How networking is being re-defined at Quorum Park
Supporting a diverse community is an important aspect of life at Quorum Park, which is why we’re proud to see one of our regular events having such a significant impact upon its members.
ADHD IMPACT CONNECT takes place at Q11 on the first Tuesday of every month, and as the North East's premier meetup for professionals and business owners with ADHD, its welcoming and accepting atmosphere has seen many members make it a “non-negotiable” entry in their diaries.
One of those is Amanda, a small business owner who feels attending the sessions, run by ADHDer, Business Psychologist and ADHD Coach Becca Brighty of ADHD Impact, has enabled her to understand both her needs and capabilities as someone with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Having never attended networking events before, she now goes to at least two each month, including Becca’s sessions at Quorum Park, which offer a unique opportunity to connect and share experiences with like-minded people, and to explore strategies to help achieve success at work with ADHD.
Amanda explained: “I think for me, because I hadn’t been to a networking event and for someone with ADHD to go into a room full of people and do some networking, it was overwhelming anyway, but with ADHD IMPACT CONNECT I feel like I’m in a room with people with similar mindsets to me – and that think like me, so it’s been a lot easier. It’s really relaxed – really helpful!”
One of the aspects of the monthly activities Amanda particularly values is their structure, with different topics covered at each meeting that help guide conversations, with conversational segments centred around elements of the theme in question.
She said: “I like that we learn something about how we can apply how our mind thinks to our business, as well as meeting new people. It’s very much, ‘have a chat with the person next to you about that’, or ‘have a chat on your table’. It takes all of that overwhelm away.”
Having found a new level of confidence since attending the group, Amanda, who feels her membership has had a positive knock-on effect in every aspect of her life, is now working on sitting on a different table each month in order to push her own boundaries.
She went on: “Now I try to push myself to do two events per month and I’m finding that because of that, I’m now meeting a lot more people and my business is actually starting to grow. As a person I feel more confident and I’m meeting some lovely people along the way.”
Fellow regular attendee Johnny, who was diagnosed with ADHD after moving to the North East from his native Northern Ireland, said he has found self-acceptance and understanding by being part of the group, as well as information about ADHD that he doesn’t think he’d have found elsewhere.
He explained: “I came the first time because I wanted to learn about myself really, and learn about the condition. It’s made a lot of difference. There’s a lot of validation because I just used to think that it was just me, just in my head – that I was lazy and didn’t try. Then when I hear from other people at these sessions, I really resonate with them.
“You realise it’s not just you and it’s not your fault; it’s the way your head works and it’s not a bad thing.
“I did a lot of research about ADHD before but I could never make the transition to put it into real-life situations. At ADHD IMPACT CONNECT though I hear how people have done that and that has really helped me actually.”
Dave, who finds the events more personal than what is offered by other networking opportunities, said he is now more productive, and experienced a “lightbulb moment” when he first went to a session with Becca.
He added: “It’s fantastic to actually ‘fit’ somewhere!”
It was her own ADHD diagnosis three years ago that inspired Becca to set up ADHD Impact, a Business Psychology Consultancy dedicated to empowering ADHDers to excel at work and in business.
Becca said: “Our mission is to help ADHDers understand and leverage their ADHD to make the impact at work and in business they know they can.
“I’m delighted these events have found a home at Quorum Park and look forward to meeting more new faces from its tenant organisations, as well as from further afield, at the next session on March 4th.”
Tickets for the sessions, which begin at 9.30am, are priced at £15 and can be booked on Eventbrite.
Find out more about the group and about Becca’s practice at adhdimpact.com/adhd-impact-connect, or on the organisation’s LinkedIn page.
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