CHESHIRE businesswoman Tracy Griffiths is the head of the soon-to-be-launched Business Network Chester, where her role is to help entrepreneurs from across the city network and build links with like-minded business people.

Originally, Nottingham-born Tracy worked in textiles in a senior management role. Then she went onto work with Speedo and subsequently found herself head-hunted by Adidas.

“It was a challenging but rewarding time that increasingly involved a great deal of travel across Europe and the USA.”

However, Tracy was also a young mother who wanted to spend more time with her family, husband Nick and daughters Elizabeth, now six and Annalisa, aged four.

“I took the life-changing decision to work for myself and set up Elianna my leadership coaching consultancy in which I used the skills I had learned over years in the corporate world,” she said.

“However, I found myself alone and, for the first time in my professional life, not part of a team. By nature I was a team member and a team-driver. I needed someone to connect to and to communicate with.”

Tracy decided the best way to find that support would be to network with like-minded business people and living in Hazel Grove near Stockport, decided to join not just one but two Business Networks, Manchester and South Manchester, groups that had generated tens of millions of pounds worth of business for members over the years.

Now Tracy is bringing the concept to Chester.

“Chester is a city I have always loved and when I researched potential locations for a new Business Network, I saw that although the city had lots of networking groups, it did not having anything quite like the Business Network. I’m convinced the concept will succeed in Chester,” she said.

Doors open to Chester’s first Business Network meeting at 11.45 am on Wednesday, June 30.

Visitors can also register for a free morning seminar by Britain’s leading networking guru Will Kintish, who will guide them through the basics of successful networking.

To register for a place at the inaugural meeting call Tracy on: 01244 220060 or email Tracy at: tracy@business-network.co.uk