Jan Ibbott
Founder & Managing Director of WIBN

'Members often ask me why I set up WIBN and the answer is very simple. I very quickly became aware of many women with their own buisnesses who needed to market themselves more effectively on a limited budget. I was inspired to start up WIBN after attending other networking organisations that had not created the right type of business environment to encourage women to share their businesses successes and business issues.  I felt that many of these organisations did not offer a supportive and encouraging network.

If a business forum could be created that was relatively inexpensive to join, but focussed on enhancing business referrals and contacts, these businesses could be assisted.

WIBN encourages business to flourish during structured monthly lunchtime meetings held in a non-competitive but mutually supportive atmosphere.

WIBN is my sole business having previously worked in the retail jewellery sector for a large PLC, as Marketing Manager.  After leaving this role I decided to start my own small jewellery company.  It was the need to network this business to gain business exposure that I realised there were not many organisations that empathised with women. It became my mission to include as many other women as possible in my networking to help balance the already weighted men to women ratio.  I felt that women networked differently and therefore flourished in a non competitive and more nurturing environment. I certainly did.

It was clear from the start when the initial WIBN groups launched in January 2005 that these principles were right and my thoughts were instinctively correct.  With the continued growth and interest from members and visitors to WIBN, it inspires me to believe that this is a business forum that will continue to succeed for many years.

The testimonials on this website endorse the success of WIBN and its already successful business format.

I am extremely pleased with the WIBN development to date and look forward to the continued growth through franchising this buisness.  I want other business women to share the experience of the WIBN format and through the franchised business model, this enables them to do so.  It offers a low cost buy-in and will contribute to the expansion of WIBN around the UK.  The expansion will continue at the rate it has started as other business women have decided to run this successful model alongside an existing business or as a part time business.

With the geographical spread around the UK expanding during 2008, I look forward to meeting even more inspirational and motivational women as our membership grows.

Our success is based on not departing from the successful format of our meetings'.

Jan can be contacted via: 0845 004 9426 or by email:  jan@wibn.co.uk

To find our more about the WIBN franchise click here