http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.dobusinessnetwork.com en-us Wed, 22 Jul 2026 11:08:02 +0100 Rocketspark http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26828/durham-county-council-proposes-new-selective-licensing-scheme-what-local-businesses-need-to-know/ Durham County Council has opened a public consultation on a proposed new Selective Licensing Scheme for private rented properties, set to replace the existing scheme when it expires in March 2027. While aimed primarily at private landlords, tenants, and local residents, housing standards and property management directly impact the broader business community and local economy across our region. We encourage local business owners to review the details below and submit any feedback or comments befo... Tue, 21 Jul 2026 18:48:59 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26828 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26800/sunshine-sailing--great-company-at-the-derwent-reservoir/ On Wednesday, 15th July, Do Business Network gathered at Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club for our second summer BBQ and sailing evening. We couldn't have asked for better weather—the sun was out, temperatures hit 23°C, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.Events like this remind us of the value of relaxed, face-to-face networking. Leaving the traditional boardroom setup behind gives everyone a chance to connect naturally, share experiences, and build genuine relationships.A Team EffortAn evening... Fri, 17 Jul 2026 11:56:12 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26800 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26773/welcome-to-dbn-tom-lawlor/ We are absolutely delighted to welcome another new member to the Do Business Network: Tom Lawlor, who is an Account Executive at H&H Insurance Brokers.If you haven't met Tom yet, you are in for a treat. He has a brilliant, bubbly energy, a great sense of humour, and a genuine passion for getting stuck into our local business community.Tom is seven years into his insurance career, with a massive amount of experience across broking, claims, and consultancy. He joined the North East team at H&a... Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:41:27 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26773 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26745/back-at-beamishmuseum-join-us-at-the-drovers-tavern-this-october/ We are excited to announce that our networking meeting on Tuesday 20th October will see us returning to Beamish Museum. These meetings are always a highlight in the Do Business Network calendar, and this upcoming session promises to be particularly special as we gather at one of the museum's newest exhibits in the 1820s Landscape: The Drovers Tavern.To add a bit of historical context to our morning, a member of Beamish staff will be sharing insights about the story of droving and ... Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:54:58 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26745 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26743/welcoming-fran-williams-of-steeltown-business-services-to-dbn/ At Do Business Network, we are always proud to welcome professionals who bring genuine expertise, a wealth of practical experience, and a real passion for supporting the small business community. We have been incredibly busy growing our community recently, and Fran is one of seven fantastic new members to join the network over the last few weeks. We are absolutely delighted to introduce one of our newest members, Fran Williams, founder of Steeltown Business Services.For many small business owner... Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:09:43 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26743 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26733/real-business-insights-shared-by-real-experts-launching-our-peer-led-training-this-september/ When you run a business, there is no shortage of advice out there. But there is a massive difference between textbook theories and the practical, lived experience of someone who is actually doing the work day in, day out.At Do Business Network, we have always believed that our greatest asset is the collective knowledge of our members. That is why, starting this September, we are launching a brand-new series of accessible, peer-led training sessions designed to bridge knowledge gaps, share practi... Fri, 03 Jul 2026 18:18:00 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26733 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26726/dbn-wag--walk-join-us-at-the-land-of-oak--iron/ In August, we have our annual Wag & Walk—a great opportunity to bring along your four-legged friend for a nice walk and meet other business owners in a more relaxed environment.We are meeting on Tuesday 18th August at the Land of Oak & Iron in Winlaton Mill for a morning of fresh air, a gentle walk, and good conversation.The summer months are ideal for getting away from the desk, and these informal walks offer a brilliant, pressure-free environment to catch up with familiar faces and m... Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:40:45 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26726 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26725/join-us-at-beamish-hall-hotel-this-september/ September will be here before we know it. The end of the summer holidays is a fantastic time to refocus, shake off the holiday routine, and connect with fellow business owners as everyone gets back to business.Our September networking meeting is taking place on Tuesday 8th September at the beautiful Beamish Hall Hotel.Whether you are a regular face at our events or thinking about joining us for the very first time, you can expect a warm welcome, practical insights, and plenty of opportunities to... Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:00:51 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26725 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26705/how-a-chance-introduction-at-dbn-led-to-corporate-sponsorship-for-blue-spirit/ One of the most rewarding aspects of running a business community is watching organic connections grow into something that makes a tangible difference. A fantastic example of this happened recently right here at the Do Business Network. Earlier this year, Carol Smith, representing local charity Blue Spirit, attended a DBN meeting. Because of the collaborative nature of our community, she was introduced to Mary Jallow from Utility Warehouse (UW). During their conversation, Mary shared more about... Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26705 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/post/26720/defeating-the-business-time-thief-highlights-from-our-ai-training-workshop/ Yesterday, the Do Business Network community hosted an incredibly insightful training workshop: Defeating the Business 'Time Thief' with AI.We had a fantastic turn-out, with a full room of attendees eager to explore how artificial intelligence can act as a highly effective assistant in the modern workplace. It was a brilliant, high-energy day filled with engaging discussions.The training itself was delivered by Pascal Fintoni, who as always gave a masterclass that was bang on point. For those w... Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:06:12 +0100 http://www.dobusinessnetwork.com/blog/#post26720