Love it or hate it, business networking is important and necessary for business owners. Here’s why:

• You can learn a tremendous amount from people in your network who have different business experience and expertise.

• Networking is a great way to build relationships with other local businesses. Learning about what other businesses do means you can confidently recommend them should you hear of someone needing the service they offer.

• You can share your knowledge and demonstrate your capabilities in a networking group, as well as raise awareness of your company, and potentially reaching new customers. Often new business comes via a networking group, not necessarily directly from the group.

• Networking events are also a great way to increase your social network and make friends which is great for your mental wellbeing - especially if your work means you are not often interacting with many people.

Here at SiGNAL, we are all about building business communities within which we can confidently promote and recommend each other’s local businesses. That’s why we love and highly recommend business networking of all kinds - not just our own events!

So, we have come up with a list of our recommendations for business networking events in Whitehill and Bordon, as well as some from further afield. As you can see there are plenty in the area!

Business Networking Events in and Around Whitehill & Bordon

SiGNAL Business Networking

At SiGNAL we hold one ‘Big Business Networking Event’ for business owners big and small every month on a Friday. We publish all these events the previous year so that you can put them straight in your diary* Eventbrite

We attract large numbers of local business owners to these events - between thirty and fifty.

You’ll experience a lot of business insight with a hyper local focus and high quality, highly relevant guest speakers. We like to get snapshots of different industries and specifically some insight into the progress of the town centre regeneration in Whitehill and Bordon. Local or not, regeneration on this scale throws up huge opportunities for business!

You’ll also have fun and meet some great people in a very congenial setting.

At SiGNAL we believe in making friends first. Relationships lead, business transactions follow.

Free to attend for BiZHUB Members or if it’s your first visit, otherwise £40.00 for the morning, including coffee, pastries, and fruit.

When: Selected Fridays 9:30-11:00 a.m. Eventbrite

Where: The BOSC (Bordon & Oakhanger Sports Club, 1 Bolley Avenue, Bordon, GU35 9HQ)

Click HERE to book.

Enterprise Connexions (Alton)

This is a biweekly session which, although was set up initially for Alton, is now to be online only.  Enterprise Connexions, (ECX), provide several online business networking events and opportunities for its members and visitors to enjoy. ECX members and visitors can attend any of the fortnightly online networking meetings hosted by different regional groups, provided their profession is not locked out.

Meetings start with informal networking in breakout rooms. Then everyone is brought back to the main room and given the opportunity to do a minute to promote their business and learn about each other’s. Meetings then end with another chance to network.

You initial meeting is free and then there are membership packages available.

When: 6:30 - 9am, every other Tuesday

Where: online! Contact 0330 043 0118 for more information

Connect Surrey (Farnham Connections)

Over the border in Surrey there are more networking events to explore such as Farnham Connections, part of the Connect Surrey group, which holds a Friday morning breakfast meeting every other week.

The format includes breakfast, networking and a 10-minute talk from a local business owner.

Meetings cost £17.50 including breakfast.

When: 8:30-10:30 a.m., every other Friday

Where: Hogs Back Hotel, Seale, Tongham, Farnham, GU10 1EX

Further details and booking click HERE.

First Friday Networking - Camberley, Surrey

The First Friday Network is a monthly free business networking event held on various Fridays with meetings in Surrey Heath.

Entry is free and there are no profession ‘lock-outs’ - just an informal gathering in a welcoming environment where people feel relaxed and under no pressure to perform a ‘60-second elevator pitch.

When: 1:00-2:30 p.m., on the first Friday of each month

Where: The Wheatsheaf Cumberland Road Camberley GU15 1AX

Further details and booking click HERE.

Business Netwalking Bordon, Petersfield, Fleet and Chichester

This is healthy outdoor alternative to traditional business networking.

Meeting monthly at various locations around each area to shine a light on the fantastic green spaces, businesses, and venues in the area. Details can be found on the Business Netwalking website HERE.

All walks follow the same format, meet at 9 - 9.15 and the walk starts at 9.15 exactly and last for approximately 1 hour. Stop midway to give for an opportunity to briefly introduce yourself and your business and end at a Cafe for a well-earned tea, coffee, and cake (included as part of the £12 ticket fee)

When: Meet at 9:00 to walk at 9:15 a.m. for an hour

Where: Various locations

Further details and booking Click HERE.

BNI Bordon and Whitehill

BNI has many groups worldwide but the Bordon and Whitehill group meet every Wednesday morning at the Royal Exchange in Lindford from 6.45 - 8.30am.

You are able to visit twice without any commitment to join for just the price of a cooked breakfast at £12.

Contact The Bordon Hive BNI | Facebook for more information or to arrange a visit.

OMNI Farnborough & Farnham Breakfast

OMNI run networking meetings across the UK either online or in-person. These meetings can also be breakfast or lunchtime meetings so it’s best to check on their website to see which ones you can attend and to book.

The Farnborough & Farnham meeting is in-person and is held at the Monkey Puzzle, 101 Ively Road, Farnborough, GU14 0LE on a Tuesday morning once a fortnight, from 7.30 to 9.30a.m.

The cost is £10.

You can visit any of their meetings up to 3 times before deciding if membership is for you. Membership starts at £99.99 + VAT for a 3-month trial. More information can be found on their website.

The Business Growth Network (BGN)

The BGN offer online both online and in-person networking, however, the in-person events are in Bristol, Birmingham, Cheltenham, Gloucester, London and Leicester.

An online membership is only £10 per month, and you can attend any ‘GetSetMonday’ event from 10.00-11.00am weekly.

There is a guest speaker each week and an opportunity for attendees to do a 45 second elevator pitch. At the end of the meeting the host gives attendees the chance to ask for 1-2-1s with anyone else in the meeting. These can then be arranged after the meeting ends.

To book a meeting, click HERE.