Find your tribe: Bringing The Marketing Meetup to Northampton
Penni Pickering from Kabo Creative describes her career path, the problem with old-fashioned networking and why she decided to help bring The Marketing Meetup to Northampton.
I studied at the University of Northampton, then started my career in marketing in the county. Over the years I experienced being a marketing team of one, then being part of small marketing teams, working my way up to management level.
My last marketing role was in the software industry. I found working closely with the development team inspiring. Over time I took more of an interest, eventually training in web development.
In 2017 I took the terrifying leap and quit my career as I knew it. Along with my lovely wife Jo we set up Kabo Creative – a two-woman website and design studio. With Jo’s graphic design experience, and my background we’ve found we work brilliantly with small marketing teams who need to outsource design work or a web developer that can speak marketing.
During our first year running the business we booked a one-way ticket to Bali and had a blast doing the digital nomad thing across South East Asia. The coworking community over there was truly inspiring. We lived and worked surrounded by other like-minded entrepreneurs setting up their own dream businesses. It wasn’t like anything I’d come across from a business community before.
Back in the UK with a little experience and the beginning of a portfolio, it was time to build Kabo Creative into a viable long term business. To do that I knew I had to get out there. So I looked on meetup.com for local networking opportunities with my target customers (which at that early stage was pretty much anyone) or fellow freelancers and small business owners to help me build a community of like-minded folks.
My experience of networking to date had been flat out awful. Stuffy rooms, sweaty palms, business cards handed out by way of an introduction. It felt a lot like I imagine speed dating would, but for buying power. Everyone trying to sell their thing; sussing out if you were a potential buyer.
What I was looking for was relationships first. Finding people I got along with. My tribe. I figured if I could find that great things would tumble out later.
I nervously turned up to this new event called The Marketing Meetup. A lovely guy, Joe, worked full time as a marketer. He wanted to set up an event for his peers that felt safe. A self-proclaimed introvert, the traditional events left him cold, and so he kicked off a really informal event in a canteen at a local business with pizza, name tags, beers and a speaker.
That day I found my tribe. The Marketing Meetup events have been a huge support to us as we built our business.
Friends to chat shop with, a community of people who we have mutual respect for, endless amazing speakers we have learned from. Some of them have turned into customers, but that’s not thanks to a hard sell attitude.
We found people we get along with, and over time and circumstance some of them turned into super-lovely clients who we really enjoy working with.
Earlier this year we relocated back to Northamptonshire. Coming back to the area I was really keen to bring The Marketing Meetup with me. There are so many solo and small marketing teams in the county. Thinking back to my experience of networking and how isolating my early marketing roles felt I knew if we could get it right, these events could really offer support for those in the position I started in.
The Marketing Meetup team introduced me to Elisha Dignam, who happens to have had a similar lived experience as a marketeer in the county. A marketing consultant and lecturer at the University of Northampton, she’s been the perfect team mate to help Jo and I bring the event to Northampton.
The first The Marketing Meetup Northampton event kicked off in June at Vulcan Works in Northampton. 50 people showed up to the launch, which felt incredible for a first event. The vibe was just right, the speaker was unbelievable and most importantly the feedback has been overwhelming. There was so much energy, with people chatting and getting along with each other.
The Marketing Meetup Northampton is a bi-monthly event. The next one is Thursday 21st September and we’ve two lovely speakers lined up. Scott King will be talking all about sensory marketing, while Karina Scott will be giving actionable tips on creating social media content that aligns with your strategy.
We’d love you to come along and see what it’s all about.