Mark Flanighan
NENO was started by Mark Flanighan as a result of his learning's from networking.

Even after attending several live networking events, he never really gained any business when he took his costs into account. So he decided to start a new network that would cater for enterprises that did not have time or could justify the cost of traditional type networking. But could also benefit those who wanted to network outside their normal groups.


About Mark
Mark is a business adviser accredited by the IBD. He has had nearly twenty years of front line experience with a retail environment, managing units up to £27m and more recently starting from scratch and running his own successful online marketing company. He is also an expert in making money off the web and SEO techniques.

Here are his own words, why he put together NENO.

After nearly 20 years running businesses for someone else I decide to take the plunge, leave a good job and start up by myself as a business adviser, so others could benefit from my experience.

At this point I already had a successful online business. that was computer based with little face to face business.

I decided to start my networking program as early as possible because coming from a corporation I just did not know any other SME's.

It was not very long before I realised the limitations of face to face networking. First of all if you are in a B2B like mine chances are you are going to be selling your wares to the competition, but most of all I realised that my potential clients would be those who are firefighting with their business and unlikely to have the time to attend these organised events.

The more I thought about it the more I realised that businesses are often far too busy to network! And as we all know, networking is only affective if it is a continuous process, one off's never work.

Then at one network meeting I calculated that everyone there was a B2B supplier of services. Business advisers, accountants, training providers,all trying needlessly to sell to themselves. I could see no factory owners, shop owners , plumbers and a thousand other examples that are the back bone of the North East and the type of businesses Ii was trying to reach out to.

Also many owners I talk to, never wear a suit and would feel uncomfortable in that official environment.

The decision was then made to construct a networking platform that would be available to anyone and everyone at any time of the day to fit in with even the busiest of business owner. To offer a further platform where business owners can ask other business owners advice and you never know I might throw my hat in the ring from time to time.

The networking lounge has been set up using similar software to that of a chat forum, for ease of use and convenience. But chat is not this sites intention. I want to bring businesses together and I hope you do too.

There is nothing to lose and only something to gain by joining the NE Network today!