A NETWORKING club for business owners to chat online over a few beers has been launched by one of Derby’s leading entrepreneur.
Adam Bamford, one half of Derby start-up sensation Colleague Box, has launched the Beer and Business Club; an online get-together aimed at fellow entrepreneurs to give them time to network and have a chat.
At the heart of the event is a chance to sample some of the latest craft beers, which will have been carefully chosen by Adam and his team and sent out to participants before the start of the meeting, along with selected snacks.
The venture is being launched as a subscription-led model with the tendees paying £16 each month for the service. There will be a guest speaker each month with Karl Shaw, owner of Silver Birch Creative and fashion brand Mr Shaw, first up.
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Colleague Box co-founder Adam Bamford (left) will be joined by Mr Shaw and Silver Birch Creative director Karl Shaw for the first Beers and Business Club get-together
Adam, who runs Colleague Box with his wife, Natalie and, this year, celebrated one year of the business and the 100,000th gift box, says that the idea came to him late one night after a busy day at work.
“I have longed to have a podcast but I didn’t think that was suitable for me; I don’t think that my monotone voice is really suitable!” said Adam, “so I created a platform whereby I can enjoy a few beers responsibly, we can all relax and chat about anything we want to.”
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The meetings will initially take place online – the last Thursday of each month from 8pm onwards – and those who sign up to the service before June 17 will receive 50 per cent off any Colleague Box.
Anyone over the age of 18 can sign up to the service, too.
Adam said: “We might get just two people signing up…who might get 1,000 but it’s going to be fun, regardless.
“I’ve carefully chosen the first box and I’m excited for everyone to see it. There will be no note-taking; if you’re after an expert view on beer, then this club maybe isn’t for you. I’m no expert!
“I am, though, looking forward to welcoming our first guest, Karl Shaw, who is someone I’ve admired for a while. I own quite a few items from his Mr Shaw collection and already have my tickets for his dance night – Reminicse – at Bustler in October.
“Like me, Karl is a big football fan; he’s a Derby County season ticket holder, too. I’m sure, with the European Championships coming up very soon, that there will be talk of football during our sessions.”
Wife Natalie, who also owns a season ticket at Pride Park – the couple met whilst working for the Rams – will be attending the meetings, too and she has been busy working with fellow Derby start-up Crafty You, Crafty Me for a special edition Colleague Box as well as relaunching the Afternoon Tea box and a third box to celebrate the Derby Book Festival – the Book Box, which features snacks and the best-selling book by new Dragons’ Den star, Steven Bartlett; Happy Sexy Millionaire: Unexpected Truths about Fulfilment, Love and Success.
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“These are exciting times for Colleague Box,” said Natalie, “we have other boxes in the pipeline, such as a cocktail making masterclass box, date-night box and our brilliant Escape Room box.
“We’re hopefully moving in our new place, on the Northedge Business Park, in Derby very soon and our new-look website should be fully operational over the next couple of months.
“It incredible to think that, 12 months ago, Colleague Box was just an idea we had so that employers could stay in touch with staff who were either furloughed or working remotely due to the first coronavirus lockdown. We now have more than 40 different Colleague Boxes with plans for pop-up events over the summer, too.”
To subscribe to the Beer and Business Club, visit colleaguebox.co.uk and, if you would like to be a guest, email [email protected]
ENDS
For further information, contact Kerry Ganly at Penguin PR on 07734 723951 or email [email protected]
