When Simon Reason, co-founder of Beyond Violet, sought a better way to balance client work, business generation, and personal life, he discovered that Circle Networks offered the perfect solution to transform his networking approach and elevate his branding agency to new heights.
But first Gareth
Gareth Williams has been a long time client of Simon, and as Gareth was already reaping the benefit of networking in Circle Networks he knew Simon would be a great fit.
Simon had designed a range of collateral for Gareth included, logo, leaflets, banners, web assets, a book and much more, and it was time to return the favour.
Meet Simon
Simon Reason created Beyond Violet—a branding agency based in Newport near Telford in Shropshire—with his wife Sue to help businesses create brands that reflect their identity and promote them across different marketing channels in ways that are engaging and stand out.
With extensive experience working for agencies in major cities like Birmingham, Manchester, London, and Leeds, they bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to their clients.
The Challenge
When he joined Circle, Simon was looking for opportunities to connect with new types of business and build relationships more effectively. He was looking for greater clarity in communicating his services and a way to balance attending meetings, generating business, and working on projects all at the same time.
Simon soon realised he needed a more efficient way to connect and build relationships without affecting his work-life balance or the quality of his output.
The Circle Networks Solution
Simon said he realised straight away that Circle Networks was different.
Gone were the pre-COVID practices of incessant pitches and insincere referrals that often led to nothing. Here, community and relationships were fostered leading to deeper trust and connection.
The meetings with their breakout rooms of three or four rather than one-to-one were a far more effective approach to getting to know people in a way that would otherwise be time-consuming and difficult to manage.
Setting up further conversations outside the formal constraints of the meeting gave him opportunities to take conversations much further and deeper.
Friendship Fuels Business
By being an active part of Circle Networks meetings and following up with one-on-one conversations, Simon is building the relationships started in the community, embodying what he calls the “go giver” principle. “(I) like the fact that you’re helping each other out, not going in and trolling people (hoping they will) give you work and not giving back.”
Simon has already worked on projects with other members and while some of these are still ongoing, he sees significant potential for more opportunities now that his wife is fully involved in the business.
Simon’s Advice for Other Business Owners
What should you do now?
If you’re thinking of finding out more, Simon says you should make the most of the two-week trial and get to as many meetings as possible. “Because once you’ve been to a few events, you’ll see there is quite a diverse range of people, personalities, and entrepreneurs in the community.”
It’s worth investing time and effort into the network as the more you put in, the more you’ll get from it.
You can also explore the potential for partnerships because it’s not all about selling. “Dream teams” of complementary services to support each other’s clients and grow together are being formed all the time.
Are you ready to give Circle Networks a go?’
Get your two-week trial, just click here