Barefoot Businesswomen's Mastermind - Northcote Melbourne
Barefoot Businesswomen's Mastermind
Connection, peer wisdom, and the kind of business support that genuinely helps.
No matter how much AI makes its way into so many facets of business, one thing it can't replicate is the conversation you have with someone who's been there. The nuance, the lived experience, the "that happened to me too and here's what I tried." The woman who's built something similar and can shine a light on the path without telling you what to do.
That's what this gathering is for. A small group of compassionate, critically thinking women who care about what they're building and the world they're building it in ... coming together to think out loud, share what's working, and find the kind of community that actually nourishes rather than depletes.
Nobody here will tell you what to do. But someone around the table might say something that shifts everything.
This is facilitated business development. Just without the jargon.
The Barefoot Businesswomen's Mastermind is an intimate gathering (maximum 8 women) for those who believe business can be both successful and values-led. Each session is gently facilitated by me, Victoria Maxwell-Davis, to ensure there's space for everyone and that we move through real territory rather than skimming the surface.
We meet monthly at Studio Croxton in Northcote to:
Share and think through real business challenges with people who actually get it
Gain fresh perspectives from diverse experience around the table
Celebrate wins and breakthroughs — including the ones that don't look like wins on paper
Build genuine relationships that extend naturally beyond the room
Leave with more clarity, and maybe a curiosity to explore before next time
No elevator pitches. No forced referrals. No 7am starts. Just real conversation with women who get it.
“Victoria creates a space that’s somehow both structured and free-flowing at the same time. I came expecting networking and left with three actionable solutions to problems I’d been stuck on for months. This isn’t just conversation - it’s collaborative business development.”
Why women find value here
It's structured but not rigid. Before each gathering you'll receive a short questionnaire about what's alive for you right now. I shape the session around what comes through.
Everyone contributes. Sometimes you're the one with the question. Sometimes you're the one whose experience is exactly what someone else needed to hear.
Continuity builds something real. The more familiar the faces, the more honest and useful the conversations get.
You leave with something. We close with one simple question ... is there something you're curious to explore before next time. Not homework. Just a seed.
No exhaustion afterward. Many women tell me this is the only business gathering that leaves them energised rather than drained.
Why "Barefoot"?
Because when we remove the pressure to perform and present a polished professional image, we can finally relax into genuine connection. We can ask real questions, share actual challenges, and find the support we truly need.
The women who thrive here are those who are done wearing uncomfortable professional shoes that pinch their authentic selves. (Actual bare feet remain completely optional.)
Pricing
What's included:
For $47 per gathering (Directory members $37) you receive:
Two and a half hours of facilitated, purposeful conversation
A pre-event questionnaire so the session is shaped around what's actually relevant
Fresh perspectives on your real business challenges from women who've been there
A colourful, delicious platter catering to gluten and dairy free preferences
A selection of teas and coffee
A box of fidgets, sweary colouring, and Lego for those who concentrate better with busy hands
Time to browse Studio Croxton, a handcraft and upcycled creative space
A peaceful outlook onto a grassy strip of native trees ... feels more country town than inner suburb, despite being 7km from the CBD
Plenty of street parking, or a two minute walk from Croxton Station
Limited Pay What You Can tickets are also available for members having a quieter month.
Reserve Your Seat:
When:
Second Tuesday of each month, 10:00am–12:30pm Studio Croxton, 15 Spencer Street, Northcote
Gatherings pause over Melbourne school holidays and public holidays.
Standard: $47
Directory Members: $37
Pay What You Can: available for quieter months, or to help sponsor someone else
Booking fee applied at checkout via Humanitix. Space is limited to 8 participants.
P.S. If you've tried conventional networking and come away wondering what you're doing wrong, you're probably not doing anything wrong. Some of us just need a different kind of room. This might be it.