Ascot opens its door to a different kind of business community

Royal Ascot Golf Club welcomed 15 personally invited guests for the launch showcase of our newest Opendoorz group and from the moment people arrived, the room had a wonderful energy.

There was plenty of conversation, a few familiar faces from across the Opendoorz network and a group of Berkshire business owners curious to experience what makes our approach to networking different.

A showcase is not about delivering a polished sales pitch or asking guests to make an immediate decision. It is an opportunity to step into the room, meet the people and experience the culture for yourself. Because Opendoorz makes far more sense when you feel it.

Fifteen years of relationships, not transactions

Our founder, Cathy Dunbabin, opened the afternoon by sharing the story behind Opendoorz and the principles that have guided it for the past 15 years.

Opendoorz was created in response to a style of networking that often felt too focused on transactions: how many referrals were exchanged, how quickly business was generated and what each person could take from the room.

Cathy wanted to create something different. A community where established business owners and directors could get to know one another properly. Where people felt able to share their experiences, offer support and have honest conversations about the realities of running a business.

That original belief remains at the heart of Opendoorz today: relationships come first, trust is earned through behaviour and business follows naturally when people genuinely understand and believe in one another.

Growing without losing what matters

Caroline O’Connor, our Communications Director, continued the story by talking about the growth of the wider Opendoorz network and what the move into Berkshire represents.

Growth for us has never been about placing pins on a map or filling rooms for the sake of numbers. It is about creating the right environment in the right place and bringing together people who want more from their business community.

Running a business can be lonely, even when your diary is full and you are surrounded by clients, suppliers and employees. There are decisions that ultimately sit with you, challenges you cannot always discuss with your team and moments when an experienced outside perspective can make all the difference. That is where a trusted peer community matters.

The new Royal Ascot group will develop its own identity and relationships, while benefiting from the shared experience and generosity of members across the wider Opendoorz network. It may be a new group, but it will not be building alone.

Our members brought the experience to life

The showcase was supported by fellow Opendoorz members Emma Lawrence, Kim Sprague, Joe D’Souza, Marnie Wills and Simone Calleja, who generously gave their time and experience to help our guests understand what membership looks and feels like in practice.

Their contributions made for a slick, engaging event but, more importantly, a real one.

Guests heard personal perspectives, useful business insight and honest reflections from people who already understand the value of being part of a trusted community. It demonstrated that Opendoorz is not simply about attending two meetings each month. It is about how members show up, what they contribute and the relationships they build both inside and outside the room.

It was also a brilliant example of the wider network in action. Members from other groups were there to support something new, welcome our guests and help Royal Ascot find its feet.

No obligation. No expectation. Just generosity of spirit.

Meet Georgi Rollings, our Royal Ascot Associate Director

At the heart of the new group is Georgi Rollings, our new Associate Director for Royal Ascot.

Georgi’s role extends far beyond hosting meetings. She will bring the right mix of people together, nurture the culture of the group and encourage members to contribute, remain accountable and build meaningful relationships.

She will also help ensure that the Opendoorz values are visible in the way the group behaves not simply words that appear on a page.

During the showcase, Georgi spoke about the opportunity to create something genuinely valuable for the Berkshire business community: a space where owners and directors can talk openly, learn from one another and feel part of something bigger than their own businesses.

She will be supported by Cathy, Caroline and Kate, our Operations Director, as well as our wider team of Associate Directors and members across the network.

The founding members are ready

The most exciting outcome from the showcase is that our founding members are now in place.

They will play an important part in establishing the personality and standards of the Royal Ascot group. These are the people who will set the tone, welcome future guests and begin developing the trusted relationships on which the group will be built.

Royal Ascot will officially launch at Royal Ascot Golf Club on Tuesday 6 October 2026.

The first meeting will include our onboarding training (frankly named Cut the Crap). Despite the deliberately direct name, it has a serious purpose: to establish a shared understanding of what membership requires from everyone in the room.

It explores the behaviours, responsibilities and expectations that support a healthy group culture from the outset. It creates clarity around how members contribute, how trust is developed and why the value of Opendoorz depends on participation rather than simply attendance.

It is an honest and energising way to begin and it gives our founding members the strongest possible foundation on which to build.

Your first opportunity to experience Royal Ascot

For Berkshire business owners who have yet to experience Opendoorz, the first opportunity to meet Georgi and the Royal Ascot founding members will be at our guest meeting on Tuesday 20th October at Royal Ascot Golf Club.

It will be a chance to join the conversation, meet the people shaping the new group and decide whether this kind of business community feels right for you.

There will be no hard sell and no expectation just good people, honest conversation and an open door.

If you would like to join us as a guest, please get in touch with Georgi or the Opendoorz team.