Community Over Competition (And Why We Don’t Do One-Seat Policies)

2 Jan

Someone recently said to me:

“Sorry, I haven’t been to your networking event. Someone else who does the same thing as me goes there.”

I told her honestly that we don’t have a one-seat policy, and that our events are about women supporting women, even when they do similar work.

But what I really meant was this:

We’re a community and the clue is in the name 😉. And you’re kind of missing the point of our meetups (and networking)

This isn’t about protecting your turf

Our community isn’t built on competing, selling to whoever you sit next to, or a forced referral model.

There are loads of traditional networks that work for some people and some professions. But after speaking to many service providers, freelancers and solo business owners, they certainly don’t work for everyone.

I don’t believe in recommending someone just because they’re the only person in the group who does that thing. Even members of Pink Coral understand that being a member doesn’t automatically guarantee recommendations. It happens naturally most of the time because we have some awesome women here, but not every client is right for every member.

And that’s okay.

Because we’re a community based on trusted relationships built by showing up again and again. We’re about genuine connection, not obligation.

Same profession, different people

I’ve had people not join Pink Coral because they realised there’s already another {insert profession here} as a member of the community (yes, they’ve told me that’s the only reason).

I’ve had people ask before booking a ticket to a meetup:

“Will there be any other {insert profession here} coming this month?”

I’ve even been told Pink Coral could grow faster if we were more like {insert networking group here} with a one-seat policy.

And to be honest, I just don’t want to be like them. I love what Pink Coral is and what it represents. Support. Realness. Community.

We do have members who do the same thing. But no two women are actually the same.

Different personalities
Different working styles
Different ideal clients
Different values, energy, humour, lived experience

A job title doesn’t define how someone shows up or who they’re right for.

What actually happens when you show up anyway

The women who turn up regardless, are the ones seeing the opportunities. They’re not worried about competition. They’re in the room and building momentum.

They’re supportive, they’re curious, they commit. And they have way more meaningful conversations because they’re not busy wondering how to sell or who they’re competing with.

We love seeing the friendships form here between members who do the same thing. They always gravitate towards each other, and their conversations are where they can get into the nitty gritty stuff that only people who speak the same language really understand.

They see people as people and not leads.

This is about real connection

No matter which Pink Coral hub you join, you might meet someone who does what you do.

That’s not a flaw, and it’s not something to be afraid of.

We’re firmly team #communityovercompetition.

If you’re looking for exclusivity, we’re probably not the best fit. But if you’re looking for a community where its members actually show up to support rather than sell, then you’re in the right place.

Nikki 🪸