Build your connections at our high quality facilitated Essex business networking event at the beautiful Wivenhoe House in Colchester.

Looking for a friendly, professional networking event near Stansted, Bishops Stortford, or Harlow? Join IWant2Network and The Federation of Small Businesses at the elegant Wivenhoe House Hotel for an enjoyable morning of quality networking in Hertfordshire and Essex.

Our events combine facilitated speed networking with relaxed open networking, making it easy to meet business owners and professionals from Stansted, Bishops Stortford, Harlow, across Hertfordshire, and throughout Essex. It's also a great opportunity to find out more about our new monthly Stansted networking group, giving local businesses another way to build valuable connections throughout the year.

Expect a welcoming atmosphere, structured introductions, and plenty of opportunities to have meaningful conversations—without the pressure of traditional networking. Whether you're looking for Stansted networking, Bishops Stortford networking, Harlow networking, Hertfordshire networking, or Essex networking, we’d love to welcome you.

Our networking events are designed for business owners and professionals who are looking to grow their business and build valuable, long-term connections. We typically welcome between 8 and 15 delegates at each meeting, creating the perfect environment for meaningful conversations. We’re all about quality over quantity, bringing together like-minded people who value genuine relationships and collaborative business growth.

About our Venue Hosts: Wivenhoe House Hotel, Colchester:

Wivenhoe House Hotel, a four-star retreat on the Essex-Suffolk border in Colchester, blends historic charm with modern luxury, making it an ideal venue for business networking. With stylish rooms, locally sourced dining, and attentive service - including a team from Edge Hotel School - it offers a refined and comfortable setting for professionals to connect and collaborate.

Purchase a visitor trial ticket. Ticket is taken off the price of membership should you decide to become a member within 5 working days of your first visit.

Who are IWant2Network?

Networking that’s about quality, not just turning up.

IWant2Network (IW2N) is a professionally facilitated networking community designed to help you build meaningful, relevant connections — without awkward small talk or hard selling.

Members join one monthly IW2N group as their home group, but gain access to other IW2N groups across the network (subject to category availability). This means you can expand your contacts through online, Essex, and London groups, all within one connected community.

Alongside the monthly groups, IW2N members also have access to 2–3 iWant2Network networking events every month, mainly in London. These take place in iconic and interactive venues, blending memorable experiences with structured, purposeful networking.

Membership also includes access to our active members’ WhatsApp group, keeping conversations and opportunities flowing between meetings.

With 158 sessions planned in 2026, IW2N offers regular, high-quality opportunities to grow your network the right way.

We name all our groups after iconic people

Online Groups - QE2, Brunel, Foster, Shakespeare

London Groups - Wren, Turing, Darwin, Churchill

Essex Groups - Augustus, Marconi, Earhart

About our event partners The Federation of Small Businesses:

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is the UK’s leading membership organisation supporting small businesses and self-employed people. Founded in 1974, it provides practical advice, networking opportunities, training, and business services including legal, tax and financial support. The FSB also campaigns on behalf of small firms, helping ensure their voices are heard by local and national government.

FSB supports sole traders, freelancers, start-ups, microbusinesses and SMEs across the UK. Its aim is to help businesses grow, overcome challenges and succeed by offering expert guidance, resources and a strong community of like-minded business owners and entrepreneurs.

We do operate a one-profession rule for all our membership groups, meaning when you become a member, you become the expert in the room. Please get in touch to find the right group for you and your networking needs: lizzie@iwant2network.com

Connect with us on Corporate Linkedin and with our founder, Lizzie Phillips Linkedin

Want to find out what our members think of IWant2Network?

View our testimonials on our Google Page

Description supplied by the event organiser.