Good Support
Networking that doesn't make you want to leave early.
A club for small business owners and not-for-profits. No pitch pressure. Just real conversations.
Why Ground Level Exists
Andy Fithall started Ground Level because he’d experienced the alternative — and found it exhausting. Networking events full of people performing confidence, speed-pitching each other, collecting cards they’d never look at again. It wasn’t connecting people. It was people practising at connecting people.
He wanted to build something that worked for business owners who think a little differently. People who find traditional business environments draining. People who are genuinely good at what they do but don’t always love talking about it in a room full of strangers.
Ground Level launched as a club with one founding principle: that the best business relationships start with actual conversation, not a pitch.
What Makes It Work
The format is what sets Ground Level apart. Meetings are structured enough to be useful — think-tank segments, member updates, knowledge shares — but relaxed enough that you can just be yourself. Ground Level keeps the minutes so you don’t have to. You just show up and talk.
The community skews toward people who think a little differently — creatives, neurodivergent founders, sole traders, small business owners who started their business because they couldn’t fit someone else’s structure. Not-for-profit leaders sit alongside tradespeople, coaches alongside designers. The variety is part of what makes it valuable.
Regular Club Meetings
The heart of Ground Level. Relaxed, structured meetups across Inner West Melbourne venues where members connect, share what they’re working on, and tackle challenges together. No pitch segment. No awkward mingling music. Just good people having useful conversations.
Think-Tank Segments
Got a business problem you can’t crack alone? Bring it to the table. Think-tank segments give members a chance to workshop real challenges with their peers — people who’ve often been in the same position and have something genuinely useful to offer.
Member-Led Workshops
Ground Level members are experts in their fields. Member Collab workshops tap into that expertise — giving everyone a chance to learn from each other, not just from a guest speaker on a stage.
Get Sh*t Done Sessions
Dedicated blocks of time to work on your business, not just in it. Come with a task, leave with it done. Accountability and good company included. Perfect for the things that always get pushed to the bottom of the to-do list.
Where We Meet
Ground Level moves around the inner west — deliberately. Different venues keep things fresh, and each one has been chosen for its atmosphere: warm, relaxed, and distinctly un-corporate.
Meeting locations for Ground Level
Frequently Asked Questions
About Ground Level
Ground Level is a club for small business owners and not-for-profit leaders based in Melbourne’s Inner West. It’s built around the idea that the best professional connections come from real conversation — not pitching, not performing, not collecting business cards. Just people who care about what they do, spending time with others who feel the same way.
Small business owners, sole traders, freelancers, consultants, and not-for-profit leaders. It skews toward people who think a little differently — neurodivergent founders, creatives, purpose-led business owners. There’s no exclusions policy. If you’re in small business or not-for-profit and you want genuine community, you’re welcome.
The meetings are held across inner west venues — Yarraville, Seddon, Footscray — so it suits people who are local or don’t mind the commute. If you’re nearby and curious, come along as a guest and see if it works for you geographically.
Relaxed. Genuinely. No corporate energy, no dress code, no expectation to perform. The meetings have structure — think-tanks, member updates, knowledge shares — but within that, it’s just good people having useful conversations. Andy keeps the minutes so you don’t have to.
Start by coming as a guest. You can attend events before committing to membership — it’s designed that way deliberately. Have a look around, see if it’s your kind of room, then decide. Head to groundlevel.club or get in touch via the contact form here.