Why Female Leader Networking Hits Differently (Trust Me on This One!)

I've been chatting recently with a client last week who's just escaped (yes, escaped!) from one of those painfully formal networking events. You know the ones , they’re the ones where you balance tiny food on tinier plates in one hand, drink in another, and try to shake hands or exchange business cards; cards that will gather dust in your desk drawer. 

She groaned, rolling her eyes dramatically, "I met at least 30 people tonight, and I couldn't pick a single one out of a lineup now, let alone call them for actual business advice!"

We both burst out laughing because, honestly, who hasn’t been there?! And it got my brain buzzing about what makes networking between female leaders so wildly different, and frankly, so much more amazing!

The Magic I've Witnessed (No, really,it's like magic!)

In my years traveling around the world as a speaker, facilitator, and mentor meeting  brilliant women leaders, I've spotted something absolutely fascinating. When women get together in the right environment, something extraordinary happens!

It's like watching a superpower activate. Two executives who were total strangers five minutes ago are suddenly deep in conversation about navigating boardroom dynamics. By lunchtime: they're drawing napkin diagrams of each other's business challenges. By home time: they've basically formed a mini mastermind group that will transform both their careers!

This isn't just nice, it's revolutionary!! While traditional networking often feels like speed dating without the dating (awkward!). Female leadership connections can cut through all that nonsense,  getting straight to: "Here's my biggest challenge. Have you faced this? What worked? What didn't?" No pretense, no posturing, just pure, productive connection.

I do get that this has not happened for every woman, sometimes we encounter someone who is not in a great place and struggle to positively lift others up.

The Ripple Effect of Brilliant Women Supporting Brilliant Women

The absolute best part of women supporting women is that the  connections create tsunamis of positive change in everyone’s professional lives!

I'm constantly hearing success stories that make me want to put a skip in my step. Like the marketing director who finally pitched her game-changing strategy after her female mastermind circle helped her silence her inner critic. Or the senior leader who negotiated an investment deal that was 40% better than her initial target because her female advisor network helped her recognise her true value.

Another one of my clients landed her dream C-suite role after completely reimagining her interview approach with input from three female leaders she met at a workshop. "Alongside your support, the women  helped me see strengths I'd been downplaying for years," she told  me, practically glowing with excitement. "I walked into that interview room like I already owned the place, because they helped me see that I absolutely deserved to!"

We Need Space to Create This Magic!

Here's the frustrating bit, these transformative connections almost never happen in our day-to-day professional lives. Let's be honest: when was the last time you had a career-changing conversation while simultaneously checking emails, managing your team via Slack, Teams, Google Chat, and trying to eat lunch at your desk? (If you say "yesterday," I'm calling shenanigans! )

The real, juicy, life-changing connections happen when we step away from the hamster wheel. When we give ourselves permission to turn off notifications. When we're in environments that are literally designed for breakthrough thinking and authentic connection.

I've seen it happen countless times,women arrive as polished professionals with careful boundaries, and within hours, those walls come tumbling down. Suddenly everyone's sharing their, "I thought I was the only one who felt that way!" moments and forming connections that will last for years.

As one participant brilliantly put it at my last event: "I've learned more in one dinner conversation here than in my entire MBA program!" (I suspect it was a slight exaggeration, but that is what was said)

This Is Why Rise & Renew Will Blow Your Mind!

All these lightbulb moments led Amanda and me to create something that we are excited about. Rise & Renew isn't just another sit-and-listen professional retreat, it's the connection experience you've been dreaming of but couldn't quite articulate!

From 18-21 November 2025, we're bringing together a phenomenal group of female leaders in the absolutely stunning and peaceful Ubud, Bali. (Yes, Bali! I know, I'm pinching myself too!) Every single element, from sunrise mindfulness sessions that clear your mental clutter to deep-dive leadership workshops where the real magic happens; this retreat is designed to spark connections that will transform not just how you lead, but how you experience leadership.

The transformation I've witnessed at these events still gives me goosebumps. One CFO arrived at one of my retreats last year, completely burnt out and questioning her career path. Four days later? She left with clarity, confidence, and three new confidantes who now text each other almost daily with support and strategy. "These women understand me in ways my own executive team doesn't," she told me recently. "They've completely changed my professional trajectory!"

Come Join Our Brilliant Circle!

We're keeping Rise & Renew deliberately intimate, because transformative connection doesn't happen in massive conference halls with hundreds of delegates. Think small group, personalised attention, and enough space to actually think and connect.

If you're feeling that little flutter of excitement at the thought of building relationships that go far beyond business card exchanges, I'm practically jumping up and down waiting to welcome you to Ubud! Head over to riseandrenew.com.au for all the juicy details and to grab your spot before 30 June (that's when our early bird rate flies away!).

I'm absolutely buzzing at the thought of watching you connect with your future mentors, collaborators, and cheerleaders in paradise. This isn't just professional development, it's professional transformation!

With enormous enthusiasm (and maybe a little too much coffee!),

P.S. Have questions? My inbox is always open! Drop me a line and let's chat about whether Rise & Renew is your next brilliant move. (Spoiler alert: it totally is!)