As summer is coming to an end and the autumn is beginning, we thought it a good time to look back at how PortfolioExec has come through the last 18 months or so.

Throughout the pandemic, member support has been of significant benefit. We have been in various lockdowns, working from home, and being able to talk to other like-minded peers has helped provide a context and support. How are your clients managing? What issues are they, and you, facing? What is worrying you? These and many other questions were posed and discussed at our forums. Comparing notes and asking how is it for you and/or your clients was a regular discussion. For many of our members, the knowledge that others had similar challenges and concerns gave them some reassurance, and to see some of our members' businesses grow during the pandemic gave others inspiration and hope.

We all had to move our propositions online, ourselves included, and we created a fortnightly, online discussion forum. Some of our members were unsure how their offering could be delivered online or were not familiar with the technology. We created what are now the 60-Minute Upskill sessions. Initially, these were to allow members to try out their offering online and be able to engage with audiences during lockdown. They were, also, the beginning of the development of our digital face. 

These monthly 60-Minute Upskill sessions are now a regular feature. They are free and open to the general public.  When someone new attends, they are invited to join our Business Lounge at a Free Membership level. On joining, they are given access to our library of recorded 60-Minute Upskill sessions.

In October, the plan is to invite those Free Business Lounge Members to an online forum, to get feedback on the 60-Minute Upskills and to ask if they have any topics on which they would like us to present? How else can we add value? If you would like to become a Free Business Lounge member, please let Anita know on anita@portfolioexec.com.

We also launched a new website, which is a vast improvement on our old one. Take a look: www.portfolioexec.com

We are now looking at face-to-face members' forums again. For the remainder of 2021, the forums will be 3 a month, with a mix of online, face-to-face and the monthly 60-Minute Upskills. We are grateful to our members who have helped take us through the crisis and glad that we are still here, stronger and with an exciting few months ahead.

We are seeing more opportunities coming in and more business activity amongst our members. As the economy continues to recover, more opportunities will present themselves. As you are meeting clients and contacts, listening to their needs and issues, please bear us in mind if you feel we can be of assistance. 

We hope you are all keeping safe and well and have had an enjoyable summer. We wish you all the best for the coming months. 

Ian and Anita