24 hour networking people

Online networking platform Meeow is planning a 24-hour meeowathon to raise money for Comic Relief.

The Leeds-based business which recently took part in TheBusinessDesk.com’s first Talking Tech roundtable in partnership with Armstrong Watson aims to raise as much money as possible when its founders Chris Rabbitt and Simon Glenn host a full 24-hours of non-stop networking starting at 6pm on Thursday March 17.

And to keep them going through the night they hope networkers from the other side of the world will join in to bring an international sense of humour to some typical British fun.

Rabbit and Glenn are also taking their networking offline for the cause and will host two in-person networking events in Leeds with only a limited number of places.

This networking however will swap the standard two-minute business presentation, for networkers sharing the funniest story they’ve ever heard or experience they’ve had..

Rabbitt said: “This is power business networking with laughter, fun and fundraising thrown in.

“At Meeow we take our networking seriously but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Simon and I are always ready for a laugh and we’ve got more than a few funny stories from our business careers so far.

“We want to hear people’s funny stories but they don’t have to be about business. All you have to do is make people laugh, not the easiest thing to do in normal circumstances, but Comic Relief doesn’t do normal and with our audience you’re amongst friends.

“Let’s make a fool of ourselves together and raise some serious money for a brilliant cause.”

The duo hope that while there’s no cost to network on the day, participants will instead give sponsorship donations for Chris and Simon to Comic Relief via a JustGiving page.

The in-person events will be held in Leeds city centre on Friday March 18 at Mad Frans (8am-9am) and Platform (5pm-6pm) and numbers are limited to 20 people each, with Comic Relief collection buckets on hand for good, old-fashioned cash donations.

Glenn said: “Meeow is, of course, an online platform launched during lockdown when people couldn’t meet in person but Comic Relief has given us the chance to turn the business on its head.

“For the first time ever we’ll be holding ‘live’ Meeow sessions for small businesses across the Leeds area which is really exciting.”

The online networkers will get the same 45 minutes to meet, chat and make connections but for Chris and Simon it’ll be a 24-hour marathon.

“We’ve been limbering up, stretching our vocal cords and flexing our laughter muscles and we’re ready to welcome everybody,” the founders added.

Gelnn finished: “We don’t want to be talking to ourselves in the small hours of the morning so we hope people will reach out to their connections on the West Coast of America or over in Australia and urge them to jump on a Meeow for an incredible charity that just keeps on giving.”

For more information on how to book or to donate via the JustGiving page go to meeow.com/comic-relief/