July Newsletter

The Smallest Violin, Please…

Right, let’s start with a confession. I’m quick to call myself a failure, and yesterday was rough. By 11am I was posting on my personal socials (with the ironic name of wrayof.sunshine) that I required the world’s smallest violinist to accompany me because I was convinced I was the most useless person going.

The morning’s spectacular failures included: botching a simple bike ride to work (thus missing my entire exercise slot for the day), failing to entertain the kids during summer holidays in any meaningful way while they had to spend the day at work with me, missing at least 2 hours of actual work time, hurting my leg, and walking home in the rain to discover absolutely nothing in the fridge to feed the animals that are my children. Snacks are a must when you’re dragging kids to work, people!

But here’s the thing – I got up today and the sunflower in my garden has opened its head despite the rain. Or is it in spite of the rain?! Significant? Yes. I’ve come in and opened last month’s newsletter to write this one and realised that the aim was not to leave it to the last minute this month. Feel like a failure? Yes. Actually a failure? No. It’s still July for another 16 hours (you may not receive this for another 10 hours after I’ve actually written it)! So as long as this lands today, I have not failed. And if I’d written this earlier than today, I wouldn’t have half the information to tell you.

So there we go. Claude, my AI, is hopefully going to compress my ramblings so that you actually get something useful out of all this rather than me treating you all as my therapist*!

Look Like a Networking Pro

First up, the newest offer: for the cost of £200 inc VAT, we’re giving you the opportunity to look like a networking pro and walk into any event with the confidence that at the very least you look the part and are proud to put you and your brand out there.

With 500 x business cards (single name), 1000 x A6 flyers, 4 x A6 branded notepads, 2 x branded tote bags, 2 x branded t-shirts and 100 x 40mm stickers, you’ll be a vision of everything you and your business represents. The offer comes with the usual Ts and Cs but given that it’s available until 31st August, you’ll be entering the new term of networking as a new person.

Don’t forget – registered charities, Cheshire Club members, and North Cheshire Chamber of Commerce members get an additional 15% off. Interested? You know where to find me.

Drum Roll Please… (Let’s Drown Out That Tiny Violin!)

There’s a reason I’ve chosen for this month’s offer to focus around networking (obviously, this offer may be useful for an event you have coming up too, or maybe you have other plans these materials could be useful for).

Drum roll please (let’s drown out the sound of that tiny violin!): I am proud to announce that after nearly a year of attending the events hosted by The Cheshire Club, enjoying each and every one of them and connecting with some wonderful businesses and more importantly people, I will be hosting my own event.

Get your diaries out: Wednesday, 10th September 2025, from Caffè AB at the infamous Arighi Bianchi, I will be the host of The Brunch Club.

The plan is to ensure each event I host will help those that attend not only to connect together in an informal environment (with amazing food – if you know me, you may know that most of my life is driven by what’s on the table!) but also to embrace the creative side of business.

I am proud to announce that my first guest speaker will be Katie Stabler: Katie co-authored the Amazon No.1 bestseller ‘Customer Experience 2’, is named one of the top five Global CX Thought Leaders in 2024 and is the host of the Awards International Customer Experience Awards daytime celebrations. How lucky am I to have her with me at my first event?!

I’m just getting the bookings site ready but if you can’t wait and definitely want to come along, just drop me a message. Brunch is 9.30am until 11.30am. Cannot wait for my poached eggs… oh, and hosting etc.

Insert Triumphant Trumpet Here

Again, I know we said July and it’s the last day, but it is still July. Insert here an instrument to join the band and introduce the next bit of news: iMPRESSION issue 2 is here!

Give us your feedback! Want to be in the next issue? Find out how! And if you consider yourself an expert, get in touch – otherwise these newsletters are going to get very noisy with all my instruments going. Let’s find someone else to fill the silence!

Charlie’s Back! (And We Have Photos to Prove It)

Last bit of news: Charlie is back!! We know some of our artists have been waiting to have their favourite member of the team deal with their work, so we can’t wait to see you (without being a little offended that you only come to see Charlie).

Here are some images of us celebrating his return at our summer social, although those sleepless nights with a newborn baby may have got the better of him given he came 4th… out of 4! Bless him.

Until Next Month…

*(this is the only paragraph Claude made any changes to! Other than adding headings and bold print – taking that as a big win too)

So, until next month, let’s focus on the wins despite the fails – they are so much more enjoyable.

Thanks for reading, thanks for your continued orders, and thanks for putting up with my questionable time management and even more questionable metaphors involving garden flowers and tiny violins.

Until August (which I don’t promise to write before the 31st…

Vikki
Chief Procrastinator & Sunflower Whisperer