So tonight I am, in my newfound status as a confident and dynamic young *cough* MD, attending a pivotal women's business networking event in town.

It is an event of vital importance and significance to contemporary businesswomen everywhere, featuring examples of best practice from high-profile international representatives, and doubtless requiring the highest standards of mature professionalism and poised sophistication from all attendees.

The itinerary reads as follows...

1. Meet-and-greet of all attendees. An opportunity to network and discuss goals for the evening.

2. An exhibition of regional suppliers, who provide a variety of products and services that may be of interest to attendees and their organisations.

3. Refreshments.

4. Congregate in the main hall for the evening's presentation.

Riveting stuff, hey?

Of course, the itinerary could also read as follows...

1. Meet-up of a group of giggling girls and women in a private lounge bar. An opportunity to gossip over free glasses of wine and canapes and declare our heartfelt if unlikely intentions not to get too pissed during the evening.

2. Representatives from a range of girlie-focused organisations hand out goodie bags and offer sample services, such as image consultancy, makeovers and fashion.

3. Free Cosmopolitan cocktails, served up by semi-naked men. That's right, semi-naked men. Aka Butlers in the Buff.

4. Congregate in the cinema hall for a private screening of the new Sex and the City film. With wine on tap.

My, it's tough running your own business...