behind closed doors upcoming events

Melbourne Connexions Networking Event with Lael Stone (15 Jul 2026)

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:30:00 GMT

Don't miss BCD's Melbourne Connexions!

Melbourne women, we're saving you a seat.

On Wednesday, 15 July 2026, the behind closed doors community is gathering at Robert Walters Melbourne for an evening of genuine connection and engagement in meaningful, thought-provoking conversation.

We will also hear from our incredible guest speaker for the evening: Lael Stone!

Lael is an educator, author, TEDx speaker, parenting counsellor and mother, with more than twenty years of experience working alongside families. Lael now brings that same depth of understanding into the corporate world, exploring how the imprints and experiences we carry shape our relationships, and how we show up in our own lives and work.

It's the sort of evening that tends to stay with you.

Know a woman who should be in the room?

This event is complimentary for professional women, and attendees are warmly encouraged to bring a fellow professional woman as their plus one. Whether it's a colleague, a peer, or someone you've been meaning to reconnect with, this is the perfect occasion.

We'd love to see you there! Come ready to meet some remarkable women, and leave a little more inspired than when you walked in.

Date: Wednesday, 15 July 2026

Time: 5.30pm to 7.30pm

Location: Robert Walters, Melbourne

Queen & Collins Tower, Level 23, 100 Queen St, Melbourne Vic 3000

Building entry instructions will be provided upon registration.

Numbers are limited.
Register yourself and a plus one now to secure your place!

About Lael Stone

Lael Stone is an educator, TEDx speaker, author, mother, and counsellor who has worked with families for over 23 years. Her work as a birth educator, post-natal trauma counsellor, and parenting educator has enabled her to work with thousands of families, consulting on newborns all the way through to the teenage years. She spent over 5 years in secondary schools working with teens around sexuality, well-being, and relationships, and her great aim is to empower parents to create connections and stronger relationships with their children.

She is the Creator of Woodline Primary School, an innovative new school based on emotional well-being and connection. As well as sitting on a few advisory boards and consulting with organisations around emotional awareness and trauma-informed practices, Lael spends a great deal of time travelling all over Australia speaking about connection and imprints.

Lael's work has now expanded to include working with adults in the corporate space, where she addresses the impacts of imprints, trauma, and systemic processes. She is also the host of the new Podcast ‘Humans, being. with Lael Stone’ where she explores what makes us human and why compassion matters.

Lael’s first book, ‘Raising Resilient and Compassionate Children,' debuted on many best-selling lists, and her second book, “Own Your Story” was released in July 2025, focusing on healing our pasts so we can thrive in the future.

behind closed doors warmly thanks our valued Partner, Robert Walters Melbourne, for their generous support of this event. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Melbourne: Come and Try BCD! (16 Jul 2026)

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:30:00 GMT

When Leadership Gets Complex,
Who Do You Turn To?

An Exclusive Introductory Session for
Melbourne's Senior Female Leaders

At senior levels, leadership quietly changes shape. Your decisions carry more weight, and the room around you grows quieter. The space to think out loud - to be honest without performing - gets harder to find.

That's the gap behind closed doors exists to fill.

We're inviting a small group of senior female leaders to a complimentary 90-minute introductory session, designed to offer something deeper than traditional networking or surface-level mentoring. It's about trusted connection and genuine conversation, with access to women who understand the pressure you're under, because they're carrying it too.

As many of our Members tell us: "It wasn't what I expected. It was better." More grounded than they'd imagined, and a good deal more human.

What this session includes:

A focused conversation with Donny Walford, Founder & Managing Director of behind closed doors, on how senior leaders carve out space for clearer thinking inside demanding roles
A facilitated discussion with peers who are navigating complex decisions and high expectations, with full lives of their own
A first-hand taste of a community built on confidentiality and trust, where the support is practical and relationships go well beyond exchanging business cards

BCD isn't about adding one more thing to your calendar. It's about finding a sounding board you can rely on, and a network that quietly has your back.

Event Details

Date: Thursday 16 July 2026
Time: 10.30am to 12pm (AEST)
Location: Robert Walters, Queen & Collins Tower,
Level 23, 100 Queen Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Building entry instructions will be provided upon registration.

Places are limited. If something in this feels like it's speaking to you, trust that instinct and save your seat today.

Entrepreneurs Networking Event (6 Aug 2026)

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Entrepreneurs Networking Event

For the women building things.

Date: Thursday 6 August, 2026
Time: 6.00pm to 8.00pm (ACST)
Location: Bar Torino, 158 Hutt Street, ADELAIDE

Whether you're deep in it, scaling something great, pivoting hard, or quietly plotting your next move, we’d love to connect you with other female entrepreneurs in the BCD community who understand your world.

This is your chance to step into a room full of women who get it. Women who know what it costs to back yourself. Women who have sat with the same uncomfortable questions and figured out their own answers. As a BCD entrepreneur, you can share what's really going on, swap hard-won lessons, and build the kind of connections that create real impact.

Come for the conversation. Stay for the community. Leave with more than you came with.

Tickets are on sale now – secure yours today.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Executive: Come and Try BCD! (7 Aug 2026)

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

When Leadership Gets Complex,
Who Do You Turn To?

An Exclusive Introductory Session for
Senior Female Leaders

At senior levels, leadership changes. Your decisions carry more weight, the room gets quieter, and the space to think out loud - honestly, confidentially, and without performance - gets smaller.

That’s the gap behind closed doors exists to fill.

We’re inviting a small group of senior female leaders to a complimentary 90-minute introductory session designed to offer something deeper than traditional networking or surface-level mentoring. This is about trusted connection, thoughtful conversation, and access to women who understand the pressure you’re under, because they’re carrying it too.

Many of our Members tell us, “It wasn’t what I expected. It was better.” More grounded. More useful. More human.

What this session includes:

A focused conversation with Donny Walford, Founder & Managing Director of behind closed doors, exploring how senior leaders create space for clearer thinking amid demanding roles
A facilitated discussion with peers navigating complex decisions, high expectations, and full lives
A first-hand experience of a community built on confidentiality, trust, and practical support, where relationships go beyond exchanging business cards.

BCD is not about adding another commitment to your calendar.
It’s about discovering a sounding board you can rely on - and a network that quietly has your back.

Event Details:

Date: Friday 7th August 2026
Time: 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM (ACST)
Location: BCD Office, 10 Watson Avenue, Rose Park SA

We’d love to see you there. Places are limited, so don’t wait - secure yours today!

Emerging Leaders: Come and Try BCD! (14 Aug 2026)

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Ready to Step Up in 2026?

A Complimentary Introductory Session for
Emerging Female Leaders

You don’t need to have it all mapped out to know that you're ready for more. More influence, more confidence, and more clarity about what’s next.

If 2026 is your year to step into leadership - whether for the first time or more fully - this 'Come & Try' session is designed for you.

At behind closed doors, we support women as they grow into leadership with intention, perspective and the right network around them. This no-obligation introductory session is a chance to pause, reflect, and explore what’s possible when you stop doing it alone.

What you’ll experience:

A 30-minute conversation with BCD Founder & Managing Director, Donny Walford, sharing practical insights on building career relationships and navigating leadership with confidence.
An open, honest and supportive facilitated group discussion to unpack the challenges, opportunities and questions you’re grappling with right now.
A first-hand feel for our behind closed doors community, and the power of being in a room with other women who are stepping forward too.

We'd love to welcome you, so you can experience this window into what becomes possible when you’re supported, challenged and encouraged to back yourself.

Event details

Date: Friday 14 August 2026
Time: 9.30am–11.00am (ACDT)
Location: BCD Office, 10 Watson Avenue, ROSE PARK SA

Places are limited. If this feels like it might be for you, trust that instinct and save your seat today.