The Athena Network - West Berks

31/10/2026

“I'm not really a confident networker.”

Do you know how often I hear that?

Perhaps you've thought about attending a networking meeting, but something keeps holding you back.

What if I don't know anyone?

What if I don't know what to say?

What if everyone else is more experienced than me?

What if I don't fit in?

Here's the thing...

You don't need to be confident to start networking. Sometimes it's the networking itself that builds your confidence.

One conversation leads to another.

A stranger becomes a familiar face.

A familiar face becomes a trusted connection.

And that connection could lead to an introduction, a collaboration, a recommendation or even your next client.

That's the beauty of networking. You never quite know where one conversation might lead.

At The Athena Network West Berkshire, creating a warm, welcoming environment where women feel comfortable, included and supported is something that matters enormously to me.

You don't need a perfect one-minute introduction.

You don't have to be the loudest person in the room.

You don't have to sell yourself.

You just need to be curious enough to give it a try.

💜 So, here's my invitation to you.

We have five Athena networking meetings taking place online in November, and I'd love to welcome some new faces.

All our meetings run from 12–2pm, from the comfort of your own home or office.

📅 November meeting dates:

• Thursday 12th – Newbury East
• Friday 13th – Hungerford
• Tuesday 17th – Thatcham & Theale
• Wednesday 18th – Newbury Central
• Thursday 19th – Newbury West

For £30, you can experience two hours of meaningful networking, business training, new connections and conversations that could open doors for your business.

Fancy giving Athena a try? Comment CURIOUS or send me a message, and I'll help you find the right group.

Lara 💜

30/10/2026

Friday feeling? 🙌 Before you switch off, put something good in next week’s diary…

🔥 Fire up your Monday with the Athena Power Hour!

One free hour to meet other women in business, share what you do and make new connections.

💬 A 60-second introduction
🤝 Two guided conversations in small groups
✨ Fresh ideas and people to follow up with

Working alone? Looking to widen your circle? Curious about Athena? Come and experience our warm welcome.

Hosted by our founder, Jacqueline Rogers

📅 Mondays | 9–10am | Online
💛 Visitors welcome for one free visit
💛 Athena members can join every week

DM me “POWER” and I’ll send you the booking link or copy and paste into browser https://lnkd.in/e9BzQeRp

Finish this week by making a little space for next week’s possibilities ✨

29/10/2026

“I don't really like networking.”

Do you know what? I hear this A LOT!

And when I ask someone why, it's rarely because they don't enjoy meeting people.

It's usually something else entirely...

😬 “I hate walking into a room where I don't know anyone.”

🙈 “I'm not very good at talking about myself.”

🤔 “What if everyone already knows each other?”

😳 “I never know what to say.”

Or perhaps the biggest one of all...

“I'm just not that sort of person.”

But here's the thing.

There isn't a particular TYPE of person who makes a good networker.

You don't have to be the loudest person in the room.

You don't need an impressive elevator pitch.

You don't have to be naturally outgoing or brilliant at making small talk.

You just need to be willing to have a conversation.

Because that's really what networking is about.

People getting to know people. Building relationships. Finding common ground. Helping one another.

At The Athena Network, creating an environment where women feel welcomed, included and comfortable enough to be themselves is something that matters enormously to me.

Especially when they're joining us for the very first time.

Now, can I ask you something?

Have you ever been to a networking event where you felt completely out of place?

Or perhaps you've had the opposite experience and met someone who made you feel instantly welcome?

I'd love to hear your experience in the comments. Good OR bad!

Because I think we can all learn something about making networking better.

Lara 💜

28/10/2026

Festive Nifty Networking® is officially open for booking!

THIS is how Athena Ladies round off the year, in colour, sparkle and with intention.

Tuesday 1st December 2026
10am to 12 noon GMT
Online in the Athena Zoom Room

Here's what's waiting for you:

❄️Breakthrough rooms packed with brilliant women you haven't met yet
❄️Your Magical Minute, delivered to room after room after room
❄️Connections that carry you straight into January
❄️A Pop-Up Facebook group to keep the conversations going all December
❄️A festive outfit moment (yes, is back )
❄️And a little something we've been plotting behind the scenes...

You'll arrive with a notepad and leave with a follow-up list, a full heart and, if previous years are anything to go by, at least one new client.

Sound good?

This is an event for Athena members and Visitors.
Athena members we are asking for a £5 donation to charity. A discount code is available to you, ask your Athena RD before booking or see the National Members Facebook Group.
Visitors - the usual £30 visitor fee applies.

If you were thinking of joining The Athena Network, let's talk now so all our November, December and January events are guaranteed, no extra visitor costs!

DM for booking link or head to Bio

27/10/2026

It's not what you learn. It's what you DO next! 💜

What happens when you bring together a group of ambitious, supportive businesswomen who want to get MORE from their networking?

Ideas are shared. Confidence grows. Connections are made.

And most importantly… ACTION happens! 🙌

At the end of today's Athena Network Strategy Masterclass, we asked everyone:

What's ONE thing you're going to do differently as a result of today's training?

Here's what they told us:

✨ Plan their one-minute introductions more strategically.

✨ Arrange more purposeful 1:1 conversations.

✨ Prepare their networking presentations months in advance.

✨ Make their businesses easier to understand and refer.

✨ Treat every networking meeting like a board meeting – arrive prepared and ready to contribute!

And the feedback?

💬 "Fabulous session today! Thank you everyone, really useful, supportive and welcoming."

💬 "I loved the 1 minute and feedback - very helpful."

💬 "This was brilliant, thank you everyone!!"

THIS is what networking with Athena is all about.

It's not just about who you meet during a two-hour meeting.

It's about the skills you develop, the confidence you build, the relationships you nurture and what you do with those opportunities afterwards.

At Athena West Berkshire, we're passionate about helping women make their networking membership really work for them.

💜 Curious about what Athena could do for your business?

Come and experience one of our five online networking groups. We'd love to welcome you!

👇 Comment ATHENA or send us a DM and we'll help you find the right meeting.

Thank you fellow Regional Directors .southwestoxfordshire .athena

26/10/2026

⚖️ Are you a solicitor working in West Berkshire?

Private Client? Family Law? Conveyancing?

I’d love to meet you!

I’m looking for a solicitor to join our NEW Athena Newbury West group.

Here’s the thing about Athena…

It’s not just about meeting other women in business. It’s about building relationships with people who get to know you, understand what you do and feel confident recommending you.

Of course, it works both ways!

You become part of a community where women genuinely want to help one another succeed, share opportunities and open doors.

Would you like to be part of that kind of network?

We meet online once a month, with plenty of opportunities to connect and build relationships beyond our meetings.

💜 CAN YOU HELP ME SPREAD THE WORD?

You might not be a solicitor yourself, but I bet you know one!

👉 PLEASE TAG a brilliant female solicitor in the comments.

👉 PLEASE SHARE this post with your network. You never know who might see it!

Sometimes all it takes is one simple mention to open the door to a wonderful opportunity.

Thank you for helping me find the right person to join our Athena community!

BusinessNetworking

26/10/2026

What difference would it make to you and your business if you started Monday morning feeling inspired, motivated and ready to move forward with NEW connections?

If you are thinking 'A Lot' then this is for YOU!

🔥 Fire up your Monday with the Athena Power Hour!

One free hour to meet other women in business, share what you do and make new connections.

💬 A 60-second introduction
🤝 Two guided conversations in small groups
✨ Fresh ideas and people to follow up with

Working alone? Looking to widen your circle? Curious about Athena? Come and experience our warm welcome.

Hosted by our founder, Jacqueline Rogers

📅 Mondays | 9–10am | Online
💛 Visitors welcome for one free visit
💛 Athena members can join every week

DM me “POWER” and I’ll send you the booking link or copy and paste into browser https://lnkd.in/e9BzQeRp

Make space TODAY for next week’s possibilities ✨

26/10/2026

“I'll come along to a networking meeting when I feel a bit more confident.”

Sound familiar?

Perhaps you've been thinking about trying business networking for a while.

You've seen the posts. You've heard people talking about the connections they've made. You know that building relationships could be good for your business.

But somehow, you haven't quite taken that first step.

Maybe you're worried you won't know anyone.

Maybe you're wondering what you'll say when it's your turn to introduce yourself.

Or perhaps you're thinking everyone else will be far more experienced, confident and established than you.

Here's something I'd love you to know.

You don't have to feel confident BEFORE you start networking.

Sometimes, it's the networking itself that helps you build that confidence.

One conversation leads to another.

A familiar face becomes a friendly face.

Someone remembers what you do.

Someone introduces you to somebody who could help your business.

And suddenly, you're not the newcomer anymore.

You're part of a network.

That's what I love about The Athena Network.

We're not expecting you to arrive with a polished pitch or a pocketful of business cards.

We want to get to know YOU, understand your business and discover how we might be able to help one another.

So, here's my invitation.

Why not make November the month you finally give networking a try?

Our Athena West Berkshire meetings are online, from 12–2pm, so you can join us from the comfort of your own home or office.

Come along, meet some wonderful women in business, experience our networking and training, and see whether Athena could be the right fit for you.

What's the worst that could happen?

You spend two hours meeting new people, learning something and having conversations you wouldn't otherwise have had.

What's the best that could happen?

You make a connection that changes the direction of your business.

💜 Would you like to join us in November?

Comment VISITOR below or send me a message and I'll help you find the right meeting.

Lara x

24/10/2026