Hey Reader

This week, I’ve had the absolute joy of double-handing with my brilliant business partner, Wendy.
Two facilitators. One room. One shared mission - making learning land. And we don't get the chance very often to do this which makes it even more special.

There’s something magical about co-delivery.
You see each other’s strengths in action, catch new ideas mid-flight, and yes sometimes you have bad habits highlighted so you can adjust.

It’s feedback in its most alive form.
Not the formal, post-session “evaluation sheet” kind - the real-time, shoulder-to-shoulder kind.

Being observed (or observing someone else) is one of the most underused professional development tools out there.
It keeps us sharp, humble, and evolving.
And it’s exactly what this week reminded me of: visibility isn’t just about being seen by others, it’s about being open enough to let others see how you work.

When we talk about the career flywheel, that’s the heart of Build Your Circle and Be Seen.​
It’s not networking, it’s connection.
Not performance, but partnership.
The kind of visibility that creates trust, not tension.

Wendy had admitted she’d been feeling a bit of FOMO about this project as I had been working on it for a few months, so it was such a joy to introduce her to some of the incredible people I’ve been working with. Watching her connect, shine, and add her magic reminded me of something simple but powerful:

Your circle isn’t built overnight.
It’s built over moments - shared work, mutual trust, open doors.
And sharing contacts is about growth.

I learned that the hard way.

Years ago, when I made the move from being a freelancer to setting up my own consultancy, I genuinely thought I was doing everything right. I wanted to specialise in experience design, so I took my time - refined my positioning, prepared my pitch, and made sure the shift would benefit the five consultancies I worked with.

One by one, they told me there’d be no more work for me.

They didn’t see a collaborator; they saw a competitor. And my work fell off a cliff.

It was brutal. But it also lit a fire. Because their short-sightedness taught me the most valuable lesson of my career:
​Protecting your turf is short-term thinking. Building your circle is legacy thinking.

Those Goliaths? They’re gone.
And the relationships I built, the people who backed me, collaborated with me, challenged me are the reason I’m still standing, still growing, and still having fun.

That’s the power of connection.
Find your friends, not just your followers.
Build your circle wide enough for others to win too.

If this theme of openness and observation hits home, you’ll love this week’s podcast:

Episode 21: Why Visibility and Connection Builds Unstoppable Careers

You might also like the What Type of Networker Are you? Quiz. There's a cheat sheet you can grab after with 6 steps and 20 ideas to Find Your Friends.

You can also read about it here

Here’s to being seen, being supported, and surrounding yourself with the kind of people who clap and correct.

PS: Hit reply and let me know if your type landed. I love hearing what surprised people.