Interview with Paul Ashbury from Focus on Networking 

What's your background?

My background is Sales and Marketing. I've been a salesman since I started selling at the age of 16, with a Saturday job in Liverpool. But after college and a short time with the National Institute of Oceanography, I went into sales as a Retail Management Trainee.

I then joined Schreiber Furniture as one of their North West sales team, covering an area from the Lakes to mid Wales.

I then opened a number of Furniture and Fitted Kitchen showrooms and added a small chain of corner shops.

During the early 90’s, when computers were just starting to make an appearance I was working with a company who sold fitted kitchens to the retail trade and I became very interested in computerisation and CAD (Computer Aided Design) systems.

Then in 1999, I set up Nemysys (UK) Ltd to help companies with their Internet requirements. Nemysys Internet now specialises in helping small companies in getting their first web site sorted and bespoke web applications for larger companies.

All our business came from referrals and face to face marketing, so about 2002 I started to seriously look at networking as a business and I joined a networking group in Liverpool, called BRE - Business Referral Exchange.

That group ran for a couple of years and in 2006 they packed up because the members felt they weren't getting enough benefit from the national organisation for their membership fees. One of the members felt he would like to run a more local group, so he started a new company - BSB Networking Club.

In 2007 he came to me, and asked whether I would design a website for him. Having designed a very active website for the group, I got more and more involved with running the groups and going to the networking meetings.

In 2008, we formed a limited company and in 2009 I bought his shares after he was no longer able to do any of the day to day management of the company.

I rebranded in February 2010 as Focus on Networking and we've been building the groups and the membership since then.

Describe what it is that Focus on Networking is about? 

Focus On Networking is a business to business, membership based networking organisation that runs business breakfast meetings every two weeks at local venues.

We also run Networking Workshops and seminars to help business people get the most out of their networking.

There are a number of networking groups around; there are some very successful ones and some not so successful. We've looked at all the different groups, we've looked at what works, what doesn't work, what makes it fun, what bits you can do away with and try to bring all the best parts together in Focus On Networking.

Our meetings are to help members and guests find business opportunities while enjoying a relaxed atmosphere.

One of the problems that we have got today is that we are in a recession.

However, there is plenty of business out there for everybody, provided they actually go out and look for it, you have to take action.

There is no point in sitting in the office waiting for the phone to ring any more. Business is there but you have to go and find it.

Two areas that we help our members with – we provide a support network and we also actively look for connections and introductions for members.

That support network is there because there are other people going through the same problems as you have. At the end of the day, we are all selling a product or service for which we have to get paid, and if you don't get paid you starve, and until people understand that, it can become very difficult.

At all our fortnightly meeting we ask members: “Who do you need to meet? Who do you want to talk to? Who are your ideal clients?” We use a “Would Like to Meet…” form that members fill in.

The information on this form goes on the Focus On Networking web site, our Facebook page, Twitter and LinkedIn…. That is an awful lot of people reading your request – we have an approx 34% rate of fulfilling those introductions.

What is your vision for the future?

We will still run networking groups. What we are doing at the moment is looking to expand, to find people who want to open their own group.

Lots of people love networking, lots of people love going to networking events but want them to be informal and relaxed, but business like.

We have built the infrastructure; we have the support mechanism, the website, to successfully run groups anywhere in the country.

We are looking to find people who want to have an extra income, and who want new connections, want to be seen to be a business leader in their community or their area for whatever they do, whether you are a business owner or a sales manager or a business consultant, whatever it might be, we are offering an opportunity to expand your business..

We will give you the tools to open up a group and we will pay you to do so.

Do you have any new products or services in the pipeline?

We've just put our new website live,which is much more interactive for members and visitors, so members get an individual profile page that they will actually be able to amend and put new pictures up. If they have a special offer they can promote that.

Our website receives about 2,000 unique visitors every month so members are being promoted all the time.

We are opening an online shop – books, (I’ve written two books on networking), CD’s, and other products and services.

We also have a full range of training workshops and seminars available – Networking, Sales and Marketing, Social Media to name just a few.

We’ve also launched a series of Business Lunches for business people to get together and networking and talk about their challenges in a relaxed atmosphere. (www.thebusinesslunch.co.uk)  

What are the fundamental benefits of being a member? 

• Stronger business relationships, new contacts and a growing network, all adding value to your business
  
  
• Help from likeminded and committed business people
  
  
• No pressure to produce referrals
  
  
• Value for money membership
  
  
• Informal, friendly and relaxed networking opportunities

• The opportunity for advertising through the website.

To find out more or visit a local group; click through to the website: at http://www.focusonnetworking.co.uk/

To further promote your business and increase interest in your company, we’re giving all members the chance to become our Business of the Week.

For a set fee you can meet with our reporter who will then write up your business to feature on the WirralBusiness.com website. Appearing as our Business of the Week means you’ll gain all the benefits of a personally written report and review of your company and we’ll share the piece with our Twitter followers and Facebook fans to further your reach.

ANY of our members can sign up and prices start at £29.95 Meetings can be scheduled with our reporter at a time and place of your choosing and can be conducted over telephone or e-mail if preferred, for more information or purchase your write-up please visit Book an Interview 

If you have any questions about becoming Business of the Week

Contact us or Call Wirral Business 0800 023 6223