Networking Groups in Portland That Don’t Feel Gross: Finding Community Beyond Business Cards

If you’ve ever found yourself standing in a noisy networking event clutching a lukewarm coffee, wondering why it all feels a little… off—you’re not alone.

Traditional networking spaces in Portland can feel transactional, rushed, and rooted in hustle culture. But there’s a quiet shift happening here: more and more creatives, healers, small business owners, and neurodivergent entrepreneurs are craving connection that feels slow, intentional, and human.

As someone who has built businesses without relying on social media algorithms or high-pressure networking strategies, I believe that connection doesn’t have to look like forced elevator pitches. It can look like circles, co-working with tea, ritual-based business planning, or showing up in our messy, in-progress selves.

So if you’re searching for Portland networking groups that are anti-capitalist, inclusive, feminist, community-minded, and actually nourishing, here are some pathways into deeper belonging.

Why Typical Networking Doesn’t Work for Everyone (Especially in Portland)

Portland is full of wildly creative people—artists, herbalists, healers, coaches, makers—but many of us don’t resonate with traditional business spaces. Handing out business cards and “selling yourself” feels outdated and disconnected from how we actually want to live and work.

Many women, neurodivergent folks, caregivers, and intuitive entrepreneurs crave something different:

• Spaces that honor energy and nervous system capacity

• Gatherings that feel more like community care than competition

• Connections rooted in shared values, not just potential referrals

• Rooms where we can talk about money, boundaries, justice, and beauty—all in the same breath

A Different Kind of Networking: Ritual Networking™ in Portland

That’s exactly why I created Ritual Networking™ — a gently structured women’s business circle based in Portland designed for connection without performance.

Instead of asking, “So… what do you do?”, we ask:

• What are you building and why does it matter?

• What support do you actually need right now?

• What are you leaving behind as you grow your business?

• What does a sustainable, life-giving business look like for you—not just financially, but emotionally and spiritually?

These circles are in-person in Portland, seasonal, and limited in size so that each person is truly seen. We blend nervous-system-friendly co-working, gentle accountability, and ritual to mark business milestones in community.

Interested in future Portland networking circles?
You can join the Gentle Revolution list to be the first to know when new circles open: Full body YES!

Why Community-Based Networking Works Better

For many of us, business is not about scaling endlessly or being the loudest in the room. It’s about being witnessed in our work, making offerings from the heart, and building ecosystems that support life—not extract from it.

When we gather in circle instead of hierarchy, something shifts:

• Collaboration replaces competition

• Visibility becomes less scary when shared

• Business growth feels less lonely

Want to Be Part of the Next Portland Networking Circle?

If you're craving a slow, ritual-based networking group in Portland, I’d love to connect with you.

The next in-person Ritual Networking Circle is happening soon in inner Portland. Small group. Cozy space. Tea. Real talk about building something that matters.

🌿 Ritual Networking – Portland
Join us for Ritual, our pay-what-you-can community gathering in Portland. Connect with like-minded women, LGBTQ+ folks, healers, and small business owners. Share resources, collaborate, and co-create in a supportive, nourishing space.

⭐ Northstar Mastermind – Portland
Step into a 21-day mastermind designed to help Portland-based entrepreneurs and creatives align your business with your values. Deepen accountability, co-create strategies, and expand your local support network.

💫 1:1 Somatic Business Coaching – Anywhere
Work directly with me, remotely or in person, to build a business that honors your body, cycles, and ethics. Together, we’ll navigate burnout, strategy, and scaling in a way that feels aligned with your values — no matter where you are in the world.

Join the Gentle Revolution 🌿

Want to step off the hustle treadmill and into community, collaboration, and soul-led business?

Sign up for NOURISHED to:

• Receive insights, tools, and inspiration for building ethical, anti-capitalist businesses.

• Learn how to care for your body, cycles, and creativity while growing your work.

• Connect with a supportive network of women, creatives, healers, and small business owners.

💌 Join the Gentle Revolution today — together, we rise softer, wiser, and stronger.