The Innher Circle Founding Event
On Thursday 10 September, we opened the doors to the very first Innher Circle event in Auckland.
What started with a LinkedIn DM turned into a coffee, then a cheeky glass of wine and a friendship between two early-stage founders, but now that very friendship has officially become something bigger.
Innher Circle was created around a simple idea: we wanted to create a space where women could connect beyond introductions, job titles and business cards.
And our founding event was the first chance to bring that idea to life.
We saved you a seat
From the moment guests arrived, the room was filled with conversations.
Not the usual “So, what do you do?” and move on to the next person kind of conversations, but the ones that make you stay.
Not necessarily for the business chat, but for the feeling of finding a little bit of yourself in the other women in the room. Women full of drive, determination and inspiration.
The ones where you find yourself thinking, “She gets it.”
With drinks, canapés and plenty of time to mingle, the evening began with introductions before moving into a more open conversation highlighting a few of the exceptional women in the room.
We then moved into a hot seat discussion with Olivia, founder of Done By, where we heard her story. It was a refreshing reminder of what it really takes to build something impactful not only to you as the founder but to your clients, team, family and village. Olicier spoke about the person you become when faced with hard times, the resilience that comes with running a business and what it looks like to be a woman balancing the demands of life while running an empire.
Because behind every successful business is a person.
Then came the wine.
We handed the room over to Samantha from Marlborough Wines for a wine tasting experience.
On the surface, you might wonder what wine tasting has to do with networking.
Well… directly, not much.
Indirectly? Everything.
We learnt how to identify and taste wine, but more importantly, we had something to experience together.
We talked about what we could taste, compared notes and discovered how differently the same wine could come across from one palate to the next.
It gave everyone something to talk about beyond the usual networking script.
A shared experience. A conversation starter. A little bit of fun.
A bonding experience, if you will.
And that's really what Innher Circle is about.
Creating environments where connection happens naturally and authentically.
The evening eventually led us to our conclusion and the gifting of our gift bags, including lots of goodies and a handwritten letter to each and every woman who showed up for us and supported our very first event.
That detail was particularly important to us.
Because the women in that room weren't just attendees.
They were the women who showed up at the very beginning of not only Innher Circle but also in our own separate founder journeys.
The women in the room
The evening brought together women across different industries, businesses and stages of their careers.
Some were founders. Some were business owners. Some were creatives. Some were leaders within established companies.
And that was exactly the point.
Innher Circle isn't about everyone being at the same stage.
It's about creating a room where there is something to learn from the woman next to you, regardless of where she is in her journey.
One undeniable factor connected everyone in the room: they are high achievers in their own way.
Women building something for their futures.
Women creating businesses, careers, ideas and lives that look like their own.
And that is the kind of room we want to keep creating.
Our founding event reinforced something we've been thinking about for a while: professional connection is becoming more intentional.
People want meaningful relationships, not just more contacts.
They want to know the person behind the job title.
They want to know the story behind the business.
They want to feel less alone on their journey.
And sometimes, the most valuable thing you can take away from an event isn't a business card or a potential lead.
It's a conversation that stays with you on the drive home.
On the hard days.
In the moments when you doubt yourself.
Behind the scenes
Creating the calibre of events that we do takes a lot of work behind the scenes.
For our founding event, we partnered with some incredible people and brands who helped bring the evening to life.
Dear managed the guest experience from invitation through to the event itself, taking away one of the biggest headaches of hosting: guest admin.
Marlborough Wines brought us the phenomenal wine tasting experience and gave us a whole new reason to talk to the woman next to us.
ANTHEA Non-Alcoholic Beverages made sure no one went without, with elevated non-alcoholic drinks for those who preferred not to drink.
C A S A B E L L A gave us the most gorgeous space to bring everyone together. The beautiful venue did all the decor legwork for us, allowing us to focus on the room and the experience.
And to the girls behind the cameras - Ketlan, Olivia and Tugba - who captured the night perfectly. Having these moments documented means we get to relive the incredible launch of Innher Circle until our hearts are content.
Only the beginning.
Our founding event was never intended to be a one-off.
It's the beginning of what we hope becomes a community that continues beyond the events themselves.
A place to ask the vulnerable questions.
A place to share an opportunity.
A place to find your next collaborator, friend, mentor or simply someone who understands what you're currently navigating.
Not just another networking event.
Not another room where you collect business cards.
But a community for women in business.
