Cue 70s music, canapés from the Women's Weekly cookbook, chunky heels and Mateus rosé. And a Tupperware party.

I'm thrown back to my childhood, watching my mum get ready for these gatherings where we'd sometimes tag along and observe the spectacle. Nobody actually cared about another plastic beetroot holder, but getting together - women only - was fun!

While that was usually for some MLM thing, and even though we might not respect the pyramid business model now, I think there's something in those gatherings that we're missing these days. Perhaps these days we feel conscious of not having Insta-worthy homes, so we don't invite people over so much for social gatherings. More fear of judgement that joy in having the experience.

But what if this self-protection strategy is costing us more than we realise?

They say you become like the five people you spend the most time with. We've all heard this quote, but here's what it really means for creative and compassionate women entrepreneurs: your business posse becomes vital when you're a sole trader working in isolation.

But entrepreneurs are a diverse lot. Unless you're connecting with other women who are sensitive, or creative and naturally curious, maybe introverted, or nerdy, or neurodivergent, or simply obsessed with doing things their way to make a difference about something they're passionate about, you end up with people who just don't get you.

And it's rarely helpful to spend time with people who don't understand how you think.

What we lost when we stopped having facilitators

I'm keen to create a way to bring back those genuine heart-to-hearts about life in business and what's underneath it. Not the small talk - how exhausting! - but the real conversations that creative and compassionate women entrepreneurs actually need.

Here's what I think we really lost: the Tupperware lady model. Remember? Someone else came to your house and ran the whole thing. You provided the space, invited your friends, put out some nibbles. She handled the conversation, the structure, keeping everyone engaged.

We're actually good at hosting, at creating welcoming spaces, at bringing people together. But facilitating meaningful conversation? That's a different skill entirely. And frankly, most of us don't want to be responsible for making sure everyone feels included and the conversation stays on some kind of track that everyone find engaging.

My housemate is highly social, always seeing friends, always hosting something. But as an introvert, I can go months without seeing different friends and it's perfectly fine. Business isolation, though? That's different. That can be a real challenge, especially when you work from home. I need it - but I need a different way of finding it than your typical networking events. They tend to be too random and intense for my sensibilities.

There's something about finding likeminded women in business that brings a buoyant energy nothing else can.

The accidental experiment

In March of 2025, I decided to try something. Instead of booking another café for a business catch-up or a sterile library meeting space, I invited a small group of women to my home.

I called it the first Barefoot Businesswomen's Network gathering, set up around a dining table in the shop at the front of my house, and prepared a simple platter.

I had an agenda. Plans, even.

What happened instead completely changed my understanding of how authentic business relationships are built.

We went deep immediately. Not in that forced, workshop-y way, but naturally, organically. We easily relaxed in each other’s company, knowing we were among women who got it. Got us.

I found myself humming while I washed up afterwards. That's how I knew something extraordinary had happened.

There was no exhaustion, no noise in my head, just a profound sense of rightness.

Why homes create stronger bonds

There's science behind what I experienced that day. When we invite people into our personal space, we're signalling trust and vulnerability. Our guests unconsciously reciprocate, becoming more open and authentic in return.

Think about the business relationships that matter most to you. I'd bet many of them deepened significantly when you moved beyond professional venues into more personal settings. Maybe you had dinner at their place, or they stayed late after an event to help you pack up, giving you both space for real conversation.

Homes create what psychologists call "environmental intimacy." The physical setting signals to our brains that deeper connection is not just acceptable, it's expected.

This is why those old Tupperware parties worked so brilliantly as relationship-building exercises. Yes, the wine helped. But it was the setting that did the heavy lifting.

The business case for kitchen table connections

Here's what I've learned about building genuine business relationships: the strongest professional bonds are built on personal trust. And personal trust develops fastest when we can see each other as whole humans, not just professional personas.

When you host other business women in your home, several things happen simultaneously:

You demonstrate that you're established and trustworthy (you have a beautiful space to share).
You show vulnerability and openness (you're willing to let people see how you live).
You create conditions for others to drop their guard and be authentic.
You position yourself as a connector and community builder.
You generate the kind of goodwill that naturally leads to referrals and recommendations.
But perhaps most importantly, you get to know other women at a level that transforms casual professional acquaintances into genuine business besties. The kind of relationships where you actually want to refer clients to each other.

The Melbourne experiment

That first gathering left me buzzing with possibility. What if this feeling could ripple out beyond my dining room table? What if other women could experience the power of authentic connection in their own homes?

That's when the idea crystallised: Barefoot Businesswomen's Network pop-up events throughout Melbourne suburbs.

Here's how it works. Women who have spaces that can comfortably fit about 8 people and love to create greater connection with their local business women’s networks, become network hosts. I handle all the logistics: the Humanitix event creation, the catering, the promotional templates, the conversation guidance. The host provides the space and invites her network.

Everyone wins. The host gets to deepen relationships with people in her world while introducing them to something transformative. Her guests get to experience the kind of networking that actually works. And I get to facilitate these meaningful connections while sharing my approach to authentic business building.

It's like an ethical Tupperware party for the digital age.

Why hosting might be perfect for you

If you're reading this and feeling a little spark of interest, there might be a reason for that. Maybe you're someone who:

Loves creating beautiful experiences for others.
Has a space that could host 8-10 women comfortably.
Wants to deepen relationships with people in your professional network.
Enjoys being the connector, the one who brings interesting people together.
Would love to be known as someone who creates meaningful business connections.
Wants to build stronger referral relationships in a natural, authentic way.

Hosting one of these gatherings positions you as a leader in your professional community. Not because you're standing up front teaching, but because you're creating space for authentic connection and growth.

The women who attend will remember how they felt in your space, how safe and seen they felt around your table. That's the kind of experience that builds lasting business relationships.

The deeper transformation

But here's what really excites me about this concept: it's not just about individual connections. It's about shifting the culture of how professional women relate to each other.

When we normalise vulnerability and authenticity in business settings, we model a different way of building careers and businesses. One that prioritises long-term relationships over short-term transactions. One that values collaboration over competition. One that recognises that our businesses thrive when we do.

The ripple effect extends far beyond the women in any single gathering. When someone experiences genuine support and authentic connection, they carry that energy into their other relationships and communities (at least this is what I have been told happened for several of the women who come to the Barefoot events.

What we're really creating

I keep thinking about my mum's generation and those monthly Tupperware gatherings. I think they understood something we've forgotten in our rush to professionalise everything: the strongest communities are built around kitchen tables, not conference tables.

Those women didn't just buy plastic containers from each other. They celebrated new babies, supported each other through divorces, shared business opportunities, recommended each other's services. They built a web of mutual support that sustained them through decades of life and career changes.

That's what we're creating again.

The practical details

For women interested in hosting, here's what's involved:

I provide the event structure, catering, promotional templates, and conversation guidance. You provide the space and bring your network. We keep the group intimate (8-10 women maximum) to ensure everyone gets to be truly seen and heard. The conversation focuses on authentic business challenges and opportunities, not networking small talk. There's no pitching or selling, just genuine relationship building.

As a host, you get to attend for free, get a free listing in the Barefoot Community Directory, plus you're positioned as a community leader who creates meaningful connections for others.

The invitation

If this resonates with you, if you've been craving deeper professional connections and you love the idea of hosting transformative experiences in your own space, I'd love to hear from you.

These aren't just business gatherings. They're opportunities to return to that ancient wisdom my mum's generation understood: the strongest relationships are built when we invite people into our real lives, not just our professional ones.

We become like the five people we spend the most time with. What if we were more intentional about creating opportunities to spend time with the kind of women who inspire us to grow?

Your kitchen table might just be the perfect place to start.

Ready to host a Barefoot Businesswomen's Network gathering in your home?

I'm currently selecting hosts for the first round of Melbourne suburban pop-ups. If you love bringing people together and have a space that could welcome 8-10 women for meaningful conversation, I'd love to chat.

Please register your interest HERE. Let's create something beautiful together.

Or maybe you'd prefer to attend first?

Maybe there’s already a host in your local area. Enquire to attend a local event in your area of Melbourne and surrounding metro areas (or beyond) HERE.

The Kitchen Table Revolution: Why Your Home Might Be Your Best Business Asset