Expand Your Local Professional Network Online
Cognates are groups of business leaders based across the Midlands that all work together collectively as supportive teams to help you grow your business.
Closed Seats
One seat policy per group
Two
Quality networking groups
Fortnightly Meetings
Online meetings that finish on time!
Choose your group
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TUESDAY GROUP
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THURSDAY GROUP
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Join the members of Cognates from across the Midlands at the BIG Online Meeting and find out what it’s all about.
Benefit from joining offers if you join on the day.
How it works
We have regular one-to-ones with each other to learn how we can help each other's business. Sometimes you need advice in business, sometimes you may need to bounce an idea around, maybe you need social media support, friendships and even more leads. Everyone joins and goes through different stages in their business, which is why we have the ethos to learn how we can help each other. We also don't track referrals but focus on building quality working relationships.
What do you need in your business right now?
'How can we help you?'
Member Events Calendar
Want to lean more?
Why Join Cognates?
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
We believe that having quality connections where every member fully understands how we can help each business is more important than having a high number of connections. This is why we cap our groups.
UNMONITORED REFERRALS
We do not track our referrals, and this is our strongest and best feature. Instead, we focus on the true foundations of networking, which is building quality relationships. This also means that because we don’t track referrals, we aren’t protective over what leads we get. Thus, ensuring all members are free to help increase the exposure for each member as much as they like. However, we do encourage 121 meetings outside of the group.
NO TRAFFIC LIGHT OR SCORING SYSTEMS
We all work together, as a team and nothing is forced. We all genuinely want to help each other and therefore there is no need to have point scoring systems.
ALWAYS VIRTUAL
This means that we are more easily accessible to all, and for those that are usually unable to give up a half day to attend a face to face, are now able to network their business.
Hear From Our Members
When I set up my business, I had never had to network before so it was daunting to put myself out there. I tried a couple of different meetings to see if it was for me and I left them feeling like I was supposed to buy what everyone there was selling. Then Sarah Beggan invited me as her guest to a Thursday Cognates meeting. What an amazing space! Hosted by the lovely Sharon Jones, the meeting is full of like-minded, self-employed, supportive individuals. Everyone is willing to chip in with some advice when someone is struggling with something. Everyone is willing to put feelers out to find what each other is looking for and help them with their businesses. It is not salesy in any way. Each meeting there is an educational slot, so we learn a bit more about each other's work, such as Amazon selling, pensions, 1st Aid training for infant school children and LinkedIn tips. From website hosts, business management and printing experts to charity workers, accountants and 1st Aid training, the group has so much to offer. And Cognates is always on the look-out for more people to join, which means I get to chat with even more business owners. Plus (at the time of writing), I have found 3 clients through Cognates, with a couple more lined up for meetings in the coming weeks. Definitely forever grateful to Sarah and Sharon.
Suzie Jacobs
"I have been a member of the group since November 2023 and I find it a really close nit group that collaborate well together. I use them as sales meetings and they go in my diary twice per month without fail. The business owners are aways looking for business for each other and to help them with their business journey too."
Sarah Beggan
"Joining this business networking group is one of the best decisions I've made this year! When all seemed hopeless at the start of lockdown, I decided to try it out and it's given me motivation, confidence and friends who I now consider part of my 'team'. Thanks Everyone!"
Caroline Menham
"John runs the most fantastic networking groups out there, and I've done loads!! Within 4 months I've already had 10x the Return-on-investment!
The sole focus of helping the team grow collectively is unlike any group I have joined or attended. John's way of steering the group to easily help each other out is highly commendable. It's the perfect blend of maximising productive time and building great friendships.
John has had a massive impact on the way I do business on a personal level too. I would highly recommend you speak to John if you are a pro-active business owner."
