What do our members value most?

I’d just like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to all the people in Drive. When I first sat down with Ann in 2015 and she talked about creating a different type of networking, it really excited me and now, a few years on, the reality is even better than either of us envisaged. So much is due to the great people in the group, the support, sharing and encouragement that comes from all angles – in person, on the phone, online, zoom…wherever. This really is a very special place and I am grateful to be part of it. I’m not sure DressCode would exist had I not been involved, the past couple of years has seen me develop a whole new dynamic, which has stretched me and expanded my knowledge almost every day, and I love that. Thank you one and all. Andy Boothman 

In March 2020 I sat in a Zoom meeting with other Drive The Network members wondering what on earth would happen next and if we even had businesses any more. Ann steered us all through a period of uncertainty like none of us had experienced before and gave us hope that our products and services would still be in demand (a few needed to pivot, but for many, the urge to drop everything and start again was best avoided). Ann encouraged us to keep our pricing at a sustainable level when around us others were giving it all away for free and had faith that we could get our businesses (and ourselves) through it all. With information coming at us thick and fast, decision-making was hard and Ann helped us gain the clarity to make good decisions that ultimately kept our businesses going in really tough circumstances. Thank you Ann! Helen Lindop 

I don’t have adequate words to express how grateful I am to have the Drive network supporting me and my business. I’ve learnt a lot this year, reached a few much-needed decisions and have exciting plans for 2021 (including plans B and C, because y’know…!) Karen Arnott

When the world effectively closed down in March 2020, Ann set up a daily Zoom meeting for anyone who wanted to just hang out and chat. It swiftly became one of the highlights of the many months that followed. Unable to go out and meet people, Ann created a space where you could talk about whatever you wanted. It could be business, it could equally be baking or dealing with boredom. There were no rules. Creating a space for people every day was a incredible commitment and I’m grateful to Ann for doing it. If homeschooling meant I missed one day, I knew she and the Drive community would be there to talk to the next. Over time, this evolved into a pattern of regular weekly networking meetings and incredibly useful workshops. You wouldn’t think you could meet new people in 2020, but Ann made it possible. She created stability in a very unstable situation. She has been there for business owners throughout 2020 with practical business advice and a smile. Thank you Ann, you made this year a lot more cheerful and surprisingly sociable. Rachel Extance