A relaxed evening to meet, chat, and connect with other self-employed women — no pitches, no pressure, just real conversation.

Join The Fold for a slightly different kind of evening — our Skill Swap Social.

We all have something we’re good at. Maybe you’ve picked up a useful skill through your business, figured out a shortcut that saves you hours every week, or simply know something that other people would love to learn. This evening is your chance to share it.

Everyone who comes along will bring a skill, tip, trick or bit of knowledge they’re happy to share. And no, you won't have to stand at the front of the room and give a presentation.

Instead, we'll split into small groups, giving you the chance to share your skill with a handful of people, learn something from them, swap ideas and have a proper conversation.

You might be a spreadsheet wizard. A Canva shortcut queen. A social media sleuth. A brilliant baker. A secret crochet champion. Maybe you know how to take the perfect passport photo, keep houseplants alive, make really good sourdough or organise your entire life in Notion.

It doesn't have to be business-related. It just has to be something you're happy to share.

You’ll have the chance to:

Share something you know with a small group

Learn a new skill or pick up a useful tip

Discover the unexpected things your fellow Fold members are good at

Ask questions and swap ideas

Make new connections without the awkward "so, what do you do?" conversation

The idea isn't to deliver a polished workshop or prove you're an expert. It's about sharing what you know, being curious about what other people know, and seeing where the conversation takes you.

What should I bring?

A skill to share.

It doesn't need to be business-related, complicated or something you could teach in a formal workshop. Think about the things you know that other people might find useful, interesting or just plain fun.

You could be:

A spreadsheet wizard

A Canva shortcut genius

A social media sleuth

A brilliant baker

A secretly competitive crochet champion

The person who knows every useful iPhone trick

Weirdly good at wrapping presents

Excellent at organising a chaotic calendar

Someone who has mastered a really useful app

Or simply someone who knows a thing that other people probably don't

You don't need to prepare slides, create a handout or practise a presentation.

You'll just need to bring your knowledge, something you're happy to share, and a willingness to learn something from someone else.

Evening at a glance

7:30pm – Arrive, grab a drink and settle in

7:45pm – Skill swap begins — small groups, sharing, learning and plenty of chatting

9:15pm – Wrap up and final chats

9:30pm – Finish

(The exact format will be flexible depending on how many people come along and what everyone brings to share.)

This isn’t just a "networking" event — it’s a space to be seen, heard, and supported by women who get what it’s like to run your own business.

Come along ready to share something, learn something, and have good conversations along the way.

The Fold is a collaborative community for self-employed and freelance women in Leeds.

It's a ready-made support system. A roomful of women in your corner, cheering you on (and picking you up when you fall). Down-to-earth chat about real business and real life and everything in between.

No awkward small talk. No feeling weird about “competitors”. No secret handshakes. And definitely no breakfast meetings

Description supplied by the event organiser.