Networking That Actually Works; Inside Revitalised Business Club

We sit down with Lee Foster, founder of Revitalised Business Club, to map how a coffee meetup grew into a hybrid network built on structure, trust and practical sales mentoring. From table talks to peer cohorts and a Stirling co‑working perk, this is networking that delivers.

• Lee’s corporate sales roots and move to Scotland
• Why Revitalised Connected People was created and named
• Coffee chat to 129 attendees in months
• Format: table talks, 30‑second intros, member spotlights
• Branches in Stirling, Glasgow, East Kilbride and Ayrshire
• Hybrid model with global online events and mentors
• Seven Step Sales Moment and take‑home worksheets
• Relationship‑led referrals and cross‑industry best practice
• Peer membership cohort with 12‑month roadmap
• Annual summit, exhibitor expo and community events
• Stirling perk: free co‑working after branch meetings
• Goals: grow branches, expand online reach, speak on sales

Do come along to one of the events. They're really, really good value.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:15

Welcome back to the Sterling Business Podcast from Studio King Street here in the pub of Stirling. And today I've got a guest coming along to talk about his business club, we fight like business club, a founder of RBC, Lee Foster. Nice to see you, Lee.

SPEAKER_01 0:33

Thanks, man. Appreciate the invite to come along and join you today. So what this must be about what three times this month you've been in here? Oh, just a few, I think. Just a few. One was just with you, I think, and now we've got other people in here with us as well. So it's been a busy old time.

SPEAKER_00 0:46

Brilliant. Well, thanks for coming along. It'd be great to hear a little bit about uh Revitalize today and uh the whole setup that you've got and what the focus is. So just kick kick things off. Um so who's Lee Foster?

SPEAKER_01 1:01

That's a really good question, by the way, Neil. Um I've come from a corporate background. You know, we know ourselves, that's where we got on like a house on fire. Um for me personally, I came from a sales and business development background for many, many years, probably over 30 years, really. Uh, from a car sales background, from a retail sector, from a hospitality, and the latter part of my career was with the um the sort of travel and holiday segment as such. Um, originally from Newcastle, you can probably tell by the accent, so we can get on quite well anyway. We can understand what each other talks about half the time anyway.

SPEAKER_00 1:35

Not the Ant and Deck show today, then no.

SPEAKER_01 1:37

I've got the hair cut for Ant and Deck. I don't know about you, you would be Dek, I suppose. And I'll be Ant. The youngest one, eh? The youngest one, that's fair enough. Is he really the youngest one out of the two of them? I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

I thought they were the same age, to be fair.

SPEAKER_01 1:50

Um so yeah, um moved up to Scotland and launched my own business back in 2017, stroke 18, really, when it all sort of started for me, and that's where I really came from. I've just been been involved in meeting people, helping them, supporting them, guiding them, and I've now got into that sort of area of giving them guidance and support to get better at sales and business development, business growth. So, what was the name of your company then? Well, it's Revitalised Connected People Limited. Um, where the name came from was my probably my second event that I ran in Ayrshire. Um, I looked around the room and somebody said to me on the way out, they went, God, I feel just rejuvenated. I went, great name. So Revitalised the month. And at the end of the day, I was connecting people. So Revitalised Connected People Limited was born. Um, and the meetings went from there. That's where the the name of the code.

SPEAKER_00 2:42

So, how did the start? Did it start off as a networking event, networking meeting, and has it evolved into other things since you started?

SPEAKER_01 2:48

Or yeah, I mean it started off with me, it went in 2017 in June. Um, I decided to run a coffee and conversation type meeting, and I walked into the Fennec Hotel in Ayrshire and I asked one of the events managers in there, would you mind if I bought say 20 to 30 people in here? Tea, coffee, bit of conversation, once a month, maybe just try the first one in June. Would that be okay? Yeah, 100%, brilliant. So 21 people turned up on the day. I had one corporate sponsor, I had one guest speaker, all about LinkedIn, um, and it went down really well. They enjoyed it. On the way out, they were saying, When's the next one? That's where it's going to be August of 2017. Free, you know, come along. Um, then in August 2017, 69 people were at the event, so took a bigger space, so tripled in size. Uh, I was blown away, and then I could start introducing my own format and structure and things that I've done myself. But I had experiences of networking around Scotland in my early sort of coming out of a corporate industry. Um, I started networking around Glasgow, and I enjoyed bringing people together. And I thought, you know what, I can do this myself and give it a go. But then in October of 2017, uh, there were 129 people in the ballroom at the back of this hotel. It sort of it literally exploded and people saw a different format and where it came. And then I started doing one-on-one mentorship, uh helping people to network more effectively, guiding through the right questions to ask, or they're setting up the right planning and management or strategy they want to achieve from it. Many people don't. So I started doing it on a one-on-one, and then in 2018, with these one-on-one mentorship uh meetings I was having, I created a membership off the back of it, which included an event for them, and they had time with me, and that turned into a group, and then it just grew from there.

Birth Of Revitalised Connected People

SPEAKER_00 4:39

Oh, brilliant! So you you you've turned us into um a number of different uh I think what what do you call them? Um how did that evolve then from when you started in Glasgow?

SPEAKER_01 4:52

Well, we had that lovely break, the the sort of break in the the timeline that we've got now, that sort of two years of you know working from home, it's etc. as well. Prior to that, in 2018-2019, I had two events, one in Hamilton Park Race Course and one in Ayrshire, or Glasgow in Ayrshire. Um, but then when that kicked in and we were like to go online, um, it was just online for me. So when we came out of that two years later, decided to do a roadshow, and that created sort of like the in-person meetings as such. Um, opened up one, then went to two, then went to three, and I bought the formula and the structure from previously within the in-person branches.

SPEAKER_00 5:35

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 5:36

Um now I have four branches across Scotland, and I've got one in Stirling, which is here, at Working Flexi Spaces. Um, got one in Glasgow at the Alaya Casino. I've got one in East Kilbride at EK Collective, and I have one in Ayrshire, presently now at the South Beach Hotel in Turin. And that is now my in-person branch level. So people can come along and network in person, and I still also have the in the sort of online format as well. So I have the hybrid version of a networking group or organization if you want to call it.

SPEAKER_00 6:07

Okay. And how does how does the the format typically flow for one of these RBC events?

Events Explode And Mentorship Begins

SPEAKER_01 6:14

Very sort of meet and greet the beginning, and then we delve into table talks, and we have sort of certain rounds in each one of the table talks called business meet and exchange. So the table talks are run with a different element in each one of them, and I still have flashy business, which I introduced in the early days. Back then it was 10 seconds of fame, and now every attendee and member gets 30 seconds to stand up and say hello to them to the room and introduce themselves. We have a guest speaker, which is usually a member that comes along and they do a 10-minute member spotlight, and it's a real chance to find out more about who they are and what they do and what they're looking for, you know, what could really help them, that part of it. And then we have the informal network in the beginning, a couple of breaks in between, um, and you get to hear from branch sponsors, you know, interested in their business and what they do, and maybe a uh an element of knowledge and information from them as well each month. Um so it's become a well-rounded, focused, unique type of formula. It's still got the echoes of what everybody does in networking out there now, respectively. I mean that you know, the introductions and everything else, but there's a different little twist to it as well.

SPEAKER_00 7:22

Yeah, no, I've been in I've I've sat through a few of them, and there's definitely um some structure which you don't typically get in a lot of other networking events. It's like you throw people together and just you know get them to start talking. That's not the the case with the other events. There's there's a bit of a theme and a bit of a structure behind uh you know behind the behind the session. So so that's um is so that that's the same model that you replicating all of your branches?

SPEAKER_01 7:46

All the branches, you know what you're coming to, it says it on the tin. Difference is this year I decided to step in and and host and and run my branches, and I've brought in a new segment called the seven uh the seven step sales moment with me. So every month every one of my branches, I'll do a 10-minute mentorship based on one of my seven steps to effective selling, which is brand new for this year. Um, and it it people can take stuff away with them, they can implement into their business or their role, so it's just an extra bit of value brought to the table.

SPEAKER_00 8:15

So, do you create um collateral um and you know crib sheets and cheat sheets and things like that?

SPEAKER_01 8:22

Yeah, I have now delivered that back in January 2020 this year. Um, and I've got a new handout to give out in February to all the attendees who come along, guests and members. You know, we've got a good strong membership base now in the RBC. Uh so they get that. But I think it's important that you know, when you look at networking, it should be based around the relationship, it's based around developing, nurturing those conversations, and that's the whole thing I really encourage within the RBC is people only want to share business with you if they get to know you really well. So giving them these tools, these crib sheets, these worksheets, these things they can take away with them, they can work on it and they can bring it back to the table at the next meetings or anything else they go to, really. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:03

And how do the um the members collaborate? Do they do they typically do business with you with each other as a result of the meetings?

SPEAKER_01 9:10

Yeah, yeah, 100%. And I had some great success stories over the last few months, and even last year, and the years before that, you know, hearing about them collaborate with one another. One of the members said to me very early on is that one of the big benefits of the RBC is that you do get business, you get business with the conversations you're having. If you educate the people the right way, they'll know who you want to be speaking to. That's natural. But what you find is there's a lot of big support business community around it. So if you're just starting off in business from a solopreneur to a well-established business from two to three years, or a managing director who's been running the business for many years, they're getting a lot of support, advice, listening ears, how they can help you, best practices. You know, I have multiple industries in the RBC as well, so it means that they can share best practices with each other and they go, never thought of it that way before. Can I give that a try as well? 100%.

SPEAKER_00 10:01

That's great. So if we kind of bring it a little bit closer to home, obviously sat in in Stirling here, uh right in the heart of the Fourth Valley. So um, you know, what sort of things would would you say to business owners in the Fourth Valley area to try and entice them to come along uh to the Stirling branch uh on on one to see what uh you get what you guys have got to offer? Yeah, thank you.

Hybrid Branches Across Scotland

SPEAKER_01 10:22

If if they're looking for a regular community to be part of, to drop into or to be a part of the branch, I would recommend to come along to it if they're looking to increase their business, they want to be more visible, they want to be more engaged with the local business community, but also have an an extra wide net of other people to speak to at the same time. It's you know, we're looking to develop the sort of sterling branch of the RBC, but it's not just you know, we're bringing people in from outside of Sterling as well, which benefits them even more because it opens up their opportunities even further. So if they're looking to leverage their business and they want to take it to the next level, come along. But also if they want to learn for themselves, they want to take something on board and really have the opportunities to implement into their business, no matter what level they are, start up, well established, or been going for many, many years, or even if they're part of a sales team, you know, come along and experience it. Um and that that's the whole premise behind it, really. Visible communicating to each other.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

Excellent. So you've got the the RBC in branch events, uh, you've got the um the online content. So a couple of examples of what you deliver on online in terms of the yeah, what maybe two sessions a month is something?

SPEAKER_01 11:41

Yeah, we do two online monthly events, um very interactive online experience from start to finish. The first one is usually in the afternoon, four o'clock to five thirty. In that one, we get to hear from a member, so they're doing member spotlight. It's designed because I've got members not just in Scotland, we have them in England, got them in Ireland, Wales, the Netherlands, Spain, and also one in Canada. Okay. So then all of the sort of further afield uh business owners can join us online. Um, and then it's very interactive having one-to-one conversations, um, and plus you get to hear from a speaker. So you hear from the members at the beginning of the month, but then the last Wednesday of the month, you get a chance to hear from uh a certain guest mentor, a guest speaker to come in who's not involved in the RBC, who can share wealth of their experience from various different types of industries, etc., as well. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:32

And then on top of that, you've also got some other um focus areas that you're now developing as as content and and structure for um kind of board-level conversations and so what are you doing? Uh is it the peer membership you call it?

Inside The RBC Event Format

SPEAKER_01 12:48

The peer membership. So that was launched last year as a cohort group to see how it works and get the format just right. But I developed its own sort of workbook, 12-month roadmap workbook. Um, it's designed, as it says on the tin, peer membership. So it's people in the room who are two to three years in their business, but they've hit a bit of a plateau and they're looking for where to go to next, how to increase and grow their business. So working together, and then every month we have a certain topic or subject we'll talk about, discuss it around the room, and then they'll have sort of main conversations between each other as well. But they're keeping in touch with each other between each meeting, most importantly. Um plus I'm bringing in guest mentors that are selected by me that are delivering certain areas of conversation to open up the boardroom style conversation around here at the boardroom at uh working flexors space as well.

SPEAKER_00 13:41

So this is a single event that you host on a monthly basis here in Stirling. Yeah. So very accessible for Scotland given given this location and the kind of central uh you know, central belt. So fantastic. So in addition to that as well, um you've got some other kind of one-time events throughout the year as well.

SPEAKER_01 13:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:59

Talk a little bit about that.

SPEAKER_01 14:00

So, with regards to like Sapia, that's once a month, but that's that's that's boardroom level type thing, and there's only nine seats available for that type of thing. The one-offs that we run through the year is either some golf, I do enjoy my golf now and again. Um, not all the time. I'll be looking to relaunch that again this year. And I do enjoy, you know, you find out a lot about people on the golf course, a lot about them, over like a four hours. Um, but I learned that from my father as well. But the one-off for the year is like the summits that I run is the annual conference for the Revitalised Business Club. Right. Um, I mean, this year we run it again. Last year we had a great success with it all as well, you know, over 80 attendees. We have people flying into the Netherlands, came from Canada as well, came from all over, 19 exhibitors as well on the day. It was brilliant. So that's my like my my big celebratory expo conference and networking mega event all rolled into one every year. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:51

Great. So what are the objectives for the next 12 months then? Where do you want to take this? It sounds like you do you're doing fantastically well in terms of diversifying into kind of different areas, different locations. You've consolidated a little bit, I believe, but what's in in the plan for the next 12 months?

SPEAKER_01 15:09

Um I would love, well, would like to develop the branches even further, grow the community even more at branch level. So every branch has got a certain community that meets up every single month, and we bring guests and visitors into that. Uh grow the RBC from an online perspective for wider reach, which gives us more segments and people to speak to online and in person. Um from the back of that, though, to get more of that traction, I'm looking to do more talks on stage. I'm looking to be more of a speaker presenter. Um, I've been asked to be a compare at an event fairly shortly. So we'll wait and see if that comes through. But speaking about sort of sales, business development, networking, sales is something I'm really focused on this year. And that's the whole reason why I've introduced the seven steps sales moment with me, because I've got that background of experience really.

SPEAKER_00 15:53

So that guest speaking kind of gig, is that more around you know, almost akin to like a TED talk? Is that the sort of thing?

The Seven Step Sales Moment

SPEAKER_01 16:01

TED Talks, you know, if the sales teams out there that want a conference speaker to come along to and really uh infuse, accelerate, and excite the audience to really take them to the next level and to encourage them to really implement great ideas and stories that you want to share with people as well and really bring the audience together. That's something I'm looking for. 100%. Sales teams or individuals, but sales conferences will be ready to go down that line.

SPEAKER_00 16:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:28

Oh, great. Excellent. Well, look, Lee, thanks for coming along. Uh very insightful. So um, where can people reach you and uh you know get in touch to if they want to come along to one of your events?

SPEAKER_01 16:39

Yeah, 100%. It's it's very easy. Go to my web page, which is revitalized networking.online, and that's where they'll find all information that they'll find on there. It's all tabbed out, everything's available on there. Or if they want to, reach out to me on LinkedIn. I'm always available on LinkedIn, just Lee Foster. Um, and the other area you can find me on is my YouTube channel, is the Lee Foster official. So if you click on that, there's loads of videos I do on that once a week. Business Sparks, and I do seven steps little videos that get shared on my socials. Um, and the other place I've just launched, another area to find me is on Instagram, uh Lee Foster Sales is my dedicated sales Instagram page, okay, which has my seven steps on there every single week.

SPEAKER_00 17:18

Great. And what I would just also say as well, um, you know, having you based on one of your branches here in in our building here in Sterling, that's been you know, that's been great for our business as well. So anybody that does come along, um, a bit of an offer for uh you know for for your members or you know, potential members, yeah, if they want to come along and they want uh it's a two-hour session typically uh once a month, um, they're more than welcome to come and use our co-working space for the rest of the day. Um, you know, with at no additional cost uh you know to uh to the members. So um, you know, so uh that's that's just a a bit of a give back from me uh to you and hopefully uh you know the the membership will go from strength to strength.

SPEAKER_01 18:00

It's been good because I've got guests coming through this week really who are using the space. They're actually coming through for the day and they're gonna use a one of the hot desks straight after the meeting. Yeah. So it's the best of both worlds, really, they can jump in and get that. So that's great to see that actually happen with a few, and actually a few of the members want to stay a bit later and have a coffee and meet up with one-on-ones. Uh but that's a great often thanks, Neil, for often.

SPEAKER_00 18:22

It makes the day more uh fully productive for them as well, right? So they they can go and actually work, you know, and get stuff done instead of commuting and you know, kind of travelling between uh you know across the day. So no, absolutely welcome. So thanks again for coming along, Lee. No, you're welcome. Thanks for asking this question. Yeah, don't be a stranger, come back and talk to us again soon. And we'll uh we'll see you soon.

SPEAKER_01 18:41

We welcome indeed. Thanks again, Neil. Thanks again, everybody. Appreciate it. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 18:45

That brings us to the end of another Sterling Business Podcast. Uh guest this week was Lee Foster from Revitalize. Uh so thank you, Lee, for uh for all your words of wisdom. Um, do come along to one of the events. Uh, they're really, really good uh good value. And uh until next time, uh, we'll see you again soon.