nightingale who will discuss how to cope with stress in the workplace.

Helen is a clinical psychologist with 30 years’ experience of working with people with psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, stress and post trauma stress, sleep, phobias and relationship problems.

She practices in the Isle of  Man, but people from all around the world benefit from her advice and expertise via her computer-based therapy services available online.

Thanks to Big Fish, the Isle of Man’s office printer specialists, for supporting Women in Business by sponsoring this event.

Don’t miss Isle of Man Women in Business Tuesday Club. 16 March, The Courthouse, downstairs.   18.00. It’s free to attend and everyone is welcome

February Tuesday Club is being hosted at Tracey Bell’s Superclinic, 6pm Tuesday 16th Feb . . .

For info and to RSVP, visit the event page by clicking here.  Tour the fabulous clinic and hear the story of Tracey Bell as a successful expanding Isle of Man business & brand….Free mini treatments on the night.

Women in Business learned about a major UK business support network at January’s Third Tuesday event (19th Jan 2010 at The Courthouse) which was sponsored by Paragon.

Over 40 attendees heard about the development of Forward Ladies from founder Etta Cohen.

Nine years ago, Forward Ladies started as a couple of ladies meeting every 6 months for lunch.  It’s now one of the fastest growing business networks in the UK, with over 7000 members and new groups in Manchester and very soon, Liverpool.

We heard about Business Breaks to Monaco and Florence, member discounts and events, success stories, Female Emerging Entrepreneur groups, Member Directories and Mentorship. 

I first met Etta in Leeds last year.  I’d hoped to get the benefit of her experience to help develop the group here to better meet members’ needs.  Etta kindly agreed to visit the Isle of Man, to meet our group and talk about how we can work together. The response here was extremely positive.  Etta was impressed and inspired by the women she met on the Isle of Man and about how our group had progressed in such a short time (especially with no money and only volunteers!).

The event also attracted interest from some new faces and young women who are just starting out in business. 

WiB steering committee members met the following day to discuss how to move things forward with our group.

Thanks to Etta, Paragon and to everyone who attended the event . . . some pics below!

Etta Cohen speaking to WiB members

We are very lucky to welcome Etta Cohen, founder of women’s networking club Forward Ladies as our speaker to the first Tuesday Club get together of 2010. 

Forward Ladies was founded in  2000, and much like our own Women in Business group, it began as a small group of professional women meeting and sharing experiences. Since then, it has grown with members driving the organisation forward.  Now it’s one of the North’s fastest growing, women’s networking and business support organisations.

The Forward Ladies’ mission is to promote and celebrate the engagement and participation of women in economic success by enabling women to be more confident in life and business through knowledge, contacts, support and friendship.

Etta will discuss how her group has developed over the years and give us some tips on how our own group can continue to thrive.

Book now.  Email  info@iombic.im to reserve your place.

Women in Business Tuesday Club

• 19th January 2010, 6pm – 8pm
• The Courthouse Club, Athol Street, Douglas
• (Side Entrance via Lower Church Street)

Thanks to Paragon Recruitment for sponsoring this event.

Image via Wikipedia

The Daily Telegraph has picked up on the debate about so called ‘lipstick entrepreneurs.  Read on:

“Lipstick entrepreneurs” are emerging from their beauty parlours and sleep deprived “mumpreneurs” are finally cleaning all that baby puke from their hair to become fully fledged “domestecutives”. Simply being in business is so 2009; new labels are the new black in 2010.Future Laboratory, a “trends” consultancy, has been paid by the nice make-up people at Avon to come up with this ludicrous list of typologies. It’s enough to make one mourn the passing of the “oh, so sensible” Noughties.

Even Theresa May, the shadow women’s minister, has lent her support to the research.Business woman Shaa Wasmund was among those forced to dispense with the New Year cheer and admit she’d been riled by such stereotyping: “I just wonder how men would feel if we coined a new phrase, like jockstrap entrepreneur,” she asks. Why stop there, Shaa? The five o’clock shadowpreneur, sounds a little dishevelled. And how about one for the new wave of building firms likely to emerge from the ashes of the construction crash: the bottom crackpreneurs.

Click here to see the rest of this article.

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