Most networking events for women are lazy. Not malicious. Lazy. Someone books a venue, lines up a speaker, fills the room with wine and canapés, and expects the magic to happen. It doesn't. And the women in the room get blamed for not working the crowd hard enough.
In this episode, Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern take a sharp look at what actually makes a gathering work, using Priya Parker's The Art of Gathering as their framework. They name the real problem: organiser accountability. Bad event design is not a personality mismatch or an introvert problem. It's a failure of purpose, structure, and intentionality.
What they cover:
Why the same tired formats keep getting recycled, and who benefits from that
What a well-designed networking event actually looks like in practice, including formats that have worked for both Mel and Michelle
Priya Parker's principle that a gathering without a clear purpose and a closed door isn't really a gathering at all
Why "prime people before they arrive" is one of the most underused tools in any organiser's kit
How to give attendees a framework for conversation rather than setting them loose to fend for themselves
Why you are allowed to stop going to badly designed events, and when to give feedback instead
This episode is primarily for the leaders, HR professionals, ERG chairs, and event organisers who create gatherings for women. If you run events, this one is for you. If you attend them, it will give you language for why something felt off, and the standing to say so.
