Steering away from the typical offer of filter coffee, mini Danishes and a torrent of repetitive sales pitches, they’re focused on building a community of women who by sharing their successes and failures, can learn from and empower each other.

In May 2014, founder Jess Jones saw the need to create a comfortable, open environment allowing the women attending to be brutally honest with each other as well as identifying collaborative opportunities. Jess was sick of attending events where guests seemed to be competing for a prize for who was the busiest.

Ms. Jones encourages her attendees to have a ‘no bull approach’ when introducing themselves to other women, which always seems to get a laugh.

She says ‘they honestly need to be told it’s ok to say “I’ve had a really bad day” or “sales aren’t good at the moment and I don’t know how to fix it.” Jess is concerned that people are increasingly putting on a front and feel pressure to ‘perform’ when attending networking events. The need for authenticity is imperative at the Soar Collective events as the founder explains ‘you need to bust through whatever rubbish is holding you back from being your best self. If you’re not being genuine about your business and who you really are, how can you expect to truly connect with anyone and identify opportunities for improvement?’

The Soar Collective Christmas Party is being held Thursday December 4th Lilo Café in Mornington. A limited amount of tickets are still available – Jess promises a night to remember and encourages women to reward themselves for the hard work they’ve put in this year. ‘Yes the wine will be flowing and the guest speakers inspiring, but it’s the opportunity to celebrate your wins, big or small and to get yourself motivated for a brilliant 2015.’

Jones’ vision is ‘to inspire and empower business women through authentic networking events and practical workshops.’ And if the numerous glowing testimonials from inspired women are anything to go by, she’s on the right track.

Grab your tickets to Soar Collective’s Christmas Party on the 4th of December in Mornington, Victoria here. Or check them out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.