buzz_networking

😱 Terrified of networking?

Vika was. Travelled from Utrecht, didn't know a soul.

She left with a new headshot, new friends, and a collaboration born from one conversation.

Fun fact: introverts often make the best networkers 👀

What's inside our 2-hour sessions:
💡 60-sec timed intros — wow / how / now + your ask
💡 Expert guest speaker, real tips
💡 Curated, timed networking breakouts (no coffee-corner standing)
💡 Events + funding worth knowing

📸 Polina Nasedkina will be available to take a new headshot after the event
📍 11:00–13:00, stay afterwards and continue the conversation over lunch
🎟️ July spots open — link in bio

😱 Terrified of networking?

Vika was. Travelled from Utrecht, walked into her first Buzz event, not knowing a soul.

Result? A fresh new headshot, lunch with new friends, and a collaboration that came straight out of one conversation.

Fun fact: introverts often make the best networkers. Structure beats small talk every time.

Here's what you get in one 2-hour session:
💡 60-sec intro round — your wow / how / now + your ask
💡 Expert guest speaker, practical tips you can use straight away
💡 Curated, timed networking breakouts (no awkward coffee-corner standing)
💡 Upcoming events + funding opportunities worth knowing about

📸 Polina Nasedkina will be available to take a new headshot after the event
📍 11:00–13:00, stay afterwards and continue the conversation over lunch

🎟️ There are still meetups in July: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/buzz-business-networking-1153529

Imagine you're blind. You land on a website. No alt text on images. No screen reader support. You can't navigate it.

So you leave. And go straight to a competitor.

That's a real sale lost. And it happens every day — probably on your website too.

On 30th June, 15:00–16:00 CEST, website expert Dominik Sikora is joining me for a free webinar inside the Small Business Connections Facebook group to help you fix that.

You'll get:
✅ A 5-step checklist to make your site more inclusive
✅ Live website audits done on the spot
🎁 A secret gift just for showing up

Over 2,400 English-speaking entrepreneurs based in the Netherlands (or moving here soon) are already in the group. Come connect, learn, and grow.

Free to attend. Register via the pinned event in the group.
👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/sbcnetherlands

📢 One more Buzz event before the summer...

I've decided to squeeze in an extra meet-up, and this time we're heading to Hilversum 🐝
Our topic? GDPR.

I know... not exactly the most exciting acronym in the world 😅
But if you've ever wondered:
"Do I actually need a privacy policy?"
"Can I add people to my mailing list?"
"What happens if I'm not GDPR compliant?"
"Am I doing this right?"..then this session is for you.

🎤 Our guest expert is Dr F***y Cornette, an international law expert who specialises in helping small business owners and expats navigate legal requirements without the legal jargon.

If you joined F***y's Terms & Conditions session in our Facebook community last year, you'll know just how practical and easy-to-understand her advice is. (And if you missed it, it's available to watch for free inside my Skool community.)

In this session, she'll cover:
✅ What GDPR actually means for a small business
✅ What you need to have in place
✅ Common mistakes to avoid
✅ Simple ways to better protect your business and your clients

If GDPR has been sitting on your "I really should sort that out" list, this is your chance.
⚠️ There are only 10 seats left, so don't leave it too long.
👉 Book your ticket on Eventbrite now: https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/jul-2026-buzz-business-networking-meet-up-hilversum-tickets-1991545022774

🐝 Welcome to The Hive – Meet Local Bee Richelle Canavan! 🐝

We’re excited to introduce Richelle Canavan, a human-centred leader based in Utrecht, who helps organisations build stronger systems, better collaboration, and healthier ways of working. ✨

With 18 years of experience in agile transformation, programme leadership, and Release Train Engineering, Richelle has worked with global organisations including Edward Jones and Boeing.

Her work focuses on helping teams deliver complex projects more smoothly, more predictably, and with less chaos — while keeping the people behind the process front and centre. 💛

Richelle supports organisations that want to:
✔️ Improve collaboration across teams
✔️ Deliver projects more predictably
✔️ Scale effectively without losing momentum
✔️ Create healthier, more productive ways of working

Her work is:
💡 Strategic and people-focused
🧠 Backed by nearly two decades of transformational leadership
🚀 Built around sustainable, scalable delivery

Now based in Utrecht, Richelle is available for senior interim and permanent leadership opportunities across the Netherlands.

At The Hive, Richelle brings thoughtful conversations around leadership, organisational change, agile transformation, and building workplaces where both people and performance can thrive.

One of the things our members value most is being surrounded by professionals like Richelle — experienced, generous people who are open to meaningful conversations, collaboration, and support.

Whether you're growing a business, expanding your network, looking for opportunities, or simply wanting to learn from others who've been there before, The Hive is designed to help you build relationships that matter. 🐝✨

📣 Looking to connect with supportive, experienced professionals?

We meet online twice a week and host monthly online Buzz events with expert guest speakers, creating opportunities to connect, learn, and grow together.

🐝 Curious about becoming a Local Bee like Richelle?

👇 Find out more about our memberships here: https://ww.buzzbusinessnetworking.eu/memberships

🎉 My Facebook Community Turns 6! 🎂🎈

6 years ago, Small Business Connections NL was born in Leiden! 🏡✨ Founded by four incredible female business owners and me, our mission was simple: help entrepreneurs connect, support each other, share knowledge, and grow. 💡🚀

What started as local meetups, office hours, and workshops quickly became something bigger. Then COVID-19 changed everything… and so did we. We expanded across the Netherlands to support even more business owners! 🌍

💥 Fast forward to today, this community is growing! Yesterday, we hit 2,400 members! 🎉🐝

👀 Why does this group matter?
While the KVK has improved its resources, there’s still so much more they could do. That’s why I’m passionate about sharing:

✅ Giving the stage to new businesses in monthly webinars 📢
✅ Business tips & insights 💡
✅ Free events & courses 🎓
✅ A space where you can grow and thrive 💛

🌟 Are you an English-speaking entrepreneur in NL or moving here soon?
➡️ Looking to start or grow your business?
➡️ Want to connect with like-minded business owners?
➡️ Need a place to promote your business & get support?

💬 Join us for FREE! Every Tuesday, you can share a promotion about your business. Recordings of previous webinars are available in my free Skool community: https://www.skool.com/the-hive-mind/about ✨

🚀 Come join us, connect, and let’s grow together! 🐝💛 https://www.facebook.com/groups/sbcnetherlands/

🐝 Welcome to The Hive – Meet Local Bee Evan Hendrix! 🐝

Evan helps husbands rebuild connection, communication, and fulfilment in their marriages. 💛

From the outside, many men appear to have it all together.
A successful career.
A family.
A life they've worked hard to build.
But behind closed doors, many are struggling with distance, disconnection, and relationships that no longer feel the way they once did.

That’s where Evan comes in.

Drawing on his own personal journey and experience, Evan helps men understand what’s really happening beneath the surface and develop the skills needed to reconnect with themselves, their partners, and the people they love most.

Through a guided 12-week process, he supports men who want to:
✔️ Rebuild connection in their marriage
✔️ Communicate more openly and honestly
✔️ Strengthen their relationships
✔️ Create meaningful and lasting change

His work is:
💡 Honest and transformative
🧠 Grounded in lived experience
🤝 Focused on deeper connection and understanding

Evan first discovered Buzz Business Networking through one of our free monthly DAFT webinars. Not long afterwards, he moved to the Netherlands with his family on the DAFT visa and settled in Leiden. ✨

Like many people relocating to a new country, one of the biggest challenges wasn't just navigating the practical side of the move—it was finding community and building meaningful connections.

Since joining Buzz, Evan has embraced both the business and social side of networking, building relationships that have supported him personally and professionally as he settled into life in the Netherlands.

At The Hive, Evan brings thoughtful conversations around relationships, emotional intelligence, personal growth, and creating a life that's successful both at work and at home.

Looking to grow your network alongside supportive, like-minded professionals like Evan?

We meet online twice a week and host monthly online Buzz events with expert guest speakers, creating opportunities to connect, learn, and grow together. 🐝✨

📣 Ready to invest in your network?

Our memberships are designed to support every stage of business — whether you're just starting out or ready to scale.

🐝 Curious about becoming a Local Bee like Evan?

👇 Find out more about our memberships here: https://ww.buzzbusinessnetworking.eu/memberships

🚀 1 Week To Go Until Our June Guest Expert Session

How often do you look at your website through your customer's eyes?

Your website is often the first impression people have of your business. It's working for you 24/7, but is it making it easy for visitors to find what they need and take the next step?

Next week, we're joined by Nicola Dobiecka, who will be sharing practical ways to create a more user-friendly website that builds trust and improves the experience for your customers.

We'll be covering:
💻 How taking your customer's perspective can improve your website and business
🔍 Examples of confusing vs clear websites
🧭 Key principles for making your website easier to navigate and use
🛠️ A simple process for testing your website yourself

If you've ever wondered why people visit your website but don't get in touch, book a call, or make a purchase, this session will help you spot where they may be getting stuck.

You'll leave with practical ideas you can implement straight away to improve your website and create a smoother customer journey.

Who's joining us next week? 🐝

Book your ticket on Eventbrite now: https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/jun-2026-buzz-business-networking-online-tickets-1989210434959