Kirsty James Networking

Name: Kirsty James Networking
Address: Warrington, GB
Telephone: +441925737950

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Kirsty James Networking

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A relationship-marketing specialist assisting you to 'Connect with Purpose' via your Marketing, Events & Networking. Wife, mum & community champion.

Watch my TEDx talk at: https://youtu.be/KnseD4tteic?si=ocQutr9cN27C9UCo Kirsty James offers mixed and women in business events, networking skills and strategy workshops, networking consultancy, news, tips, blogs and resources. Online, social and in-person networking based from Warrington, Cheshire. Formerly Colony Networking.

09/10/2026

I'm in a Tis ('Was 😉) over what to use for today's Friday Feel-Good post. Lots happening but I've settled on this exciting trilogy 👇

Today, I am overwhelmed and over the moon to share that I am a finalist in not 1, not 2, but 3 categories at the Warrington Business Awards next week run by Warrington Chamber Plus

🏆Businesswoman of the year - for little old me - Kirsty James Consulting.

🏆Charity/Community initiative - for my 4th child and my amazing team at TEDxWarrington

🏆Outstanding Achievement - for TEDxWarrington again

I could not be happier to have received this news this week - 3 awards buses all at once (electric Warrington ones of course) and recognising a lot of hard work.

After a lot of interesting twists and challenges this year, this run of exciting good news is just wonderful for myself and the team.

Proving 1 of the lines I wax lyrical to my kids about.
The Power of Yet.
If stuff isn’t happening yet, keep going 1 step at a time because its a temporary state and it will change.

A huge congrats to all finalists and also to all who entered. It was a lot of work so credit to everyone who put themselves forward.

Can't wait to celebrate next week. Whatever happens, this acknowledges a lot of blood, sweat and tears over 20 years for me and 6 for TEDx.

Happy Friday Feel-Good Feedback everyone!

08/10/2026

What's not to like: quality chat, delicioius curry and plentiful opportunities.

Last night I hosted Warrington Curry Club - a relaxed networking social over curry which I run with Tricia Peters three times a year at the wonderful The Indian Courtyard in Stockton Heath, Warrington.

There may not appear to be many people but that's the point!

We cap places at 30 so the quality of interaction and conversation remains high.

I then (as I always do) tagged a 1-2-1 afterwards so it was a late one for a school night (thanks Social Media Executive).

The next one will be in February.
If you'd like to be on our invite list, comment or message me.

If you were there, what was your best conversation? On our table, we covered theatre, TV, kids, NHS careers snd holidays, and NOT much work 😀

17/09/2026

I was asked if I’d visited Newcastle Quayside. I hadn’t. So I did.

A thoroughly enjoyable, educational and valuable 36 hours away up north, north.

Newcastle for a Smart Works North East fundraiser where Sophie Milliken MBE of Moja interviewed Sara Davies MBE.

Sara shared a plethora of entertaining and thought-provoking stories touching on topics such as impact, prioritisation, family, knowing your tribe, women in business, entrepreneurs events, scale ratings of wellbeing, and some of her investments, including Willsow which I’m super intrigued by given literary events I'm now involved in.

Plenty of wonderful conversations were sparked during the 121’s I built in around the event.

Bucket-loads of great ideas with known and new folk, fresh Tyneside air and a decent step-count today chatting to any local stranger that would let me 😉 all of which has fuelled my September focus.

Enjoyed the wonderful company of friend, former colleague and fellow networking queen, Sue France to have a great sort out of life and some secret fizz moments too in between us doing our own things which was perfect.

Great event – well worth the 3hr trip up.

28/08/2026

🫡 Friday Feel-Good Feedback this week has to salute Dolly for her superb singer-songwriting skills, philanthropy and inspirational pursuit of life and career purpose.

I love this very British tribute 👇

Love her support of children's literacy (Imagination Library) and how she spent royalties from Whitney's cover of 'I will always love you' (investing in a black neighborhood in Nashville).

Love the fact that this track and 'Jolene' were written in the same few days in the year I was born (1973). Such talent!

And love this quote the most:

"Find out who you are and do it on purpose".

At a time with so much other sad global news, we need more Dolly-style kindness and positivity for sure.

31/07/2026

This celebratory drink isn't mine but it had to feature as my Friday Feel-Good Feedback post this week.

I spotted this the other day which made my heart sing. It reminded me why I'm privileged to do what I do, why I love the power of connection and why small gestures of kindness can go a long way.

A few months ago, I saw a public post from a lady local to me with a desperate plea.

I knew her back story.
She's had such a cruel dose of really awful unplanned life challenges.

I first connected with her as the Manchester bombings unfolded in 2017. She posted that she was there with her 2 daughters. I replied or commented I think asking how she was. We kept in occasional contact after that.

In 2020, she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Life, health, career, divorce and family dynamics have hit hard since then, and alongside the pandemic too.

Since 2024, she's tried to re-enter the workplace. She'd had 24+ years in financial recruitment but was getting no opportunities.

I saw her 'back to work' appeal for help in April this year. I watched, thought hard, then messaged to ask if I could call her with an idea. Meanwhile I did the same with a local business who were planning to expand.

Fast forward 3 months and she has just raised this glass in celebration of good news in her life.

She got a job with them.
She's ecstatic.
I'm overjoyed too that I was in a position to help.

Random acts of kindness are a proven method for bringing happiness and purpose to multiple parties. To see what I mean, check out the talk by Shawn Achor which I shared just the other day with a group and love rewatching.

Don't ever estimate the small gestures. Thoughts, ideas, words, contacts, time to listen or check in. I'm really quite baffled that these are not offered more.

I look forward to toasting her news in person when we meet up soon.

14/07/2026

Friday Feel-Good Feedback is ... LATE but fab feedback from the farm-inspired networking last week. Yep, you read that right - a farm.

You don't get too many networking events that:
* Start with a farm tour;
* Include eating its local farm produce; and
* Have the farm owner mingling with attendees dressed in shorts and boots and saying:

"This is my favourite event of the year. We love having you here. The creativity, the content, the positivity and the learning you bring to our farm is amazing".

His words were compounded by our sponsors saying it was an event they loved and were proud to support.

Attendees have posted such kind words (& the photos shared) saying it is a highlight of their year.

And several complete strangers who'd travelled from out of area said they were so pleased they'd found us as it was the most unique and valuable networking event they'd ever attended.

I'll take all of that as I push through a wall of pre-hol commitments this week that prevent any further reflections - though I have many.

Thank you to our
Venue: Groobarbs Field Kitchen
93 attendees
4 speakers: Laura Naylor, Lucy Coyne, Jennifer Bailey, Dr Ruchira Das
3 sponsors: Aaron & Partners Solicitors, Bennett Brooks Accountants Spire Healthcare
4 event partners: Andrew Collier Photography, Perfect Order, Hello Day, David Antrobus Marketing
Stall holders: La Pearle, La Boutique, La Calla
Charity partner: £650 raised for Prevent Breast Cancer
Helping hands: Elizabeth Edwards & Sophie Désert
And my co-host: Tricia Peters

Loving the photos I've spotted. Looking forward to the official ones soon.

If you're not aware of Cheshire Women in Business events or my networking training and event hosting services, please give both profiles a follow or connect to chat further.

29/05/2026

Friday Feel-Good Feedback this week is changing the view from Westminster to West Cornwall.

I wasn't sure how to beat some of the event experiences and meetings of the last fortnight.

But time off with family does it every time.

Nothing beats escaping for recharge, family time and working mornings only with these views and weather afterwards. What a scorchio week to be enjoying the best of the UK (& lots of scones and Rattler)

Time to step back, breathe and plan in order to lean in further to new ideas and opportunities later this year.

16/05/2026

SATS. GCSEs. A-Levels. Finals. Exam chapter is here. And the return of my only recurring dream/nightmare in life.

Last Friday, I posted about the pressures of exams at this time of year. For the kids clearly, but also for any parents in our workplaces and networks.

It was the last school day for my no. 2 of 3.

Today it's day 1 of A Levels.
Only 5 weeks to go!

That's a fair time to keep momentum and focus going and keep stress levels under control.
For everyone in the house.

I can't remember sitting my A Levels. And yet I have 1 recurring dream in life.

I've missed an A Level exam.
The bu**er just keeps coming back.

I get this dream not just when exams are in our life but whenever I'm doing some big things, which I am too right now.

-----
In my last post, I suggested that we need to be mindful of supporting parents in our working orbits, especially right now.

And to ask our networks for support too.

Monday, at a fantastic storytelling workshop I attended, I paired with a fellow purpose-led champion. The topic for our exercise and connection moment was .... exams!

Tonight as I host , I'll be networking obviously but I know I'm with fellow parents Rebecca Wray Coaching Consultancy, Heather Hiley Financial Planning and Paul Chadwick of Prism Studios. We often talk about our kids before work.

Tomorrow, I'll be catching up with my business associate and friend Helen Nurse of Capture 1 Digital. My TEDxWarrington WhatsApp communications campaign provider and yet we met through parenting circles and sideline football chats, not networking events.

Later, I'll be attending an exciting and much-needed Women in Business event focused on wellbeing hosted by the calming, heart-led wise soul that is Zoe Holland MBE - ironically my best friend as I sat those A levels I now can't remember.

And Friday, I'll be at the regional FSB Bootcamp in Manchester. As I plan some shared travel with fellow attendees, guess what we've just been talking about first - our kids and exams.

-----
Clearly not everyone has kids, but for those around you who might and who need an ear - offer it.

Networks provide excellent support as a parent or for other parents you know.

And in those parenting or caring circles, you may also find yourself in unexpected locations to create new connections, even business opportunities, founded on commonality and shared experience.

The power of "other" circles of connection can not be underestimated.

-----
To anyone with exams in their homes or nearby right now - good luck to your kids and to you.

I'll sign off with the words of one of my prior TEDx speakers, former paediatrician Dr Jess Morgan who knows plenty about childhood memories …

"I see you, I hear you and I'm right beside you".

11/05/2026

Do any of these apply?
You like curry. You like informal, social networking. You're near Warrington. You're free 5-7pm Wed 13 May.

Curry Club runs 3x year and is on this week if you'd like to attend. Hosted by Tricia Peters and I, it's capped at 30 local businesses to ease the networking. Not specific to professional services but we tend to get more from that sector.

View info via the events tab of my kirstyjames website or contact me directly.

08/05/2026

Friday Feel-Good Feedback is ... discombobulation. Tricky to pick a topic this week. Lots going on in business and life and hard to beat last Friday's news.

For 6 years now, I've done this Friday post, sometimes sharing, sometimes just journalling. The intention - to end the week with a positive word of feedback, learning or gratitude.

I think today needs to be this.

My 2nd of 3 children finishes school for ever today, with A levels starting next week.

My kitchen cupboards have revision notes everywhere, the diner chalkboard wall is crammed with equations. She's working hard but there's clearly tension in the air.

I see my job now to bite my lip, be a verbal punch bag if needed, be cheery even when I'm not, offer food, smiles and empathy.

Add to this, child 1 doing med exams, child 3 being a teen boy, hubby, parents, family politics, worry about friends and some killer work projects that scare the crxp out of me, and sleep isn't coming easily. Though stuff may be out of our control, it doesn't prevent us feeling nervous and discombobulated.

So why does this relate to work, or networking even, and how the heck is it Friday positivity?

Well, I guess my points are these.

1. Everyone has their stuff going on, big, small or indifferent though you or they may deem it to be, and despite any gloss you see;

2. You may be a working parent but even if you're not, you may know some or work with some or have young people in your life. Be conscious of this time of year, that life may be stressful at home for folk and cut some slack if you can; and

3. If you're juggling life and work in any way - is that not all of us? - then use the power of your network to support you. And support back. People will make the difference to everything! Those met through networking can become your tribe.

Today, my day wil be the result of networking.

I'll start my day at a TED talk breakfast club. Ever grateful for this fortnightly brain food, company and chat offered via networking.

This afternoon, after work, I'll finish early. I'll go to a boxing session with someone met via networking. Ever grateful for the physical and mental therapy that gives me.

And to end, I'll spend time with one of the best wellbeing levellers I know - Elizabeth Edwards of Koyo Wellbeing - who ran my TEDxWarrington speaker wellbeing programme and whom I've known since 2012 when she looked after my business whilst I took a few weeks mat leave. Met via networking!

Working parent or sympathiser, keep up the great but hard work you're doing.

Let that network in to support you.

And good luck with school leaving milestones and exam fever.

Address

Warrington

Telephone

+441925737950

Website

https://www.kirstyjames.co.uk/

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