Breakfast networking Dorking gets a summer refresh

Twenty one business owners, one sunny Terrace at The Watermill, and not a single one minute pitch in sight. That was the scene at our latest breakfast networking Dorking event, Al fresco 2: the sequel, where we deliberately ditched the usual format and let conversation do the work instead.

A different kind of Wednesday morning

Our monthly breakfast meetings have always been about connection, but over time the standard format, everyone standing up to give a one minute pitch, had started to feel a bit predictable. Useful information, sure, but not always the kind of conversation that leads anywhere memorable.

For Al fresco 2, we tried something different. Rather than pitches, we used a set of Good Question Cards from At My Best to guide small group conversations. No business descriptions to memorise, no clock ticking down on your sixty seconds, just a thoughtful question and the space to talk properly with people you might not otherwise sit down with.

Twenty one people, two simple rounds

With twenty one attendees on the Terrace, we split into small groups of three and gave each table a handful of cards to choose from. After the first round, everyone moved, and the challenge was to land in a group with two entirely new people. It is a small thing, but it changed the room. People who might normally gravitate towards familiar faces ended up in conversation with someone from a completely different industry, and the energy in the room noticeably shifted with it.

What came out of the conversations

The range of topics that came up was, frankly, better than we could have planned. A few highlights from around the tables:

Vicky Simpson of Clerion Consultants opened up a conversation about appreciation, both for others and for ourselves, and how quickly most of us dismiss our own achievements while readily crediting other people’s. She also took the chance to publicly thank a colleague who had transformed her business operations, a good reminder that appreciation is often most powerful when it is specific and said out loud.

David Bloxham of Bloxwood Property reflected on what people value most in those closest to them, landing on honest communication and trust, while his table shared stories of overcoming personal and professional setbacks, from family loss to job change, and coming out the other side.

Tony Bayliss of RBW Restructuring led a conversation on the qualities people most want to be known for. Honesty and integrity came through strongly, alongside a discussion about where the lines are drawn between compliance and creativity in financial advice.

Claire Edwards of Claire Edwards Eldercare Consultant discovered an unexpected common thread with her table, a shared love of the detective work built into very different jobs, whether that is spotting inconsistencies in financial reports or piecing together the right AI strategy for a client.

Lesley Jefferson of BizSpace explored what gives people meaning and purpose, comparing the very different rhythms of working from home and commuting into an office, and how each shapes the way people separate work from the rest of their lives.

Jo McGowan of Hello Dorking talked through the qualities other people appreciate in us that we might not always see in ourselves, along with a conversation about gratitude that ranged from supportive former employers to the simple, grounding value of time outdoors.

Simon Edmands of Leatherhead Rotary Club asked what makes people feel most alive, with the room largely agreeing on one thing, good conversation with interesting people, followed by a lively discussion on pride, integrity, and what it really means to build trust in business.

Mike Gregory of Avocado Audio Visual & Catering Services Ltd spoke about giving back and connecting people, a theme that ran right through his table’s conversation about what the Chamber, and business more broadly, is really about.

Steve Drake of UKBM unpacked the idea of change, why it matters to know your destination before asking others to get on board, and how simplicity, more than anything else, tends to be what makes change actually stick.

Karen Hodgson of Fetcham Park Limited shared a moving perspective on supporting people through life’s changes, from bereavements to new beginnings, and what it means to be there for people, and businesses, at pivotal moments.

Simon Burrage of Lexaro Financial Consulting Ltd talked about turning experience and knowledge into real support for business owners, helping them step back from being the bottleneck in their own company and get a better night’s sleep in the process.

Simon Pardo of Computer Care tackled a genuinely hard question, what could you let go of to make things better, with an honest conversation about the role of sales, self doubt, and how starting something new means figuring out what to release along the way.

Demelza Patricio of TWM Solicitors LLP closed things out with a conversation about small, practical changes, from smarter networking choices to better use of time, themes that, as she pointed out, probably apply to almost everyone in the room.

The cards behind the conversation

The Good Question Cards we used on the day come from At My Best, a company that designs coaching and conversation tools grounded in positive psychology. The deck contains forty eight cards, arranged into six question families, from appreciating yourself and others to raising self awareness and thinking about change, each one designed to prompt genuine reflection rather than small talk.

They turned out to be a brilliant fit for a business networking setting. Framed the right way, questions built for personal coaching translate surprisingly well into conversations about work, leadership, and what really drives us. If you would like to see the full range, you can find out more on the At My Best website.

Join us for the next one

Al fresco 2 proved that breakfast networking does not need a script to be valuable, sometimes the best connections come from a good question and the time to actually answer it. If you would like to experience it for yourself, keep an eye on our events page for the next Mole Valley Chamber breakfast, or get in touch to find out more about membership.

This article was produced by the Mole Valley Chamber of Commerce following our Business Breakfast event on 19 September 2026. To join the Chamber and access future events, networking opportunities, and business support, visit our website or contact us here.

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