When you mention the Yorkshire Mafia (YM), particularly to those outside of the region, it can be met with a surprising variety of responses; some people are shocked that an organisation exists that has such a controversial brand, others want to know more and are intrigued, what many don’t realise is that it has had an economic impact that equates conservatively to £50m.
So, love it or loathe it, the Group has made a real difference to the way that business works in Yorkshire. Geoff Shepherd, founder of the organisation, which started as a LinkedIn network in 2008, didn’t have to put his time and effort into creating a movement that would bring people together to learn, work, meet, share and do business – but he did.
For those who are not involved in the YM the philosophy is simple: Stronger Together. A strap line that has become synonymous with the Group but importantly resonates with those that really have put the theory into practice. As someone who has made some really strong business associates, met many of our preferred suppliers and has also had some of the most memorable nights out in the last eight years, I can certainly recommend the YM and all that it stands for.
When you run a small or medium sized business it can be difficult to create a network that you can trust. ‘Networking’ events can be a challenge and it’s often more about selling to each other than creating meaningful relationships that add any value and that’s where the YM and Buy Yorkshire differ. The values that underpin the Group and the Conference are to encourage like-minded people to come together and to get to know each other. What happens next is then up to you but more often than not, once a trust is formed you start to find ways in which you can help each other, which in turn leads to new business or opportunities.
The Buy Yorkshire Conference takes place on the 16 and 17 May at the Royal Armouries in Leeds and as the preferred PR agency supporting the event, we know just how much time, effort and commitment go into making it bigger and better each year, which is no mean feat.
Here at Open Comms we have been involved with the YM for a number of years and have supported the Conference since its launch. What has always amazed me is the quality of speakers that the event attracts to the region – there is no other business event that can claim to do the same.
This year is a further example with Deliveroo, LEGO, Channel 4, Just Eat, Uber and Google all headlining. What’s even more exciting is that this isn’t an exhaustive list and delegates – who can register for free – can also expect to see the Billion Pound Panel and Jonathan Pie, the spoof political reporter that has taken social media by storm!
I really enjoy the two-days at the Conference, not least because it is a chance to get out of the office and to meet with some familiar faces while meeting new people too. As you would expect, there is a lot for us to do in the run-up to the event, but what I really champion is the hard work and dedication of the YM team, who are rarely thanked by the thousands of people who attend the show.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all. They do a great job to pull out all of the stops to make the Buy Yorkshire Conference an annual event that people talk about for months and look forward to each year.
For those exhibiting at this year’s event, please do make a point of coming to meet with us. There will be representatives from Open Comms available throughout the two days and as well as listening to the speakers and drafting blogs to give those who don’t manage to come along some insight, we would also like to hear from those who are taking stands.
The diversity of people who come along to the event speaks for itself so we look forward to meeting with the many and varied businesses that champion Yorkshire as a place to meet, learn, share and do business together. For those who want to learn more about how to do business differently in Yorkshire, come along and experience:
- 2 days
- 2 exhibition halls
- 20+ speakers
- 185 exhibition stands
- 4,000+ registered delegates
- A full programme of seminars, panels and workshops
For further details about the Buy Yorkshire Conference, including the speaker line-up and exhibitors please visit www.buyyorkshire.com.