Jan 2027 Buzz Networking Leiden w/ Erik Aapkes - Get a seat at the table!

English-speaking networking, connecting and learning with guest speaker Erik Aapkes: How to get a seat at the table? #JoinTheHive Please note: if you require a travel visa, we don't provide a letter of invitation for this or any events. Small business owner? Freelancer? Sole trader? Do you like to get to know people, build relationships, connections, and collaborations? Then #JoinTheHive with Queen Bee Julie Taylor for this in-person networking event and join this supportive community, Buzz Business Networking. No matter how big or small your company is or where you are in your business journey, building relationships with other business owners can provide you with support and much more. Included in this session are: *Talk from an expert speaker *Meet new people *A sounding board to spark new ideas *Get referrals *Increase sales January Networking: How to Get a Seat at the Table? When he was working as a commercial director, Erik Aapkes was approached weekly by people trying to sell him something — either something he didn't need, or a product he was already buying elsewhere. So he rejected almost every meeting request. When he started his own business, he realised the same rules applied in reverse: to get "a seat at the table," he needed to differentiate himself from every other competitor and be able to answer one question — why should anyone do business with him? In this session, Erik will hand you tips, tools and techniques you can apply to increase your chances of getting that seat at the table and turning it into a sale. You'll walk away with: • Practical ways to differentiate yourself from your competitors • A clearer answer to "why should anyone be doing business with me?" • Tools and techniques to increase your chances of winning the meeting — and the deal Our guest expert speaker is Erik Aapkes, Managing Partner, Blueprinter and Entertrainer at Blueprint Management Consultants. With more than 25 years of commercial experience — from sales representative to general manager at large corporates including Rothmans Tobacco, Cadbury and McCain — he moved into training and consultancy, becoming Managing Partner at Blueprint in 2013. Founded in 1998 by Scottish entrepreneur Ronnie McDonald, Blueprint has supported hundreds of individuals, teams and organisations globally in optimising their personal, commercial, strategic and leadership confidence in a challenging B2B environment — working with clients including McCain, Henkel, Allianz, Reckitt, Sanofi, Gardena and Tesco. True to the Blueprint approach, he connects proven practice to your business environment, introducing processes, preparation models and practice exercises that produce immediate results — all delivered with humour to keep it light and engaging. Business networking for small business owners Running a small business can be lonely, so let’s take you away from your desk and connect you with like-minded business owners to grow your network. You need resilience as a business owner; there are so many spinning plates to manage: time, money, resources, and, of course, finding customers. Our community is here to listen, help and support. About your host From starting a business in the Netherlands as an expat back in 2019, it was hard to get the right answers and find other business owners who were going through the same challenges. Where do you find information, support, and recommendations without a network? Over time, from attending events, asking questions, requesting help, and reaching out to people, I started to build a network of people who have provided invaluable support and have opened up many opportunities. I love getting to know people, their stories, and their challenges, helping them by ‘connecting the dots’ through connections and collaborations. What people said about these events "So very happy to know that Julie organises a monthly Buzz Business Networking event in Leiden. I can really recommend going to the event to meet Julie in person." Networking, support & collaboration Take some time for yourself to meet this local group of professional entrepreneurs. During the session, we will cover: Introduction round: Everyone gets 60 seconds so we can find out about you and your business, and what you need help with. Speakers: We will have guest speakers join us to share their expertise, practical tips, and advice. Networking: Get to know your fellow entrepreneurs, make some connections, and support each other. Want to know when tickets go live and what's coming up next? Then follow here on Eventbrite. I look forward to welcoming you to #TheHive.