Founder circles

Calling all founders: entrepreneurs, owners, and artists.

Founded by Cleo Shortland, founders circles are curated 90 minute experiences designed for us to connect on the fullness and aliveness of our foundership journeys.

Book a 15 minute curiosity call to see if it’s for you.

The experience

A room, virtual or in-person, where founders and owners gather to be seen in the fullness of what they’re building and who they’re becoming in the process. They give us the place for an open vision, to think creatively, and more intuitively, so that we may take away what we gain to fuel our own work and communities.

The circle generally lasts for 90 minutes to give room for everyone to have an opportunity to share from what they’re holding. There is something magical about sharing what’s coming alive in the moment and having 7 other people deeply listen and being present to you that understand the expansiveness and weight of foundership.

Here is a light flow that I typically follow:

  • Karakia (Māori incantation)

  • Gentle meditation

  • Check ins

  • The theme

  • Shares

  • Closing ceremony

We usually have a shared meal in the in-person circles. For the online circles, I remain available shortly before and after the circle if you want to catch up.

Everything on offer is always invitational.

Global founder circles - online

A 90 minute video call from the comfort of your corner of the world. Meet and connect with founders globally. An opportunity to share and notice what’s happening around us.

We will have an opportunity to look into our visions, goals, and what must be released to enable us to step into the new.

Each experience is available for up to 8 founders. Book a curiosity call to learn how to step into the circle.

Upcoming Experiences

Inviting courage

So often when we wish for confidence, it is courage that is trying to find its way in. Let’s create an opening four courage to join us on the journey.

📅 Thursday 17 September 2026
🕥 90 minutes - 10:30am NZT · 8:30am AEST (Gold Coast) · 3:30pm PT (prev day)

Experiencing beauty

Let’s explore our relationship with beauty and how we can experience this more deeply within ourselves and within our work.

📅 Thursday 15 October 2026
🕥 90 minutes - 10:30am NZT · 7:30am AEST (Gold Coast) · 2:30pm PT (prev day)

Moving mindfully

Modern society promotes us to move quickly to tackle our day. Let’s envision what our work would look like if we moved more mindfully.

📅 Thursday 12 November 2026
🕥 90 minutes - 10:30am NZT · 7:30am AEST (Gold Coast) · 1:30pm PT (prev day)

Local founder circles - in person

I’m always so inspired by founders from around the world that I enjoy getting these cool and interesting people together in their local city. An opportunity to meet and connect in-person and learn from each other what’s happening closer to home.

Share your email below if you would like the occasional updates on when local founder circles are happening near you or if there is a city that aligns with your own global travels.

Each experience is available for up to 8 founders. Book a curiosity call to learn how to step into the circle.

Upcoming Experiences

Russell, New Zealand

Cruising around the Bay of Islands before landing in Rawhiti and journeying the 2 day hike up to Cape Brett.

This journey begins and concludes in Russell, Bay of Islands.

📅 Friday 4 to 5 September 2026
🕥 8:00am NZT start

Auckland, New Zealand

A morning founders circle in the heart of Auckland city before enjoying a nourishing brunch. This experience is open to local and visiting founders to the Auckland area.

📅 Friday 9 October 2026
🕥 9:30am to 12:00pm NZT

Melbourne, Australia

A morning founders circle in the heart of Melbourne city before enjoying a nourishing brunch. This experience is open to local and visiting founders to the Melbourne area.

📅 Friday 20 November 2026
🕥 9:30am to 12:00pm AEST

Can’t find a circle?

Share your email below if you would like the occasional updates on when new circles are scheduled, inspiration and global travel.

"Your positivity wasn't just uplifting, it was empowering. You have a way of helping people see what's possible rather than focusing on limitations, and helping them recognise their own strengths and potential. That gave me greater confidence in my own abilities, and I always left interactions with you feeling energised, capable, and more willing to back myself and take the next step forward. The lasting impact for me was a stronger belief in what I could achieve and the confidence to go after it."

Aime Carter, South Island Super Yacht Services

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What happens in a founders circle stays in a founders circle, but here is the fluid structure that I typically follow:

    Here is a light flow that I typically follow:

    • Karakia (Māori incantation to ground)

    • Gentle meditation

    • Check ins

    • The theme

    • Shares

    • Closing ceremony

    We usually have a shared meal in the in-person circles. For the online circles, I remain available shortly before and after the circle if you want to catch up.

  • There are some housekeeping rules:

    1. What’s said in the circle stays in the circle.

    2. Everything is invitational and you are not required to share.

    3. We don’t interrupt when a founder is sharing.

    4. We don’t request or give advice.

  • This work promotes creative expression of the lived experiences found in foundership and has the capacity to hold grief, celebrations, and everything in-between.

  • This work is built around the particular expansiveness and weight of being the person the work ultimately answers to.

    We all know and understand this and this is felt within each circle.

  • These are curated journeys to ensure that everyone within them has an intentional experience.

    With the global circles, I try to have founders from different parts of the world as much as I can, and with the local founders circles, I bring together founders that I genuinely feel would have a cool and interesting experience together.

    If you’re on the lookout for a particular experience, please get in touch and I can reach out when something aligned comes in.

  • You will only be charged for external costs (i.e. meal, transport, etc.). The Wā Programme does not charge a fee to join, so global circles are free of charge.