Platinum Point, the unique business breakfast group – which is based in St Albans and which numbers this blogger among its members – has revealed that, since 2006 when the group began, the group’s members have generated an estimated £1.9m in revenue for fellow members’ businesses.

Tim Parfitt, managing director of the St Albans-based web design and digital agency Netcel, commented: “As a group, we don’t keep records of the amount of revenue we receive when another of Platinum Point’s members refers us to one of their clients. However, at a conservative estimate, group members can identify that their businesses have collectively generated some £1.9m of revenue from intra-group trading and from business referrals from other group members since Platinum Point’s inception.”

Begun by a small number of St Albans based businesspeople who wanted to improve on the business networking opportunities then available, Platinum Point membership is by invitation and currently stands at 16.

“While the group provides extremely useful extended business networking opportunities, much of the value in being member derives from the input of fellow members at the meetings – which are always ‘different’,” said Carl French, of business franchising specialists, Replico, and who is one of the group’s founders.

Fellow Platinum Point member, David Priseman, a business analyst and consultant, added: “This means that members offer insights into the industries they serve, as well as providing valuable tips and techniques which other members can apply in their businesses too. There is no way of measuring, in revenue terms, the amount of business that these tips help our members generate but it must be substantial.”

From time to time, the group welcomes visitors – including St Albans’ MP, Anne Main; the inspirational speaker and life coach, Jim Rees; Ron Overton of the St Albans-based charity, ReachOut Plus, and Territorial Army (TA) officer, Rhys Little, who spoke about his experiences while serving in Afghanistan with the Royal Anglian Regiment as well as outlining the advantages to employers of employing TA soldiers.

Comment: Although the business – and the money from it – that networking brings is both nice and necessary, the real value of being part of Platinum Point is the morale-enhancing friendship and encouragement that members offer one another on a weekly basis, as well as the valuable insights, tips and techniques that they dispense.

Hurrah for networking! Hurrah for – and happy fifth birthday to – Platinum Point!