Networking with The Federation of Small Businesses

It will be a relaxed event with an emphasis on making introductions, connecting with new contacts and meeting old friends, featuring expert guest speakers delivering a bite sized seminar on topical matters. Whether you are a regular networker or new to these type of events, you will find a warm welcome and a nice easy atmosphere for making those valuable introductions.

This event is open to both FSB members and non-members, offering a valuable opportunity for all local business owners to connect and collaborate.

The event will also feature a bite-sized seminar delivered by an expert guest speaker, offering a timely exploration of key topics currently shaping the business landscape.

Speaker session - Humility at Work: Being Confident Without Having All the Answers

Running a business often means making decisions, solving problems, and being the person others look to for answers. Yet no one can know everything. This session explores how we can recognise the limits of our knowledge without losing confidence in what we do know. We will look at humility not as modesty or self-doubt, but as recognising both our strengths and limitations, remaining open to learning, and being willing to seek another perspective when needed.

Accurately judging our own capabilities, however, is not always easy. Sometimes recognising what we do not know can tip into doubting whether we are capable at all, particularly when clients or others seem to have more confidence in our abilities than we do ourselves. Drawing on research into humility and workplace impostor thoughts, the session will explore how to distinguish a genuine gap in knowledge from broader doubts about our competence, when to trust our own expertise, and when to seek input or learn something new. Through relatable business scenarios and discussion, attendees will consider how these ideas apply to the everyday decisions and uncertainties involved in running a business.

About our speaker

Emilia Nazarewicz is a doctoral researcher at Durham University Business School, where she is completing a PhD in Management. Her research focuses on humility and workplace impostor thoughts, and more broadly on how people understand and respond to their own capabilities at work. She previously completed a bachelor’s degree in Management and a master’s degree in Leadership and Management at York St John University. Her research interests span leadership, workplace behaviour, self-perception and interpersonal processes at work.

Getting here

The venue is close to the city centre and easily accessible by bus and rail links. If you are travelling by car, there is paid parking available at The Sands multistorey car park.

Refreshments

Tea and coffee will be provided.

Agenda

9.30am Arrivals, registration and informal networking over refreshments

10.00am Welcome by FSB

10.05am Welcome from Durham University

10.15am Guest speaker: Humility at Work: Being Confident Without Having All the Answers

10.45am Informal networking

11.30am Event close