I’m not going to start this with “the event was amazing.”

Because that’s not the point.

Last week, I stood in a room at the Royal Bath Hotel in Bournemouth with 80 women in business… and what I saw wasn’t just energy or excitement.

It was recognition.

You could feel it.

Women looking around the room thinking,
“oh… it’s not just me.”

Because here’s what I see every day as a business coach in Dorset

On the outside, the women I work with look like they’ve got it together.

Busy. Booked. Capable.

But underneath?

They’re second-guessing themselves.
Holding back.
Overthinking decisions.
Wondering why it still feels harder than it should.

And the worst part?

They think they’re the only one.

Then you put 80 women in business in one room in Bournemouth…

And everything shifts.

At The Connection, we brought together women from across Bournemouth, Dorset and beyond.

Business owners. Creatives. Wellness professionals. Leaders.

No pressure. No awkward networking. No pretending.

Just real conversations.

We had speakers sharing practical strategies around visibility, branding and leadership. A room full of local exhibitors. Moments of reflection, laughter, and connection that you don’t get from scrolling Instagram.

We even had moments of magic (literally), thanks to a close-up magician moving through the room, and a high-energy afternoon session that got everyone out of their heads and back into themselves.

And what kept coming up again and again was this:

👉 women don’t need more information
👉 they need space to think, speak and be seen

This is what’s missing in business right now

We are surrounded by noise.

Post more.
Show up more.
Do more.

But no one is talking about:

• how hard it is to trust yourself
• how easy it is to lose your voice
• how many women are quietly holding it all together

That’s the bit I care about.

Because when a woman starts backing herself?

Everything changes.

Her business grows.
Her decisions get clearer.
Her energy comes back.

“I felt like I could show up fully as myself…”

One of the messages I received after the event said:

“I felt like I could show up fully as myself it was warm, grounded and genuinely inspiring. It’s lit something up in me.”

And that’s exactly it.

Not hype. Not pressure.

Just space to be real… and to move forward from that place.

Why I created The Connection

I didn’t build this to run another business event in Bournemouth.

I built it because I know what it feels like to sit at home at 9pm wondering if it’s just you.

It’s not.

And last week proved that.

If you’re reading this and thinking “that’s me”…

You don’t need to overhaul everything.

You don’t need another course.

You need:

• clarity
• confidence
• and the right people around you

That’s exactly what I help women build.

What’s next

The Connection will be back.

And if you’re a woman in business in Bournemouth, Dorset or beyond, and you’re tired of doing this on your own…

You’ll want to be in that room.

👉 If you want to work with me 1:1, message me or head to my website to find out more www.michellereadecoaching.com
👉 If you want to come to the next event Early Bird Tickets are available now! Reserve your Seat here!

Because this isn’t about doing more.

It’s about finally doing it your way.