Meet the Team

Najat joined WIBN in May 2018 to assist with the management of  WIBN Head Office.  Most of Najat's career has been spent working in city law firms within operational and change management roles and the later years supporting entrepreneurial start-ups and relationship management roles.   Najat is also co-founder and Director of an ethical, plant-based skincare company, Kooky Botanicals Ltd, which she runs with her sister.

I joined WIBN as a member in 2012 and immediately felt at ease, networking with a group of likeminded women. I have always loved the support in business and the friendships that I have gained through being a member over the years. WIBN networking helped me greatly with my confidence and helped me grow my business on many levels. I love making new connections and when there was an opening to work within WIBN, I didn’t hesitate; I am now excited about running 4 groups of my own and supporting business women in my area. I live with my husband, son and daughter, as well as our two dogs and cat, in a small village south of Milton Keynes. We love family time and living life to the full.

Having been an Office Manager for many years, six years ago I followed my dream to become a personal stylist. Not having run my own business before, I decided it was important to join a networking group to meet like-minded women. I found WIBN and never looked back. I had the warmest of welcomes and felt part of the group straight away; I learnt new business skills, got resources for any kind of advice that I could possibly need and made some really strong friendships along the way. I joined 2 groups and got so much from each of them, both support and new business. Helping women to achieve their goals, both business and personal, is a passion of mine so when I was approached by the retiring WIBN Franchisee and offered to take over the groups I jumped at the chance. WIBN is a very special group to be a member of and I'm very proud to be a WIBN Franchisee

Louise has been a part of WIBN since 2007 when she joined the Hitchin group as a member with her marketing company. A few years later she started to chair the group and in 2013 took on 3 groups in Hertfordshire opening a group in Bedfordshire towards the end of 2013. Her most recent group is in Luton. Louise has been in business for the past 7 years and has built up a wide network of contacts and features regularly on BBC3 Counties Radio. Louise works with her husband Keith and has 2 children. Louise thinks one of the great things about WIBN is the support of the business members both within and across the network. She has members who have been in her groups for 7 years who joined at the same time as she did which is a testimonial for how well WIBN works.

Having been a part of the WIBN family since 2012 and with over 100 members across her London groups, it’s safe to say that you’re in the hands of a true networking expert when working with Lizzie Phillips. The last 12 months have been Lizzie’s busiest yet as a WIBN associate – A skyrocketing membership that are benefitting from great business opportunities every month and one off events that have included a WIBN conference, speed networking and a cocktail making masterclass proving that you can mix business with pleasure on occasion! Lizzie’s background is in marketing and her previous experience includes working with some of the UK’s biggest names across multiple sectors including Batchelors, Marie Curie and Guide Dogs UK. She now runs Cavara Business Services, a marketing media company with clients serving the corporate jet market in the UK and Europe. Last year saw Lizzie launch her WIBN Stratford group which overlooks the London Stadium, an apt location as she was a dancer in that very arena at the 2012 Paralympics opening ceremony.

I have been involved with WIBN since its creation in 2005 and have seen first-hand how networking has helped to grow many new businesses via influential contacts and referrals. During its structured meeting format and focussed facilitation of business networking, it has become a great ‘go-to’ support network for fledgling and mature businesses.  Relationships forged at WIBN between members can re-ignite or re-direct business activities. Key influencers can become instigators to help drive other businesses forward. Networking at WIBN is a great marketing opportunity for any business, which will produce amazing business results to those ready to embrace it and use it to its full potential.  Understanding how networking helps a business sometimes has to be seen to be believed. Visiting a meeting will give you an insight to how WIBN can become the catalyst, propelling a business forward. Visitors can witness how members work as a team effort to support each other and identify opportunities for each other.  If you would like to visit a meeting and witness for yourself how WIBN can support your business, then call me or email me for more information. I operate WIBN groups in the following locations: Mill Hill, Chelmsford, St Albans & Hatfield,  and Radlett.  Don’t delay, start your networking journey today! Simply book a visit to a WIBN meeting and you will be surprised how it will help you to grow your business.

Whether you’re just starting out with a new business, or you are well established and looking to expand, WIBN is for you.  My name is Ruth Rood and I organise monthly lunchtime meetings where you are guaranteed a warm welcome. The aim of the meetings is for you to gain contacts, clients and referrals and during the meeting you will have the opportunity to speak for one minute, to say who you are, what you do and the clients you are looking for.  You will also build solid business relationships and you can enhance your own business with the expertise of the other women in the Group.  We are a one profession per group organisation, so take a look at our website www.wibn.co.uk to see if your professional category is available and call me on 07734 709467 or email [email protected] With Groups in Chingford, Harlow, Loughton, Romford, Wanstead and Woodford, I look forward to meeting you very soon.

I attended my first WIBN meeting in 2009, I remember it like it was yesterday I was so nervous at the thought of having to stand up in front of a group of strangers and talk about my hypnotherapy business. However I was hooked on the power of networking from the moment I walked in the door. Fast forward five years, not only did I enjoy that first meeting so much I became a member straight away, eighteen months later I decided to become a franchisee, and today I now look after the largest patch in the capital, running nine of the London groups. Being part of WIBN for me is all about the camaraderie and support from like-minded business women – it’s the conversations you have & the connections you make. My motto at the end of every meeting is quite simply, “If you’re not networking then you’re not working!”

As soon as I went to my first meeting I knew that not only was this the format and ethos I had been looking for but that I wanted to be a part of it and to also encourage others to use networking as the marketing tool of choice. I had tried and researched many networking organisations and had been consistently disappointed. Getting the balance right is everything and WIBN has. It is structured and business focussed but also friendly and informal without being casual. When I first visited in 2010, I was just launching a new career in a largely unheard of category and needed the personal contact and opportunities to build trust and rapport and found that WIBN provides this environment for all – established and brand new businesses. I am fortunate enough to run three really diverse, interesting, upbeat and friendly groups. The first group launched was Kensington and Chelsea in 2011, followed with Colchester then Holborn, and most recently Marylebone. Each meeting is different and invaluable to members and visitors alike; we all take away so much more than just business cards and literature. I can’t think of a better way to do business. For more information or an informal chat, contact me.

I’m passionate about business, and passionate about supporting business women to becoming successful through networking and seeking out opportunities for each other. I’ve established and run businesses from small single handed start-ups to large global corporations so I understand the challenges that women in business face every day and I’m delighted to be helping WIBN expand into the North West. Having been a member of WIBN down in Surrey I’ve seen first-hand how powerful woman are when they support each other and collaborate in business and I’m really excited to be bringing this power up to Lancashire and Merseyside. Born and bred in the North West it’s great to be coming home!

I have been a member since 2012 and knew that WIBN would be a great place to support me when I set up my coaching/training/consultancy business to help people and organisations going through business and career transitions. Being part of WIBN has allowed me to develop and create a better awareness of my business.  It really has been instrumental in building my confidence both personally and professionally. I see WIBN as a great networking vehicle for so many women and their different businesses. Being amongst like-minded women, I want to let more women have the opportunity to become more confident and know they can build a brilliant and successful business. I love networking and being able to connect people.  It’s so rewarding to be able to support other people’s business while building my own.

Nikki has been in sales and marketing for over 20 years in one form or another. Originally working in Travel Management she subsequently moved in FMCG and lately has been a Mentor to a number of small businesses. Passionate about helping businesses reach their full potential, Nikki launched Marketing Mentoring and More which offers outsourced Marketing, Mentoring, Training and Networking specifically for SMES and Soloprenuers. Having been to a number of WIBN meetings as a guest, she was delighted when the current owner of Huntingdon and Ely asked her to take over the groups. As she was already working with two of the members it seemed an ideal fit. Subsequently she took over and launched Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds & Suffolk. Nikki hopes to steer the groups in a new direction and to grow them into a vibrant, fun group of like-minded women sharing best practices from their diverse backgrounds.

Catherine Willhoft co-owns WIBN Marlow/High Wycombe and WIBN Maidenhead with her business partner Caroline Romero. Catherine has worked closely with Caroline since 2014, and met by chance via a networking colleague! Catherine spent many years living and working in the USA  and Singapore; she has 13 years’ career experience in Clinical Research managing pharmaceutical clinical/medical drug trials.  After returning to the UK (2010) and taking a career break to bring up her daughter, Catherine started to put her entrepreneurial skills to the test. She previously owned and managed a domestic cleaning and homecare business, and currently works alongside Caroline at Grey Matters Consultancy, predominantly helping vulnerable old and young people apply and receive the correct benefits they deserve. Grey Matters Consultancy is now offering franchise opportunities and she is involved with this new phase. Catherine also manages a small portfolio of personal rental properties. Catherine and Caroline are the first dual partner-owned WIBN franchisees and understand the power of networking, especially in an all women arena. Catherine is motivated to support and empower women like ourselves, whether just starting out with a new business or a seasoned business owner wishing to enhance both their personal skills and business acumen. Please feel free to call Catherine to visit a business group or for a chat about WIBN and the benefits it offers.