NO52 Women in Business Evening: Norwich, 20 Nov, £45

A Norwich aesthetics practitioner is filling a hotel function room with women who run businesses, or are thinking about starting one, for a black tie evening on Friday 20 November. The NO52 Women in Business Evening runs from 7pm until midnight at the Oaklands Hotel, with five guest speakers booked so far and tickets at £45, or two for £80.

It is organised by Bonnie Mallett, who runs NO52 Cosmetic Clinic in Norwich. She says hundreds of tickets went within a week of going on sale, and the organisers’ latest poster says the night is nearly at capacity.

Bonnie has worked in beauty and aesthetics for 15 years. In that time, she says, she has built several businesses, owned and grown clinics and trained thousands of students, and she describes herself as a multi-award-winning aesthetic practitioner and educator. The evening grew out of something she says she kept seeing in her own industry.

“Although there are some amazing, supportive people within it, I also feel there can be a lot of negativity, comparison and competition,” she writes. “Sometimes, instead of lifting one another up, women can find themselves being put down by the very people who understand how hard it is to build a business. I genuinely believe it doesn’t have to be this way.”

“They aren’t alone”

Her case for the evening starts with what running a small business is like day to day. “Behind every business is a woman working incredibly hard to create something for herself and her family,” she writes. “Many of us are juggling our businesses, children, relationships and everyday life, often trying to figure everything out as we go. We know how lonely and challenging running a business can feel, particularly when you’re building something from the ground up.”

So the room is meant to be mixed: women just starting out, women thinking about taking the leap, and women who have run established businesses for years. “I want them to realise that they aren’t alone, that there are other women experiencing the same challenges, and that there is so much we can learn from and offer one another,” she writes.

“Imagine what could happen if, instead of competing with one another, we started collaborating, sharing our knowledge, recommending each other’s businesses and genuinely celebrating each other’s success.”

The posters for the night carry the same line in short: “Collaboration, not competition.”

Who is speaking

Five speakers are confirmed, with more to be announced, according to Bonnie:

• Victoria Howard, fitness coach and founder of Fitness Coach Twin Mum, on growing a social media following as a mum and fitness coach, and turning the connection she built with other mums into a business helping women feel more confident and supported after having children.
• Polly Vincent, founder of By Polly UK in Lowestoft and The Polly Vincent Academy, on how discovering permanent makeup started a career in aesthetics of more than ten years, and why premium, high-value treatments can help beauty salons widen what they offer and grow. She also trains permanent makeup artists through her academy.
• Lisa Postle, owner of Waxx Norwich, on why “niching down” can become a business’s superpower: finding a speciality, building a recognisable brand and focusing on what you do best to stand out in a crowded industry.
• Laurie Burrows, an entrepreneur and social media and digital marketing specialist who, Bonnie says, has built a business with seven-figure sales through social media while raising her son and coping with grief. She now helps business owners win clients and sales through marketing designed for small firms, “without the need for huge teams, endless budgets or hours spent creating content every day.”
• Chelsea Dugdale, founder of Dermalase Clinic and Skin Thirteen Academy, on the gap between the certificates practitioners receive and the practical skills they need. Her talk argues that many in beauty and aesthetics are “taught to survive in business rather than given the tools and knowledge to truly thrive.”

The night itself

According to the posters, guests get Prosecco on arrival, food and grazing, a NO52 goodie bag and a fully stocked bar, with a live DJ, Josh, from 9pm to midnight. The dress code is black tie, and the organisers say guests are welcome to come alone or bring a friend.

“For me, this is about so much more than networking,” Bonnie writes. “It’s about creating a community where women feel supported, inspired and encouraged to grow. I want women to leave the evening with new connections, fresh ideas, opportunities they may never have come across otherwise, and the confidence to keep pushing towards their goals.”

She sees 20 November as a starting point. “My hope is that this event is just the beginning. I want to help create a culture where women support women, where success is celebrated rather than resented, and where we recognise that there is room for all of us to grow. Because we’re all working hard to build something, and sometimes the right connection, a bit of encouragement or someone believing in you can make all the difference.”

How to book

• When: Friday 20 November 2026, 7pm to midnight
• Where: Oaklands Hotel, Norwich
• Tickets: £45, or two for £80
• Book: NO52 Women in Business Evening tickets

NO52 Cosmetic Clinic is on Instagram at @no52cosmeticclinic, and Bonnie also posts as @thecontentcoachco.

Sponsored feature for NO52 Women in Business.