Creating the Business Women In Touch Network

I’m June Wardle, the Founder of Business Women In Touch, and I’d like to take a moment to share with you how our local Shoalhaven networking group came about.

I’m a small business owner, wife, mother and grandmother. Together with my husband I had worked in our own local business for many years. In 1991 we moved to Sydney where I started a studio teaching porcelain doll making to over a hundred ladies a week. This developed into an Australia wide teaching programme where ladies travelled from Western Australia and NZ to attend courses at our studio. I still had the need to ’break out’ so I joined a direct selling company selling fine jewellery and retired from there as Senior Business Manager.

Whilst in Sydney, I regularly attended women’s network meetings from breakfast meetings to luncheons and evening dinners. I found that meeting regularly to connect with other business women, share ideas and challenges, and having the support of like minded, enthusiastic women was an invaluable part of my business and it’s growth.

After returning to the Shoalhaven I felt a need to introduce a local networking luncheon for working women that could provide a link to resources, workshops, speakers and presenters that could add value to their business and personal lives and just as importantly, provide a welcoming networking environment for business women in which to connect with, learn from and do business with each other.

I look forward to introducing you to the dynamic, successful, supportive and motivated women that make up the heart of the nusiness women of Shoalhaven and surrounding areas.  The journey since our inaugural luncheon on the 2nd October 2009 has been an exciting one.  We have enjoyed many great guest speakers who have left us with challenges and much food for thought.

Update 2011

The move from Nowra Golf Club to the quaint and historic restaurant “BOATSHED by the bridge” for our 1st anniversary was a very positive one.   Not only do we feel that were are supporting another young business couple in Nowra, we also now enjoy the great atmosphere as we share a welcome drink while networking on the balcony overlooking Shoalhaven River.

Our members and guests tell me they enjoy the ambience of the smaller venue and find it very easy to meet and chat with other like minded ladies.

Many changes have been made since we launched the business network luncheons and we now invite a different local business lady to act as our M.C. for the day.  This gives her the opportunity to introduce herself and her business to the members and guests present.

We support Relay for Life and as well we support CanAssist

(For those who don’t know, Can Assist is a charitable organisation which has operated for over 50 years in NSW but is new to SHOALHAVEN. CanAssist’s mission is to assist country people directly affected by cancer by providing a range of supports through grassroots community action and practical help.  ALL funds raised locally STAY local …)

Our Gold Supporters are a vital part of Business Women In Touch and we thank the many local business who have consistently shown us their support.

We are always willing to listen to new ideas from our member and put them into action if we feel that they would be of benefit to all.

Business Women In Touch is designed for you  -   the work from home mum  – the employee who wishes to gain more business for the company she work with – the small partnership businesses  -  the husband and wife business  -  through to the larger corporations.

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