Why I moved my Business to Ireland during a pandemic, Barbara Ann Fitzpatrick

Guest post by Barbara Ann Fitzpatrick, Dublin born businessperson passionate about helping small independent business owners, sole traders, and solopreneurs to grow their business.

What is Kindred?

Kindred Business Networking is a safe community where individual business owners can connect and feel like someone has their back. Lockdown has terribly impacted many companies, the network has provided a welcome opportunity for advice and guidance and has contributed to reducing that sense of isolation that often arises from self-employment.

After 36 years of experience in the UK, Fitzpatrick’s efforts of leading the group, and the shared experiences that are common for many businesses have allowed members to grow closer and support each other in terms of business growth and engagement.

Kindred re-launched as a membership program in November 2020 just before the second UK lockdown. Members now enjoy 1-1 business mentoring sessions with Fitzpatrick and quarterly workshops that help improve skills and learn processes for success. Fitzpatrick teaches heart-centered small business owners how to ‘NetGIVE not NewWORK’. She feels it’s possible to create business growth without aggressive selling and is taking this networking model back to Ireland to help promote growth and enable more Irish business owners to connect and collaborate in a supportive way.

There are many networking groups in the UK and Ireland but Kindred approaches things differently in that they focus on Integrity, Collaboration, Engagement, Transparency, Inclusiveness, Support, Kindred Spirits, Openness, and Fun. On top of this is the way Fitzpatrick mentors her members and is committed to teaching new skills and is one of the most sought-after defining features of this organisation.

Fitzpatrick is now focused on creating new groups throughout the UK, Ireland, and beyond as a franchise business opportunity to allow Kindred to grow into a global group of successful ‘heart-centered’ business owners with shared values, allowing them to find a support group of like-minded fellow businesspeople.

NetGIVING is a proven model for success in Kindred, it is an investment in your business and will pay off multiple folds. To learn more about this Fitzpatrick has made ‘Top Tips guide to Business Growth Without Selling’, this and other information available at this link.

One example of a success story comes from a Kindred member who was completely new to networking and set up his independent Real Estate business in January 2020. Since joining Kindred, he has grown his business exponentially. “Kindred is one of the best investments I have made. I am getting a lot out of it – making friends as we network and do courses together. What I get back is unbelievable, and the connections have helped my business grow,” said member Darren Bartlett.

To learn more or apply for the first Kindred Ireland group in the coming summer months, you can contact Fitzpatrick directly on LinkedIn.

Author bio

Barbara is a small independent business owner and founder of Kindred Business Networking Ltd. Her background is in the corporate space with over 30+ years’ experience of managing global clients and leading teams. Starting off in her native city of Dublin, she moved to Edinburgh in 1984 and continued her career in London working across Technology, Financial Services, and Corporate Business Travel. Her role was made redundant is her mid-50’s, when she re-invented herself and set up and has been successfully running Kindred Business Networking. You can find and connect with Barbara on LinkedIn.

“My senior corporate role was made redundant while in my mid-50s. Unfortunately, my age meant I could not find another role at a similar level. So I chose to re-invent myself and set up Kindred Business Networking, which I have been successfully running since 2020,” Fitzpatrick has said.