What if the biggest growth opportunity for your business isn’t another sales tactic—but the right relationship?
For Paula Grizzard, founder of She Business, leadership and entrepreneurship have always been about people: understanding businesses, creating meaningful connections, and helping entrepreneurs find opportunities that can genuinely move their businesses forward.
That perspective was shaped by an unconventional career journey. After leaving university and briefly entering corporate retail, Grizzard took what seemed like a random temporary public-sector job. It became the foundation of a remarkable career in business development, government advisory work, public-private partnerships, and women-focused business networks.
“My journey is quite a long journey,” she reflects. “Their journeys are not linear.”
Her own turning point came during an international delegation to Hungary in 2004. Seeing business development from a different perspective sparked a realization: “I love this work. You know, I love meeting the businesses. I could do this for myself.”
Despite friends and family telling her not to leave a secure career, Grizzard trusted the confidence, knowledge, mentors, and relationships she had built.
Leadership, Networking and Business Growth in 2026
Today, entrepreneurs face increasingly complex challenges—from client acquisition and messaging clarity to building scalable business systems and developing accountable teams. Grizzard believes one frequently misunderstood growth system is networking.
Her advice is simple: “Not to sell, but to listen and to make relationships.”
For coaches, consultants, founders, and small businesses, that means moving beyond collecting contacts. Find your tribe, follow up, understand people deeply, and build relationships based on shared values and integrity. Over time, those relationships can become gateways to referrals, partnerships, speaking opportunities, and authority-building.
The same principle applies online. Social media can support networking and branding, but Grizzard stresses that purpose matters more than presence. Her experience during the pandemic showed that online communities can thrive when thoughtfully facilitated.
Women Empowerment, Coaching and Scalable Growth
Through She Business, Grizzard creates focused spaces where female founders can put their “business hat” on and concentrate on what their businesses actually need.
Her next venture, the Business Growth and Connections Club, brings together three growth mechanisms: peer advisory circles, curated introductions, and expert-led interactive webinars.
It is a practical model for modern small business leadership: community + expertise + strategic connections.
For entrepreneurs seeking sustainable growth, the lesson is powerful. Build systems that create access, strengthen your network, clarify your ideal client profile, improve your messaging, and turn relationships into long-term business opportunities.
Execution Tip
Before your next networking event, define one type of person, opportunity, or problem you want to understand—not sell to. Have three meaningful conversations, follow up personally, and look for one way you can help first.
Connect with Paula Grizzard
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulagrizzard/
- Website: https://www.shebusiness.co.uk/
