September round-up: A Month of Milestones and Networking

Welcome to Megan’s monthly round-up, where I will share the latest from the world of Horizon Leeds.

Firstly, let me introduce myself to those who don’t know me, I am Megan MacBrairdy the Sales and Marketing Manager at Horizon Leeds. Day to day you will find me guiding and supporting clients to get the most from Horizon Leeds’s space and facilities, collaborating with event professionals and creating a long-term vision of the space. Very much hands-on, I still love to work an operational shift. When I am not at work you will find me planning my next renovation project, or, in the Lake District chasing after my three little girls.

This month has been nothing short of spectacular, filled with great clients and conferences, venue celebrations, and vibrant networking events.

Let’s dive in!

Celebrating a Decade of Excellence

At the start of September Horizon Leeds reached a significant milestone—our 10th birthday! Over the past decade, we’ve hosted countless memorable events and built a reputation for excellence. This dedication has earned us a nomination for Independent Venue of the Year at the prestigious Famtastic Awards. It’s a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing top-notch service and innovative solutions.

In addition to our birthday celebrations, we’re thrilled to announce the launch of our instant booking facility through our website. This new feature allows conference organisers to book our venue with just a few clicks, making the planning process smoother and more efficient. If you are an avid user of Venue Directory, then there is also the option to book the venue directly from our Venue Directory profile.

We’ve also unveiled a fantastic new video that showcases our venue in all its glory. This video includes a full virtual walkthrough, giving potential clients a comprehensive view of our facilities from the comfort of their own homes. Click here to check it out.

Building Connections

Networking has certainly kept my diary busy this month! I have been on a mission to discover the best networking events in Leeds and have had a great month.

It was lovely to catch up with familiar faces and make some fantastic new connections at The Yorkshire Business Fair, I will be exhibiting Horizon Leeds at the next one – watch this space. I was also invited to the BNI Leeds meeting and was blown away by the buzz a room can have at 6.30 am on a Friday morning! It was great to see such a talented group of people so passionate about their businesses. Victoria Stewart’s talk at The Business Desk Women in Business lunch was inspiring. It was lovely to learn about the Leeds Rhinos Foundation at Yorkshire Businesswo’MAN’ event at Toyota Leeds. I might have even chosen my next mum bus!

Next up was the Leeds Digital Festival Launch at Ginos, which was a fantastic opportunity to hear what the festival has in store this year and reminded me why Leeds is the place to be when it comes to all things digital. I also had the pleasure of being invited to be a plus one by the wonderful Charlotte Podlewska to the relaunch of The Queens, wow what a relaunch, delicious food and amazing entertainment, what a night.

Then to top off a wonderful month I headed to FSB Network at Park House, a welcoming atmosphere created by such a wide variety of business, I always walk away with a bucket full of new knowledge.

Give me a shout if there are any networking events you would recommend, and I am always looking for a buddy to attend them with.

Additionally, to being out and about, I had the honour of chairing the Leeds Independent Venue Meeting and a new MIA Meetings Intelligence steering group. I am passionate about independent venues in Leeds and how we can showcase our leadership in the industry. There are so many great independent venues in the city, so watch this space as we have some wonderful things in the pipeline. The MIA Meetings Intelligence tool is a game changer when it comes to collating customer feedback and using this to benchmark your venue. With an engaged group of venues, I am excited to see where we can take Meetings Intelligence in the next year.

All this activity along with meeting clients to discuss their upcoming events and longer-term event strategies has kept me on my toes and that is before I even think about the fact that I have another child who has aced starting school!

Stay Connected with Horizon Leeds

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