Welcome to The Fold.
The community for women who just don’t like networking.
The Fold is a collaborative community for self-employed and freelance women in Leeds.
It's a ready-made support system. A roomful of women in your corner, cheering you on (and picking you up when you fall). Down-to-earth chat about real business and real life and everything in between.
No awkward small talk. No feeling weird about “competitors”. No secret handshakes. And definitely no breakfast meetings.
Welcome to The Fold
Networking that doesn’t feel like networking.
The Fold gives you a different kind of networking. One that values community over competition and support over sales.
Whether it’s building connections, learning a new skill, working together, or having your back in the group chat, The Fold is about meeting other self-employed women and making real friendships.
MEET UPS
COMMUNITY
#NOTNETWORKING
"The only networking group I actually feel comfortable at."
"It’s more than just networking, it’s a community built on encouragement, collaboration, and trust."
"It's such a supportive and welcoming space."
"It's like spending time with a group of friends you didn't know you had."
Inside The Fold
When you join the fold, you get access to:
In-person meetups are the foundation of The Fold (and its predecessor, The Tribe Network), and will always be available PAYG for non-members.
Monthly evening meetups alternate between guest speakers and social events, with daytime in-person co-working every month, too. We host events in venues across North, West, and Central Leeds.
Membership includes one in-person event each month, with priority access and discounts for other events.
Come into The Fold’s members-only community-in-your-pocket. Members access a monthly online co-working and accountability session and the active WhatsApp group.
In the Group Chat, we hold space for asking and answering questions (from “should I raise my rates?” to “can anyone recommend an accountant?” to “what should I wear to this important meeting?”). We celebrate the good days (and commiserate the tough days), and share member-to-member offers and discounts.
Reach beyond The Fold with marketing opportunities included in your membership (at no extra cost). Every member gets a listing in the public-facing online directory.
Members get advertising space in the newsletter sent out to both members and non-members. We also spotlight members on The Fold blog and social media channels throughout the month, and members have the opportunity to take part in Instagram Lives.
The Fold is for real women, running real businesses, alongside their real lives.
For the side-hustlers. The freelancers. The small business owners.
The women supporting women, who are still looking for their business tribe.
The ones who believe working alone doesn’t have to mean being lonely, and are seeking out connection, cheerleading, and bloody good conversation.
Ey up!
I'm Christa (waves)
Photographer and Mum to Eadie by day, community-builder (and still Mum to Eadie) by night.
In early 2024, I launched The Tribe Network to bring together self-employed women, just like me. I wanted to create a support network as much as a business network.
What started as a room full of women cheering each other on, lifting each other up and helping each other succeed, evolved into The Fold: a whole community for self-employed women in Leeds, built on a foundation of in-person support.
Hey!
"I’m truly grateful to be part of such a supportive circle of driven, kind, and empowering women"
"I look forward to the meet-ups every month."
"A space which is so diverse and welcoming."
"There’s only one networking group I’ve really felt at home at since I started working for myself, and it’s The Fold."
Frequently asked questions
Say hello!
