As a self employed woman, doing what I do and juggling motherhood along the way, it can be pretty tricky to meet people who ‘get’ my life.

Plus my days can often get a little lonely. Having the freedom to work from home is a blessing, I’d be lying if I said otherwise, but it also comes with many challenges too. (For example, trying to get any work done during a school holiday is basically impossible!)

Which is why finding my ‘tribe’ is so important. I’ve recently joined the Girl Tribe Gang, a special female members only initiative which aims to connect, empower and inspire women in a relaxed and informal way.

It was set up by a friend of mine, the very clever Catherine Asta Labbett (we met over Instagram and bonded over our pregnancies as our little ones were born just days apart) and I think that it’s fair to say, it’s taking the UK by storm!  If you haven’t heard of it yet, trust me, it’ll be coming to a town or city near you very soon. Catherine is a powerhouse of a woman who is doing a wonderful job at encouraging other women to live their best lives and as someone who has followed her journey from the beginning, I’m so very pleased for and proud of her.

The Girl Tribe Gang began in Ilkley earlier in the year but since then has seen tribes pop up right across the country, in places such as Leeds, Manchester, Surrey and Harrogate.

I belong to the Sheffield tribe which is run by Sarah Smith, owner of S L Social and last Monday evening I popped along to the big launch at the stunning Ponti’s Italian Kitchen at Fox Valley, Sheffield.

As Monday evenings go, well it was really rather lovely indeed! I spent a good hour or so chatting to some really warm and friendly women, heard fascinating stories about business start ups and ideas (we talked about everything from social media to moon meetings!), spotted a few friendly faces and had my photograph taken for a new professional headshot (thanks Maryanne!), before I had to dash home to look after a poorly Leo.

As Girl Tribe Gang promises, the launch was relaxed and totally informal. And I should add, also incredibly refreshing.

When I first started as a freelancer back over seven years ago, I used to turn up to networking events and be horrified at the sales patter and formal suits I encountered time after time. As a creative person, I always found them inauthentic and would feel like a fish out of water. I longed for genuine conversation, for event timings that worked more in harmony with the demands of my lifestyle as a self employed mum, and ultimately, more female connection.

But not anymore. The Girl Tribe Gang offers something totally different to the networking norm and I absolutely adore the fact that it has been created solely with our needs in mind.

If you’re self employed or a woman with a plan, do take a look and see if it speaks to you too! Membership costs £150 per year and includes access to monthly meet ups, a community of supportive like minded women and inspiring ‘power hours’.

If you’re anything like me, I think you’ll find it a welcome (and much needed!) change.

Photos from the evening are used with kind permission from Maryanne at Artisan and Wild. 

Reader Offer

Join the Sheffield Tribe before 27th November (the next Girl Tribe Gang meet up) and you’ll get an extra month of membership for free!