Regional Director, Eastbourne & Lewes
Michala is the Regional Director for the Athena Network in the Eastbourne and Lewes areas
Michala has worked for Lloyds TSB for 11 years and 2 years ago started a financial education business in Brighton called Genistar. Through working with people Michala found it extremely rewarding to help people with their financial situations and to provide them with a financial plan that suites there OWN life to reach their Own goals and dreams
As someone who always enjoys making new relationships Michala has now expanded into the Athena network, along with the greatest support from her two children and partner Michala wants to bring as many business woman together as possible for the fast furious fun world of the Athena network
Michala is excited and enthusiastic about meeting new people and finding out how we can help each other through networking as well as building great friendships.
Michala Rutherford
Regional Director – The Athena Network
Telephone: 01273 622276
Email: Click Here To Email Michala
After attending just one Athena Networking Meeting I joined. I was so impressed with the organisation, the venue and the relaxed atmosphere in which networking can and did naturally happen. Being a member of Athena is proving to be a very cost effective and valuable part of my business.
The best money I have ever spent! Athena is very friendly, targetted and cost effective. Michala is extremely motivated and no matter what concern or query you may have she always comes up with the answer. The venues are superb, training is offered for anyone who is slightly daunted by networking; it really is a great package and I do not understand anyone who does not join…
The members are open, helpful and extremely good fun. I have received some great new business through Athena, but the thing I like best is meeting like minded women who run their own businesses and we ‘iron out’ problems together – I would just finally like to say Thank you Michala for all your hard work, you are a star!
Athena is a successful balance between a formal structured meeting and a friendly informal meeting. The members are very supportive and there is a real team spirit in the group. It has proven a great way for Honey Barrett to generate new business.
Michala is a warm friendly exhuberant Athena host and makes all feel welcome and part of the group. Having been a member for 4 months now and having met some exceptional ladies who either work for themsleves or are part of a larger company I can say that month four I have received business that has paid for my yearly membership, I have found a solution to my IT office problem, from another member and secured leads and candidates form others as well as getting the opportunity to use others services and products.You get what you put into networking but Michala makes it as simple and as enjoyable as it can be to meet likeminded women who want to help each other and in a great environment. You even get lunch!! What more do you want!!
Networking – everyone tells you that networking is the way forward, it’s the new “buzz” word in marketing. So I went out networking. After trying 3 different networking groups, I nearly gave up, thought that maybe all these marketing “gurus” were wrong. And then I discovered Athena!
If you’re new to networking, Michala will give you all the support you need. If you’re an experienced networker then I believe that you’ll find the Athena experience a refreshing change. Athena gives you true professionalism coupled with continued support and training; concrete referrals coupled with friendly faces; essential tips and advice coupled with laughter and great food.
My monthly Athena meetings are one of the highlights of my job and I have no hesitation in recommending Athena to other professional women.
Lorelei Gibb, Marketing Director, Dolphin Computer Upgrades ltd.
I was new to networking and quite daunted by it all. However, Michala made the whole experince painless. The meetings are structured but also friendly. Each meeting you leave with a buzz and new contacts/business. Best money spent and enjoyable. This is helped extremely by Michala’s enthusiasm. Thanks.
I was new to networking when I came to some Athena meetings as a guest at the end of last year. I was very impressed with how professional, supportive and friendly the Athena group were. I decided to join. My experience so far is that Michaela and Tracey give a tremendous amount of training and advice. We also get to learn from other members each month – anything from spreadsheets to finances to fenshui! I have made several business contacts and benefited from referrals already. I would strongly recommend that any professional female should join, or at least come to a meeting and see for themselves what its all about. I look forward to the monthly meetings and find that I now seem to know ‘a woman who does’ for almost any query that friends or family come to me with!
What a way to combine business and socialising with great ladies. Michala is such a warm and professional lady and I feel priviliged to be a member of her great networking group Athena. I know that special care is taken to ensure that all members are themselves very professional and friendly.
Athena has helped me a lot with my business and is also helping me in getting better at networking by arranging training.
Thank you Michala
I have been an Athena member for a year now and it is proving to be invaluable to my business and also to me as an individual working on their own. I get the chance to meet up with other women in business once a month and have not only made great business contacts but also some wonderful friendships.
I would highly recommend any woman in business to join and see their business and themselves prosper with networking.
Bindi Shah, Anamaya Ltd
I went along to the Athena launch in Eastbourne in October 2008. I was new to Networking and was unsure of what to expect, but I enjoyed the experience so much thanks to Michala and Tracey being so vivaciously friendly and supportive that I joined.
Since then I have amassed a huge “library” of contacts, all of them being lovely professional women. It is great to belong to such a warm friendly local group knowing that it is part of a much larger organisation, (extending as far as Australia!) made up of women who all have the same aim – to help each other.
I would thoroughly recommend Athena to any professional woman, Michala and Tracey are consumate professionals and will do all they can to guide you through the networkig minefield.
Our monthly meetings over a delicious lunch are highlights in my diary.
An easy way to meet some very interesting people from a wide variety of business backgrounds. Michala is wonderful at facilitating introductions for members to relevant individuals who may have visited one of the different Athena groups. We have found that we have gained some interesting contacts and business through the Athena network.
Fiona Hill, AFH Payroll Solutions Ltd
We were delighted when Michala and Tracey kindly chose Chestnut Tree House as their charity for their East Sussex Meetings. Their support has been invaluable opening new doors and opportunities for the Hospice, as well as enhancing our Networking Skills. They deliver a professional, motivational and friendly approach making the Athena meetings a joy to attend.
Louise Collins & Juliette Macpherson
Community Fundraisers
Chestnut Tree House Childrens Hospice
I joined the Athena Network almost two years ago when I started my business, and haven’t looked back. I was totally new to networking and not sure what to expect. The Athena meetings meant I met new people, gained a great deal of new knowledge through the training, and can now get up in front of a room full of people without shaking (well almost!) I have made long term contacts, who are constantly on the look out for opportunities for other members, able to give advice etc.
None of this would have been possible without the hard work and enthusiasm of Michala and Tracey, the Regional Directors. They put people at ease straight away, are encouraging, supportive and professional at all times.
My membership is due for renewal in July and I will have no hesitation in renewing it.