One of the central themes of this year’s International Women’s Day was women in the workplace. This time around, it wasn’t simply about getting more women into the jobs of their dreams, it was about taking it one step further and celebrating the achievements of women everywhere.
In honour of this, women across the country got together, to celebrate their successes and meet like-minded people who were soon to become their next collaborators, customers, business partners, and friends.
Here in Edinburgh, it was no different. Thanks to nationwide events organised by Allbright, Rabble in Edinburgh became a brief hub of women, eager to network, collaborate, and enjoy a night in excellent company.
AllBright Meets
Under the swathes of flowers and foliage decorating the bright interior of Rabble, success stories were shared, contact details were exchanged and sparks of inspiration were ignited. With women spanning the working world from finance to hospitality, it was a wonderful opportunity to share skill sets and get excited about upcoming projects.
To all intents and purposes, this meetup was built upon the same formula as a traditional networking event. Why then, did it feel quite so special?
The Atlantic Dispatch went along to mingle with successful women, find out more about the Allbright story and learn about the magic Allbright networking formula.
The Allbright Story
Allbright is about more than just networking. It’s about creating space for women to thrive. According to the company’s co-founders Debbie Wosskow, Anna Jones, Allbright was built upon a need for something new; the need for “community, support and inclusive environments that would help women to connect, be inspired and thrive.”
As well as establishing itself as the UK’s first female-only members’ club, Allbright organises events, both in the UK and internationally, including talks, panels, and networking meet-ups like the ones we saw across the UK on International Women’s Day.
The ethos the company is built upon is all about women helping other women. In fact, that’s where the name for the network originally came from. The name Allbright was inspired by a quote from former US Secretary of State, Madeline Albright, who once famously said: “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.”
The Importance of Networking
For one of the founders of Allbright, Anna Jones, networking and collaborating are essential ways in which women can continue to help other women. She says,
“Networking is vital. I think it is also very important that they network with other female led businesses as well. Network with one another and use the fact that 80%, of consumer purchasing is done by women. It is important to use those moments to come together in person, because if you can tell your story to somebody face to face, it is incredibly impactful.”
This ethos was echoed around Rabble bar in Edinburgh on International Women’s Day. As it is echoed around the rest of the world wherever women get together to make plans and inspire one another’s business ideas. Long gone are the days in which successful business can be achieved within a landscape of exclusion and gender discrimination. Instead, the members of Allbright are here to prove that the future of business is female.
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Head over to AllBright’s site to learn more information about the brand, pick up some digital resources designed to promote women’s careers and to find out where your next and closest AllBright Meets event is.