I LIKE NETWORKING: a new platform for women and non-binary people in the creative industry has become a success and is expanding

Like many across the world, I LIKE NETWORKING’s founder Isabel Sachs lost her job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As someone in the creative industry, she understood how hard it was to find employment in the normal world, let alone in the middle of a pandemic.

Her response was to start a small networking group, in June 2020, where industry leaders would open their black book of contacts and give some of their time to support those who had difficulty getting started (or getting ahead) in the industry, with the aim of tackling the lack of support & diversity in the sector.

Without any funding, I LIKE NETWORKING evolved into a full- blow career platform for women and non-binary people in the creative industries, with an events series to upskill as many people as possible, newsletters, job boards and a podcast, with a range of guests from all over the world, featured on The New York Times, Stylist and beyond. In total, the pilot program saw over 215 mentoring sessions, over 500 events attendees and more than 2000 podcast downloads from June to December 2020.

The mentoring scheme will still be free for those selected through an online application form. I LIKE NETWORKING aims to create a movement where mentees will eventually become mentors and have a huge community of members supporting each other throughout the career paths.

The I LIKE NETWORKING mentoring scheme applications will launch in March with the programme starting from September, with four encounters between the mentors and the mentees.  Applications will be via UnderPinned, I LIKE NETWORKING’s 2021 sponsor.

In 2021, I LIKE NETWORKING is also offering a membership scheme to expand on their motto over collaboration over competition. The membership gives access to a community of like-minded individuals to facilitate support, networking and access to all of their events. The membership is now live to book, from £8.50 a month, with bursaries available for those who cannot afford it.

Notes to editor

About I LIKE NETWORKING

I LIKE NETWORKING is a platform which aims to support women and non-binary professionals looking for a career in the creative and cultural industry and those who already work in the field but feel stuck.

About the founder, Isabel Sachs

Isabel has over fifteen years of experience as a project manager, working on a variety of for non-profits, culture organizations and consumer-led companies, conceptualizing and producing branded experiences that engage core consumers, as well as communications campaigns, having serviced clients such as Levi’s, Converse, Lipton, Red Bull and Lollapalooza, amongst others. She created and sold an award-winning cultural agency, based in Brazil, producing over 50 events a year including international tours, and managing a roster of artists and a theatre company. Recent public speaking appearances include General Assembly, The New York Times International Women’s Network, New Talent Fashion, Creative Entrepreneurs and You-Volution.

About Underpinned

UnderPinned was founded in 2018 on the idea that freelancers deserve better. It aims to support freelancers with every aspect of their career management and progression through an innovative Saas product, educational courses, and media creation and engagement.

2021 Mentors:

Adrienne Klasa, World Digital Editor, Financial Times

Anna Helwing, VIP Manager, Art Basel

Barbara Casara, Football Marketing Director EMEA, NIKE

Ben Cooper-Melchiors, Executive Director, East London Dance

Bonita Darkoh, Content Strategist, KPMG / Arts and culture editor at large, GUAPMAG

Carin Baur, Associate Director – Insight and Data Management, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

Carol Almiron, Communications Manager

Carrie Scott, Curator, Art Historian, TV Presenter, Art Writer

Cassi Young, Specialist, Head of Sale, Bonhams

Claudia Canavan, Digital Beauty and Health Editor, Women’s Health

Cleo Thompson, Music Brand Partnerships, UTA

Dr Cliff Lauson, Senior Curator, Hayward Gallery

Ellie Liddell-Crewe, Unlimited Project Manager, Artsadmin

Eva Martinez, Dance curator, producer, dramaturge, consultant and former Artistic Programmer at Sadler’s Wells

Fernanda Moraes, Art Advisor, Founder +FV Arte Bureau

Fiona Livingston, Associate Director, Marketing and Communications, HarrisonParrott

Francesca Polo, Coach & Vastari Co-Founder

Georgia Attlesey, Creative Producer

Geraldine Zanaska, Founder & Director of Compass Music

Gilbert Johnson, Artist Manager and Co-Founder, Hear This Records

Helena Knightley, Ecommerce Trading Manager, Dr. Martens

Ida Norheim Hagtun, Senior Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Isabel Atherton, Head of Global Partnerships, LYMA

Isabella Coraça, Dress Curator & Lecturer

Jade Coles, Events Curator

Jess Kangalee, Founder, Good Energy PR

Jessica Barlow, Founder, No Agency Method

Jessica Teal, Principal, Teal Media

Jodi Muter- Hamilton, Founder, Black Neon Digital

Kitty Stogdon, Project Editor, Bloomsbury Publishing

Kuba Shand-Baptiste, Society and Arts Editor at The Conversation

Lauren Rosemary Hook, Senior editor at the Feminist Press

Malakaï Sargeant, Artist & Cultural Producer

Marcela Moreira, Director, Global Marketing (LATAM), Warner Music

Mariam Sharp, Director at CulturalSIX

Marta Gut, Global PR Manager, Rapha

Mollie E Barnes, Curator & Founder She Curates

Nadia Strøm Vistisen, Events & Partnerships Manager

Nina Giglio, Brand & Content Marketing Manager, WGSN

Paula Abreu, Associate Director of Programming, SummerStage

Petra Van den Houten, Head of Major Gifts at Royal Northern College of Music

Phoebe Dodds, Founder, BURO155

Pragya Tiwari, Founder, Oijo and Regional Director, Flint

Renée O’Drobinak , Communications Manager, HawkinsBrown

Ruby Baker, Creative Producer

Sara Nisha Adams, Editorial Director at Hodder & Stoughton and Author

Salma Tuqan, Deputy Director, Delfina Foundation

Sophie Busby, Corporate Partnerships, Tate

Stephanie Brennan, Founder, Rock to Roots

Toni Sloane Lawrence, Management Consultant, Lobus

Valeria Facchin, Assistant Curator, Fiorucci Art Trust

Vick Bain, Music Consultant, Founder F-LIST

Vivi Kallinikou, Director of Content and Outreach, Art Rabbit

Wells Fray-Smith, Assistant Curator: Special Projects at the Whitechapel Gallery