Show your support for this innovation. Tweet it. Like it on Facebook. Leave a comment.
The following SMART 100 profile and the information it contains is a duplication of content submitted by the applicant during the entry process. As a function of entry, applicants were required to declare that all details are factually correct, do not infringe on another’s intellectual property and are not unlawful, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Some profiles have been edited for reasons of space and clarity. More about the SMART 100.
The Red Tent Networking Events
This innovation initially came to life when…
I [founder Ludwina Dautovic] realised that there were women all over Australia who wanted me to host our events, which we were then hosting in restaurants, in their regions. However, after doing Sydney one month and then Melbourne the next I became burnt out. I realised I needed to come up with another concept so that I could expand our events in a way that could be easily replicated — but realising it had to be very different from how we were currently hosting them.
WHAT & HOW
The purpose of this innovation is to…
…provide ‘home-based’ women’s networking events. It’s innovative, unorthodox and an organic way of hosting them. Its goal is to make women feel at home when they are networking. It takes the intimidating aspect away and connection happens more easily.
It does this by…
…providing an environment where the mask isn’t required; they can be themselves completely. The women feel honoured to be invited into someone’s home. They bring a plate of food to share and BYO wine. We have all the aspects that a business event would have but in a home environment. There is a certain magic that happens here. It’s special.
PURPOSE & BENEFITS
This innovation improves on what came before because…
…the women are excited about networking. They feel comfortable, connected. They also like the idea of a shared meal as they can contribute. Everyone is engaged fully. No one feels shy or intimidated by connecting with others. The home takes the edge off having to feel like they have to be someone they are not.
Its various benefits to the customer/end-user include…
…JV partnerships, business education and development, friendships with like-minded women, speaking opportunities, advertising and promotion of their business, feeling like they are part of what we call ‘The Tribe’. Once a member they can attend any event for free.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
In the past, this problem was solved by…
…women’s networking events held in public venues which feel cold, clinical and lacking in atmosphere. Women in small and home-based businesses want connection and they aren’t getting it at the typical networking event. They found them intimidating. The events in the homes are casual, comfortable and the groups are no more than 20.
Its predecessors/competitors include…
Women’s Network Australia and The Australian Business Network would be my two main competitors. Their market is a very different market to ours. They have a more sophisticated approach to their events. This style has been around for years.
TARGET MARKET
It is made for…
My target market are women in small and home-based business, solo entrepreneurs, women wanting a better lifestyle for themselves and their families. They are usually over 35, find the technical aspect of business hard, are very good at what they do but that does not equal success in business. They feel lonely and isolated doing it all on their own. They struggle with keeping up with business trends and find it hard to identify and attract their own target market. They want more for themselves and they are hungry to succeed. We have over 2,500 on our database.
DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY
It is available for sale through…
We host monthly events in various locations in Melbourne and Sydney and are expanding beyond. They come as our guest the first time and then they are invited to join our membership program which then gives them free attendance.
Our marketing strategy is to…
We have been in business for five years and word of mouth has been one of our most effective strategies. We also have a weekly business podcast show on iTunes called Red Tent Radio which has doubled our opt-ins and sign ups. We market to our existing database, article marketing and use Facebook and Twitter effectively.
SUPPORTING IMAGES
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT…
Voting for the Readers’ Choice Index has concluded, but you can still show your support!
- Tweet it: Top left of each page
- Trigger a Reaction: Facebook ‘Like’, etc.
- Leave a Comment: Anonymous comments excluded*
More about the READERS’ CHOICE INDEX.
| I realised that there were women all over Australia who wanted me to host our events we were then hosting in restaurants in their regions. However, after doing Sydney one month and then Melbourne the next I became burnt out. I realised I needed to come up with another concept so that I could expand our events in a way that could be easily replicated but realising it had to be very different from how we were currently hosting them. |
Learn from Threadless, Etsy, BoingBoing and more
Want an ad like this?G
lobal creative industry leaders are coming to Sydney for Vivid (25 May- 11 June). Find out how to harness crowd funding; predict the next shift in tech adoption; explore the DNA of startups; turn failure into success. Most events free or under $30.
