A TINY MASTERMIND OVER WINE

Bring one problem. Leave with a next step.

Cork & Compass is a monthly table for women building businesses in Thessaloniki. Eight women bring real, lived experience to help you solve a problem, hit a goal, or get an idea off the ground. Then you do the same for them.

Second Sunday of every month, 6pm. Only 8 seats, so it stays small. First night is free.

Who this is for

This is for you if you're building a business in Thessaloniki, or you're trying to start one. Maybe you moved here and left your whole work circle behind. Maybe you grew up here and you're tired of figuring it out alone. Either way, nobody around you really gets what you're building, and you'd like a few people who do.

It's in English, and you do NOT need to be an expat.

It's probably not for you if you want a networking event with business cards and pitches. Nobody gets up and teaches here. Everyone shares what they've been through, and everyone helps.

How the night works

Five days before. You get a short summary of who's at the table and what they're working on. Read it, and we skip the "so, what do you do?" part.

6:00, settle in. Grab a drink, say hi, sit down. About 20 minutes.

The hot seat. Everyone gets 15 minutes. You tell us what you're building and the one thing you need help with. Then the whole table jumps in with what they've tried and what they've learned.

You decide. Use what fits. Ignore the rest. It's your business and your call.

Your next step. Before we leave, everyone says what they're taking with them. Not sure yet? We'll help you figure it out.

After. Head home, or stay and keep talking.

Plan on about 2.5 hours, roughly 6 to 8:30.

What you leave with

Women who get it. A real connection with other women building businesses, in the same city as you.

What other people have already learned. You might bring a problem and find out someone else at the table has the same one. You get to use what you hear on your own.

Feedback on your actual situation. Not general advice from a stranger online. You leave with something you can actually do.

Ground rules

No pitching. Not you, and not me. If you meet someone you'd love to work with, that's for the two of you to figure out after.

Share what you've tried. "Here's what I did when that happened to me" helps more than "you should."

You use your own judgment. Take what's useful. Leave the rest.

It's not a membership. Come when you want, as long as there's a seat.

The details

When: Second Sunday of every month, 6pm. First one: Sunday, November 8

Where: [Venue name and address, announced by October 30]

Seats: 8 total, including me

Cost: First night is free. After that, €25 a night, with a glass of wine and shared snacks included. Extra drinks and food are on you.

Your seat: Not refundable if you can't make it, but you can pass it to a friend. If I cancel the night, you get a full refund.

Language: English

Register by: November 1. If fewer than 3 women sign up, I'll cancel that night, refund anyone who paid, and we'll try again in December.

Who's hosting

I'm Jessie. I moved to Thessaloniki from the U.S., and for the past couple of years I've hosted girls' nights for women here. Over drinks, I kept hearing the same thing: "I wish I had people in my circle who understood what I'm building." Honestly, same.

So I'm starting this. I'll run the night, keep the time, and take a hot seat of my own, just like everyone else.

Full disclosure: I'm building my own thing on the side, helping women founders lead and delegate. I won't pitch it here. Promise.

Questions

Do I need to be an expat? No. The night is in English, and any woman building a business in Thessaloniki is welcome.

Is my business far enough along? "Building" includes "trying to start." An idea and a real problem are enough to get a hot seat.

I'm shy. Is that okay? You get 15 minutes to talk about your business, the one topic you know best. The rest is a conversation, and you jump in when you have something to add.

Who sees what I write on the sign-up form? Only the women registered for that night. They get a short summary five days before, so everyone arrives knowing who's at the table.

What if I can't come after I've paid? The seat isn't refundable, but you can pass it to a friend. Just let me know who's coming in your place. The only time you get your money back is if I cancel the night.

What if not enough women sign up? We need at least 3. Registration closes November 1. If we don't get there, I cancel the night and refund every payment in full. Then we'll try again in December and I'll let you know.

Eight seats. One table. One next step.

Second Sunday of every month, 6pm, in person in Thessaloniki. Registration closes November 1. The first night is free.