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In today’s fast-paced, hyper-connected world, meeting new people has never been easier.
LinkedIn messages arrive in your inbox, networking events seem to appear every week, Zoom calls can introduce you to someone on the other side of the country—or even the world—social media groups create communities based on shared interests, and casual introductions from friends or colleagues happen more often than we realise.
It is almost effortless to expand your network, and the advice we are constantly given is to take advantage of every opportunity. The reasoning is simple: the more people you know, the more doors will open. And there is certainly truth to that, but it is only part of the picture.
The real value of connecting with others does not lie in how many business cards you collect or how many LinkedIn connections you can boast about. It lies in the depth of those relationships, in the human bonds you create when you meet someone without a hidden agenda. There is an overlooked flaw in the way many of us approach networking. Too often, when we meet someone new, there is an unspoken question lingering just beneath the surface: “What can this person do for me?” At first glance, it seems practical. After all, business is about leveraging relationships, is it not? We want our connections to be useful, to help us grow, to open doors to opportunities we might not otherwise access. But when every interaction is filtered through that lens, we risk missing the most valuable part of connecting with another person: the chance to truly see them.
People have a remarkable ability to sense when they are being “worked” rather than genuinely engaged with. Conversations become mechanical, cold, and transactional. They feel one-sided and forgettable, leaving both parties with little sense of fulfilment. The energy that makes people remember you, the spark that forms a meaningful bond, is missing. It is not the job title, the network, or the resources that make someone memorable—it is the humanity they bring to the interaction, and the humanity you reciprocate.
Meeting someone without an agenda means showing up as a human being first, before any professional or personal objectives. It means allowing the conversation to exist for its own sake, not as a stepping stone towards a goal. When you shift your mindset from “What can I get from this person?” to “Who is this person, and what can I learn about them?” everything changes. You begin to ask questions not to extract value but to understand experiences, choices, and perspectives. You listen not to find the perfect opening for your own pitch, but to hear the story unfolding in front of you. You share parts of yourself without expectation or calculation, simply because sharing is part of connecting.
This approach to networking can feel unfamiliar at first because our society often equates efficiency with effectiveness. We are taught to maximise every moment, every conversation, every introduction. There is a pressure to quantify interactions in terms of return on investment—whether it is a potential client, a job lead, or an influential contact. But this way of thinking overlooks the long-term, often unpredictable benefits that come from relationships rooted in genuine curiosity and mutual respect. The most meaningful connections, the ones that stand the test of time, rarely begin with immediate transactional value. They grow slowly, nurtured by shared experiences, laughter, and trust.
The surprising thing is that when you let go of the agenda, opportunities often appear in ways you could never have predicted. People you meet without any expectation of gain may later become collaborators, mentors, friends, or allies in ways that feel completely organic. Because the relationship was not forced or calculated, it is stronger, more resilient, and more authentic. Opportunities arise not because you asked for them, but because trust and mutual respect have been established. People are far more inclined to help, recommend, or partner with those they feel genuinely connected to, and these connections are built precisely in the spaces where agendas are absent.
In a world dominated by efficiency and strategy, it can feel counterintuitive to meet people without an explicit goal. But the truth is that the depth of our human connections cannot be forced. Genuine engagement takes time, patience, and openness. It requires the willingness to enter a conversation without a checklist, without a mental tally of what you might gain. It asks for vulnerability—the willingness to be seen and to see others, without expectation. And when we embrace this approach, we find that the value of these interactions often far surpasses anything that could have been calculated.
Meeting someone without an agenda also transforms how we experience our own lives. We begin to see people not as resources but as complex, fascinating individuals with unique stories and perspectives. We notice the richness in diversity of thought, in lived experience, and in the ways different people navigate the world. Our empathy deepens, our listening skills improve, and we develop a genuine appreciation for human complexity. We start to approach relationships with curiosity instead of calculation, with generosity instead of strategy, and with openness instead of caution.
The next time you find yourself in a conversation with someone new, pause before letting your mind run through the familiar questions of utility and benefit. Try simply showing up as a person meeting another person. Let the conversation unfold naturally, allow curiosity to guide your questions, and give the other person room to share without interruption. Listen with full attention. Respond with honesty. Share your experiences without expecting reciprocation. In doing so, you create the conditions for a connection that is both meaningful and enduring.
Some of the most rewarding relationships in life begin this way—not with a calculated goal, not with an immediate payoff, but with genuine human connection. Over time, these relationships often lead to opportunities, collaborations, and friendships that feel effortless precisely because they were never forced. The paradox is that the more we stop trying to “use” connections, the more valuable those connections become.
Ultimately, meeting people without an agenda is not just a networking strategy—it is a way of engaging with the world that prioritises humanity over utility, curiosity over calculation, and connection over convenience. By approaching interactions in this way, we open ourselves to relationships that are richer, deeper, and more transformative than anything we could have engineered. The next conversation you have could be the start of something remarkable—if you let it happen without trying to control it.
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Why Meeting People Without an Agenda Matters

Tottenham-based e-commerce brand Vanquish Fitness has secured a £1 million trade loan from NatWest, guaranteed by UK Export Finance (UKEF), in a move designed to accelerate its growth and expand its reach in international markets.
Founded in 2014, Vanquish has carved out a niche in the competitive athleisure and gym wear market, supplying high-quality active streetwear to a global customer base. With strong sales in the UK and the US, the brand now aims to scale further, using the new financing to invest in products, strengthen supply chains, and explore opportunities in North America.
The flexible trade loan facility gives the business the ability to draw down funds as required, ensuring timely payments to international suppliers, safeguarding stock levels, and reducing the risks of delays or shortages — challenges that have hampered many e-commerce brands in recent years.
Co-founder and CEO Oliver Maloney said the partnership marked a turning point for the business.
“This funding from NatWest is a game-changer for us. It allows us to manage our cash flow more effectively, ensuring timely payments to our suppliers and preventing any disruptions in our supply chain. With this support, we’re well-positioned to continue our growth trajectory and explore new market opportunities as well as building on our success in the US.”
The deal is part of NatWest’s wider strategy to boost trade finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), offering working capital support to help businesses expand into new markets.
Ayaz Sadiq, Relationship Director at NatWest, said: “By leveraging our trade finance solutions and specialist expertise, we are able to support businesses like Vanquish Fitness who want to take the next step in levelling up their business and achieving growth in new areas.”
Ellie Morrison, Trade Finance Manager at NatWest, added that the loan demonstrated the bank’s ongoing commitment to the SME sector.
“This funding provides the necessary working capital to help the business overcome cash flow challenges and achieve its growth ambitions, something which exemplifies our commitment to supporting SMEs and fostering economic growth.”
The involvement of UK Export Finance underscores the government’s efforts to back British brands with global potential.
Keisha Silvera, Export Finance Manager at UKEF, said: “We’re pleased to support Vanquish Fitness in partnership with NatWest. They’re a business that’s ready to build on their strong domestic foundation and scale up in key export markets like the US.
By providing the guarantee to NatWest’s trade loan, we’re helping Vanquish Fitness maintain reliable supply chains whilst they pursue their growth ambitions in the competitive global athleisure market. This shows exactly what UKEF is here for: to help British businesses overcome financing barriers and compete successfully on the world stage.”
With demand for athleisure continuing to rise globally, the funding positions Vanquish to capitalise on both new product development and international expansion, supporting its ambition to become a leading British brand in the global activewear market.
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Vanquish Fitness secures £1m NatWest funding to fuel global growth

Britain’s entrepreneurial spirit remains strong, with 84 new companies launched every hour in the first half of 2025, according to fresh analysis from SME lender iwoca.
The annual Business Hotspots report, which draws on Companies House data, found that more than 363,000 businesses were registered between January and June 2025. However, this marked a 21% fall compared with the same period in 2024 — the first nationwide decline since iwoca began its index in 2021.
The drop follows reforms to Companies House rules in spring 2024, which increased registration requirements and fees to help tackle fraud and tax evasion. Persistently low SME confidence has also weighed on start-up activity.
Wales was the worst-hit region, with new registrations down 39% year-on-year. Cardiff experienced the sharpest fall of any local authority, halving from 15,679 in H1 2024 to 7,485 this year. By contrast, Somerset bucked the trend with a 167% increase in registrations, rising from 603 to 1,612.
The South West weathered the slowdown best, with just a 9% fall, while most regions saw double-digit declines. Overall, 201 local authorities recorded fewer new firms, with only three registering an increase.
London retained its crown as the UK’s entrepreneurial hub, with 1,307 new businesses created per 100,000 residents — the highest in the country for the fifth year running. That dominance came despite a 25% fall in the raw number of registrations, from 152,439 in H1 2024 to 114,905 this year.
The North West climbed to second place with 570 businesses per 100,000 people, outperforming the national average with only a 10% decline in total registrations. The West Midlands followed with 532 per 100,000, while Wales dropped to fourth place and Scotland slid to the bottom of the table with 328 per 100,000.
At the local level, Camden once again topped iwoca’s list, recording 7,031 new businesses per 100,000 residents. Westminster came second (5,084 per 100,000) and Islington third (4,749). Cardiff was the only non-London authority in the top 10, placing sixth, while Manchester ranked 13th overall with 1,168 per 100,000.
Despite the overall slowdown, iwoca’s CEO and co-founder Christoph Rieche insisted that the figures highlighted Britain’s enduring entrepreneurial resilience.
“Start-ups are the fresh organisms in our economic ecosystem, driving innovation, efficiency and future prosperity,” Rieche said. “While new business registrations fell in 2025 due to stricter Companies House rules, it’s encouraging to see over 363,000 new firms still launched in the first half of the year. This clearly shows that Britain’s entrepreneurial spirit remains incredibly strong. We wish all these founders every success.”
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84 new businesses launched every hour in Britain during H1 2025 despite slowdown

French deeptech specialist Cailabs has raised €57 million in fresh funding to accelerate its industrial expansion and cement its position as a global leader in laser communications.
The financing round, announced in Rennes today, was led by the European Investment Bank (EIB), which contributed €37 million, alongside €20 million from investors including Definvest and Fonds Innovation Defense (the French Armed Forces ministry and Bpifrance), NewSpace Capital, the European Innovation Council Fund, Starquest Capital, and CAIVE (Crédit Agricole Ille-et-Vilaine Expansion).
Jean-François Morizur, co-founder and CEO of Cailabs, said the deal was a “significant milestone” that would allow the company to strengthen supply chains, ramp up production and accelerate its international strategy.
“This funding round reflects our solid fundamentals and the confidence investors have in our strategic vision. It enables us to scale up industrial capabilities and prepare for the next stage of growth.”
Cailabs, founded in 2013, designs and manufactures advanced photonic solutions across sectors including space, telecoms, defence and industry. It has emerged as one of Europe’s most advanced players in optical ground stations (OGS), with more than 10 already under contract.
The new financing will allow the company to produce up to 50 OGS per year by 2027, supported by a new industrial platform capable of assembling and validating up to five stations in parallel.
The firm is also investing in its product portfolio, including turnkey 100+Gbps laser communication solutions, transportable OGS, and expanded orbit options, as well as expanding its footprint overseas. It recently opened a larger US office, announced with the Governor of Virginia, after securing major overseas contracts.
Cailabs’ technology has drawn interest not only for its commercial potential but also for its strategic importance to Europe.
Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President at the EIB, said: “Space technologies are increasingly important for civilian use as well as for security and defence. As the bank of the EU, the EIB supports Cailabs’ investments in manufacturing capabilities and R&D of its laser communication technologies. The project is fully aligned with our TechEU strategic priorities.”
Other backers underlined the sovereignty implications of optical communications. Nicolas Berdou, Director of Investments at Fonds Innovation Defense, described Cailabs’ solutions as “of strategic importance for France’s sovereignty in defence and space”.
Daniel Biedermann, Partner at NewSpace Capital, added that the shift to optical communications was creating “significant growth in the space sector, with an ever-increasing impact for mission-critical applications and daily life”.
Cailabs has become one of the first companies capable of harnessing atmospheric turbulence compensation to enable fast, reliable, and low-latency data links between space and terrestrial networks.
The new funding, executives said, will not only scale this technology globally but also allow the company to reinforce its leadership in deeptech at a time when Europe is stepping up investment in space and defence technologies.
Svetoslava Georgieva, Chair of the EIC Fund Board, said: “Supporting disruptive innovators like Cailabs is essential to strengthening Europe’s competitiveness in deeptech.”
Starquest Capital’s Arnaud Delattre added: “Cailabs has cracked the US market and outperformed local industry leaders. Continuing to support such a unique deeptech company was a no-brainer decision.”
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Cailabs secures €57m to accelerate industrial scale-up and global growth

BGC Group has raised a record $14 million (£11.2m) during its annual BGC Charity Day, the highest total in the event’s 21-year history.
Since its inception in 2005, in memory of 658 BGC colleagues and 61 Eurobrokers employees who died in the 9/11 attacks, the event has generated more than $234 million globally.
Every year, 100% of revenues and broker commissions from a single day’s trading are donated directly to charity.
Star power boosts giving
This year’s London trading floor featured appearances from Ray Winstone, Hugh Grant, Lily James, Billie Piper, Sir Gareth Southgate, Tom Hardy, Davina McCall, Holly Willoughby, Amanda Holden, Michael McIntyre and HRH Princess Beatrice, all closing trades alongside brokers.
Sean Windeatt, Co-CEO and COO of BGC Group, said the atmosphere makes the event unique: “The energy on the trading floor is unlike anything else – it lifts the whole team, brings everyone together and creates a sense of purpose and pride that lasts long after the event.”
Supporting charities in the UK and beyond
More than 60 charities in the UK will benefit, including Help for Heroes, Choose Love, Space for Giants, Grief Encounter, HVH Arts, Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, Haven House Children’s Hospice, Muscular Dystrophy, Laureus Sport for Good and The Pearl Fund, launched by England rugby star Maro Itoje.
Debbi Clark, CEO of HVH Arts, said BGC Charity Day has at times represented a third of the charity’s annual income: “That support enables us to deliver vital projects that give disadvantaged children access to the arts, mentoring and creative opportunities they would not otherwise have.”
For smaller charities, the impact is particularly critical. Andy Watts, Head of Partnerships at Grief Encounter, said: “As a smaller charity that relies entirely on voluntary donations, the funds raised will have a significant impact on our work supporting bereaved children, young people and their families.”
Global reach
The 2025 event took place across London, New York, Paris, Singapore, Hong Kong, São Paulo and Sydney, underlining its global reach.
At a time when new research from the Charities Aid Foundation shows that 75% of UK businesses gave no charitable support in 2024, BGC Charity Day remains a vital source of funding for charities under financial pressure.
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BGC Charity Day 2025 raises record $14m worldwide for good causes

The United States and China have reached a breakthrough agreement on TikTok’s future, paving the way for the video-sharing app to transfer into US-controlled ownership after years of political wrangling.
US trade representative Jamieson Greer confirmed on Monday that negotiators had struck a framework deal with Beijing following high-level talks in Madrid. Treasury secretary Scott Bessent said the commercial terms had been finalised between “two private parties”, but declined to disclose details, adding only that the Chinese delegation had made “aggressive asks” during the negotiations.
China’s top trade envoy, Li Chenggang, later confirmed that consensus had been reached on the basic framework. While calling the talks “hard won”, he cautioned Washington against continuing what he described as the “suppression” of Chinese companies, warning that cooperation could not be one-sided.
The agreement marks a major turning point in a long-running dispute that has threatened to see TikTok banned outright in the US. The app’s parent company, Beijing-based ByteDance, was ordered in 2024 to divest its US arm under legislation signed by then-president Joe Biden. His successor, Donald Trump, has repeatedly extended the deadline but kept up pressure on both sides to strike a deal.
The US has more than 135 million TikTok users, including the White House, which controversially launched its own account in August despite federal devices still being banned from using the app. The security concerns fuelling the row centre on fears that Chinese national security laws could compel ByteDance to hand over American user data or manipulate content. Former FBI director Christopher Wray has previously warned of the risk of mass surveillance or influence operations.
TikTok briefly went dark in January when the original ban deadline expired, with Apple and Google removing the app from their stores. Trump reversed the shutdown within hours of taking office, issuing an executive order to delay enforcement, before granting multiple further extensions.
The ownership saga stretches back to 2020 when Trump first ordered ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban. Microsoft, Walmart and Oracle were among the US companies that explored deals, but no agreement was finalised. Oracle has remained TikTok’s US cloud provider since 2022.
Final details of the new deal are expected to be settled when Trump meets China’s president Xi Jinping on Friday. Trump hinted at progress during the talks, posting on Truth Social: “A deal was also reached on a ‘certain’ company that young people in our Country very much want to save. They will be very happy!”
Greer confirmed the framework was now awaiting approval from both leaders, insisting there would be no further delays: “We’re not going to be in the business of having repetitive extensions. We have a deal.”
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US and China reach TikTok deal after years of security disputes

Nory, the AI-native restaurant management startup, has raised $37 million in Series B funding to accelerate the rollout of its platform, which helps hospitality businesses cut costs, streamline operations, and improve profitability.
The round, led by Swedish investor Kinnevik, brings Nory’s total funding to $63 million. Existing backers including Accel also participated, underscoring investor confidence in the company’s vision and growth trajectory.
The announcement comes at a pivotal moment for the UK’s hospitality sector, which is grappling with rising employment costs, inflation, and labour shortages. Official figures show pubs, bars, and restaurants are closing at a rate of two per day, with industry groups warning that April’s new employment taxes are piling yet more pressure on already strained margins.
Nory was founded by Conor Sheridan, a hospitality industry insider who saw the need for smarter, AI-driven tools tailored to restaurants’ unique operational challenges. Its system spans business intelligence, inventory, workforce management, payroll and finance, delivering an end-to-end back-office solution.
By automating time-consuming tasks like rota planning, procurement, and sales analysis, Nory says restaurants can save over 100 hours of admin per site per month, reduce operating costs by nearly 20%, and increase core net profits by as much as 50%.
The platform’s AI learns from historical operational and sales data to generate real-time insights and recommendations for staff, effectively acting as an AI assistant for frontline hospitality teams.
Sheridan said: “At a time when hospitality is under pressure, we are putting restaurants back in control of their profitability and their destiny. The future of hospitality isn’t robots or gimmicks. It’s AI that makes restaurants smarter, leaner, and more profitable, with automation that frees teams up to focus on what matters: great food and even greater customer experiences.”
Nory already counts major brands among its users, including Black Sheep Coffee, Jamie Oliver Group, and Dave’s Hot Chicken. The Series B investment will allow it to expand its footprint in the US, a key growth market, and hire world-class data scientists to refine its proprietary algorithms and deploy fully autonomous AI assistants.
Jose Gaytan de Ayala, who led the deal for Kinnevik, said Nory was “rewriting the hospitality playbook”.  “As the sector faces rising costs and complexity, Nory stands apart as the only AI-native platform purpose built to help restaurants meet and overcome these headwinds. We were impressed by the strong customer feedback, which highlighted the quality of Nory’s platform and the meaningful ROI it delivers for customers. With our support, Nory will go even deeper on AI and bring the next wave of innovation to restaurant owners in the UK and beyond.”
The funding underscores a growing appetite for AI solutions in hospitality, a sector worth billions to the UK economy but struggling to stay profitable amid higher costs and shifting consumer habits. With margins under strain and administrative burdens growing, Nory’s pitch of smarter automation plus higher profitability is resonating with both investors and operators.
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AI startup Nory raises $37m to help restaurants cut costs and boost profits

London’s transport strikes have driven a surge in demand for flexible offices, with workers increasingly choosing to base themselves closer to home rather than commute into the city centre or remain entirely remote.
Data from International Workplace Group (IWG), the world’s largest provider of flexible workspaces, shows a 43 per cent rise in visits to outer London locations during the four days of Tube strikes between 8–11 September.
Hammersmith, Richmond and St Albans saw demand climb by as much as 55 per cent, underlining how hybrid working habits are reshaping the city’s office market. Instead of defaulting to homeworking, many employees are opting for professional workspaces in suburban hubs, supported by companies that are offering staff access to wider networks of flexible offices. The shift is credited with boosting productivity, retention and wellbeing while reducing commuting costs.
To meet this demand, IWG has been expanding rapidly across London’s suburbs, opening new centres in Uxbridge, Sutton, Twickenham, Harrow, Putney, Wimbledon, Kingston, Richmond and Croydon, with more planned. Chief executive and founder Mark Dixon said almost 500 new global locations were added in the first half of 2025, reflecting a fast-growing appetite for what he calls “local platform working”.
“More and more companies are discovering that the ability to work locally with minimal commuting is incredibly popular with employees,” Dixon said. “It improves work-life balance and satisfaction while delivering significant benefits for businesses.”
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Workers turn to flexible offices as Tube strikes boost outer London demand