Networking events move from cocktails, canapes to fitness and fun

Networking events were once dominated by long lunches, and cocktails and champagne, but now there’s a new way of doing business.

Wealth Walks owner Allison Kindelspire (centre) with Brooke Thomas and Alyce Rickard at Mermaid Beach. Picture: Adam Head

Move over champagne and canapes, networking events are undergoing a makeover, instead focusing on fitness and fun.

While cocktail parties were once the go-to for making business and career connections, now events centred on health and wellness activities, including everything from walking to pickleball and even frisbee throwing, are taking over.

Entrepreneur Allison Kindelspire runs Wealth Walks across the country, bringing together female business owners over walks so they can share their wealth of knowledge, experience and advice.

“I think people were so over traditional networking; like I don’t want to go drink champagne, eat fried foods and then figure out how to get my steps in after said networking,” she said.

“This is something every woman can do and you don’t feel the pressure to be all glammed up.”

The program has more than 200 participants, with women signing up to a subscription which connects them with two other ladies each month to walk with.

“You can match up based on how you can help someone, not how you can sell to someone – that is the critical part,” she said.

Alyce Rickard with Allison Kindelspire and Brooke Thomas. Pics Adam Head

Art of Mondays is another program run across Australia and the world, with entrepreneurs joining up for games of football, tennis, paddle, and more.

It has become a huge hit with men, with 70 per cent of their subscribers blokes aged 18-35.

Co-founder Evan Bryce said connecting over sports and activities was simply more fun than traditional networking.

Alyce Rickard is a member of Wealth Walks and said the program had been a game changer for her eponymous online network marketing business.

“I love it because I feel that it brings women together who are really ready to take business seriously,” she said.

“It is just about women helping other women and cheering each other on.”

She has been connected with everyone from photographers and financial gurus to business coaches and content creators during the walks, and learnt everything from marketing and social media strategies to processes and systems.

“You have brilliant minds provide input on your business around problems and strategy and you also walk away just feeling really inspired,” she said.

Originally published as Networking events move from cocktails, canapes to fitness and fun