Chester entrepreneur rolls out all female networking 'tribe'

AN entrepreneur from Chester is adding a new string to her bow – alongside her existing business – as she takes on the title of ‘Tribe Boss’ and launches the city’s TRIBE of a booming female networking organisation which has recently featured on BBC Business, CNN and Forbes.

Girl Tribe Gang is a members only collective for women who work for themselves or aspire to do so, founded by ex-NHS Strategist turned female-only psychotherapist and mum of four Catherine Asta Labbett.

It launched in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, in June 2017 and has seen phenomenal growth across the UK over the last nine months.

Kate Cousens is a public relations consultant with her own business, Kate Cousens Consulting, and a blogger at ‘Ladder Climbing in Heels’ where she shares stories about being a woman climbing the corporate ladder.

Kate is inviting others to meet up on Wednesday, March 21 at Olive Tree Brasserie in Chester city centre to connect all those local women who work for themselves or who have aspirations to quit the 9-5. Kate is on a mission to inspire other women to set up their own business and to help reduce some of that isolation women who work for themselves experience.

Kate, 38, who lives in Boughton , set up her own business at the end of 2017 after leaving her corporate role as director of communications for Eddie Stobart. Having worked in the field of public relations for 18 years with other big organisations including the Environment Agency and McDonald’s, Kate is now sharing her experience and helping other businesses build their brand and reputation.

Kate is a mum/step-mum of three children and will now run the Chester TRIBE of Girl Tribe Gang locally, while coordinating with founder Catherine Asta Labbett.

Girl Tribe Gang advertises providing an alternative to traditional corporate networking with ‘no suits, no hotels, no corporate nonsense, no breakfast meetings, no sticky name labels, no eating in front of strangers, no board tables, no awkward introductions, no men and no death by power point presentations’.

Kate said: “This is a really exciting venture for me and one I’m honoured to be involved in. I’m looking forward to finding like-minded women in my community, women who are working from their kitchen table or home office doing work that works for them and their family – and bringing everyone together.

“It’s all about creating a community of like-minded women, a level playing field and an eco-system of support and encouragement amongst women who totally get what it feels like to be on your own in business.”

Girl Tribe Gang will meet every month at Olive Tree Brasserie on Watergate Row. The two-tiered 164-seater Greek/Mediterranean restaurant and cocktail bar also features a private dining room and various spaces for all size events.

Business development manager at Olive Tree Brasserie Chester Madeleine Ellis said: “We are proud to not only support this female-friendly networking group but aspiring entrepreneurs and business people within the city. We’ve already had so much interest in the event and I’d encourage other networking groups and businesses to come and see what creative events they may like to showcase here at Olive Tree Brasserie too.”

Founder of Girl Tribe Gang, Catherine said: “Girl Tribe Gang is enjoying roaring success and is growing at a phenomenal rate across the country with TRIBES already established in Yorkshire, North West, Buckinghamshire, Surrey, London, Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Essex and the South West.

“Our TRIBE has brought together many women who were at the height of their corporate careers, but who craved more freedom and flexibility and wanted to quit the 9-5. I’ve found so many women out there who have achieved so much and have so much experience to share, but who felt they needed support when going along.

“I’m sure there are lots of female entrepreneurs in Chester who would benefit from the same thing, and I’m so excited to see who Kate discovers!”

Anyone interested in the networking event at 7.30pm on Wednesday, March 21 can register to attend the meet up via www.girltribegang.co.uk .