Two years ago, The Outsiders started as a simple idea.
I ( Katie) was a freelancer with no pals, spending far too much time chained to my laptop.
I had no idea at the time that so many people felt the same. I started The Outsiders as a way of committing to stepping away from my desk, spending time outdoors, and meeting others without the pressure of “networking”.
Fast forward two years, and The Outsiders has grown into a community that brings many people joy and a sense of belonging.
In 2025, The Outsiders hosted 14 events, including a varied programme of monthly excursions across Edinburgh. Across the year, there were 605 attendees with an average of 37 people (and 3 friendly dogs on leads) attending each walk.
New events were added to the programme, including a “Wild Away Afternoon” for a small group to think big in the great outdoors, and Outdoor Office Day – we joined the global movement to raise awareness about spending more time outdoors during the workday.
Between meet-ups, the community have stayed connected and supported one another through our WhatsApp group. With over 100 members, it’s a friendly space to share ideas, inspire one another and support each others businesses.
On the 3rd November 2025 we launched the first #DoseOfDaylight campaign – a simple idea to get people committing to taking 20-30 minutes of outdoor time each workday (or else they might not see daylight until the weekend). It was inspiring to see people sharing pictures, and motivating one another to get outdoors.
At the end of 2025, we sent out a short survey to people who’ve joined us along the way – to understand what’s working, what impact the group is having, and how we should shape the future.
What came back was thoughtful, generous, and deeply affirming. Here’s a snapshot of what our community told us:
Relationship with the Outdoors
67% described themselves as outdoorsy, with the rest saying they’re somewhat outdoorsy.
This is exciting because it shows that The Outsiders isn’t just for people who already prioritise time outside – its helping people create space for it.
Most people told us that being part of The Outsiders has made them more conscious about spending time outdoors, especially during the working week.
“Any excuse to be outdoors helps!”
“It has reminded me of the value of outdoor time during the working week.”
What really stands out is that this isn’t about forcing habits or being “good” at wellbeing – it’s about removing friction and giving people permission to step away from the screen.
Wellbeing
92% of respondents said The Outsiders has positively impacted their wellbeing (the rest said it was hard to say, none said it had a negative impact).
People spoke about reduced isolation, improved mood, and the value of stepping away from work during the day.
“Reduced weekday isolation with meaningful social connection.”
“Being a one-person business can be really lonely – this makes it feel lighter.”
“The daily dose of daylight definitely got me out of my head and back into my body.”
Business Impact
Whilst The Outsiders wasn’t designed as a networking group, it has a positive bi-product of creating an environment where people can build mutually beneficial business relationships.
Karen Bennett summed it up perfectly as “the most natural way to do business”.
Many people mentioned follow-up conversations, collaborations, or new perspectives that directly influenced how they approach their work.
Connection
People talked about belonging. Not networking. Just showing up as a human.
Several respondents mentioned conversations that continued beyond walks, showing that the connections formed here often last longer than the events themselves.
“Just nice to meet friendly new people.”
“Building a community as a small business owner is incredibly valuable.”
“When I was first introduced the idea of The Outsiders, it immediately resonated – it felt like something I’d been missing.”
Ideas for the Future
People were enthusiastic about exploring new ideas – while being clear that The Outsiders doesn’t need radical change.
Some of the ideas shared, that we will explore, included:
- Wellbeing-focused sessions (gentle movement, reflective practices)
- Optional workshops alongside/after walks
- New outdoor locations, including Lauriston Farm, Mortonhall, The Pentlands and beyond Edinburgh into West Lothian and Fife
- Light group projects or idea-sharing
- Ways to give back or care for nature
The keyword here is optional. People value choice.
Just as important as future ideas were the messages about what must stay the same.
We will keep it relaxed, welcoming and unstructured. Our values of Kindness, Fun, Simplicity, Connection and Gentle Ambition will remain at the core.
What this survey confirmed for me is that The Outsiders doesn’t need to become bigger or busier to be valuable. The focus will always be about being human, and growing gently.
Thank you to everyone who’s walked, talked, shared and shaped this community over the last two years. I’m so excited to see where we go next – together.
Katie
A couple of other quotes I thought captured it beautifully:
“The Outsiders has an incredible positive impact in my wellbeing. It makes me feel better about myself, I feel happier, I feel trully connected to others in a real and meaningful way. I feel seen and respected and viceversa, I really see and properly listen to these people, I care about them. I’m much more likely to help one of them that any other people I know from other networking events.”
“When I was first introduced the idea of The Outsiders to me, it was winter time, and the networking events I had been going to were a bit… Drab? The conversations just felt a bit draining and discouraging. Then I started having fun, meeting new people, in a relaxed environment. It was the first event that actually excited me to go to. And I always came away from them with a smile and inspired to continue working. It gave me a true sense of community, as someone who was new to a city and very much lacking that!”
“Being a one-person business can be really lonely. I’ve found ways to combat this, but the Outsiders is a genuinely unique resource and community that has made me feel so much less alone. I tend to spend a good amount of time outdoors, but I love that I’ve found other people who enjoy the same thing. Plus, because the events are outdoors, I make them a priority. I don’t know about others, but I sometimes dread a typical networking event, especially if I’m having an “introvert” moment. But I never dread an Outsiders event because (1) it’s time outdoors (2) the people are lovely and (3) I know I’ll feel energized and connected afterwards.”
“Building a community as a small business owner can feel really daunting, but being in the Outsiders makes it easy! I truly feel the group is a big part of my own community now and yet I still haven’t met so many people that attend! Knowing I can spend time outdoors, often in a new setting, meeting other business owners with similar challenges and alternative viewpoints, is a great way of doing something positive for my wellbeing.”
“It’s given me an excuse to go outdoors, which makes me feel better mentally. Although I am not very fit, the pace is gentle enough I don’t feel like I am holding people back. Being outdoors is something I need to do more of so having this excuse is great – it makes me feel connected to people and places which also improves my wellbeing.”
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