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EO Melbourne Chapter News

October 2025

Hi ,


And just like that, it’s October - and if you’ve ever thought about joining the EO Melbourne Board, now’s the moment to act. Nominations for the 2026/27 board close this Friday, 3 October.


This month, I want to talk about something that doesn’t just happen in EO - something you actually have to put your hand up for:


The Path of Leadership.


Unlike forums, events, and building strong connections with other entrepreneurs - which seem to unfold naturally the moment you join - leadership is a choice. 


A conscious decision to serve, contribute, and shape the future of this community.


And I can say, without hesitation: it’s been the single most rewarding part of my EO journey.


What I’ve gained from stepping up


Joining the board, and eventually taking on the role of President,  has been game-changing for my growth as a leader.

  • The board became a second forum for me - but with a clear, shared mission: delivering value to our members.

  • I’ve learned to lead with authenticity, stay humble, and embrace differing perspectives (especially when they challenge my own).

  • I’ve had to get sharp on time - running a business, raising two little kids, and chairing a board for a chapter of ~200 highly successful (and opinionated!) entrepreneurs forces you to prioritise what really matters.

  • I’ve developed a stronger sense of strategic focus — learning to hold the vision and ignore the shiny distractions or noisy problems someone else can solve.

  • I’ve come to appreciate good governance, proper budgeting, and the behind-the-scenes work that makes a chapter thrive.

  • I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about always getting it right - As Larry Kestleman reminded us, ‘you’re either winning or learning’ - it’s about not letting things slide when they’re off track. Sometimes you need to step in, own it, and pivot the moment toward a better outcome.

  • And most importantly — I’ve discovered the power of servant leadership. Leading not for status, but to support others. To ensure EO continues to deliver real value, real connection, and real growth.

That’s the magic of the Path of Leadership. It stretches you, sharpens you, and connects you more deeply to this community - and to yourself.


Nominations close Friday, 3 October


If you’ve been thinking about stepping into leadership - now’s your chance.


The EO Melbourne Board is looking for driven, thoughtful, and community-minded members to help shape the 2026/27 chapter year.


Whether it’s your first time stepping up or your next chapter on the leadership path, we want to hear from you.


👉 Nominate yourself — or someone you believe should lead — by this Friday.


As always, if you’ve got questions or want to chat about what board life’s really like, I’m just a WhatsApp or email away (unless I’m deep in bedtime stories and toddler negotiations).






See you soon,






John Bevitt

President FY 2025/2026
john@honeycombstrategy.com.au
0431 333 905


EO Member Engagement Chair

We’re pleased to share that Foong-Yue Cheah is serving as EO Melbourne’s Member Engagement Chair this FY 2025/26. This role is dedicated to onboarding new members, creating a smooth transition into the EO community, energising long-standing members, fostering connections, and ensuring overall member satisfaction.


If you have ideas or suggestions to strengthen and enhance member engagement, feel free to reach out to Foong-Yue at foong-yue.cheah@mortgagechoice.com.au .

Call for Board Nominations

Last call for EO Melbourne Board nominations for the 2026/27 term!


We welcome nominations that reflect the diversity and strength of our community. Put yourself forward or nominate another EO Melbourne member by today, Friday, 3 October 2025 via this Nomination Form

For role details, visit the EO Melbourne Board page. Queries? Contact John Bevitt, EO Melbourne President (john@honeycombstrategy.com.au) or Kirsten Yokoyama, Chapter Manager (manager@eomelbourne.org).

Refer a Member/Accelerator

Earn a $1,000 credit towards your local membership fees for the next financial year when you refer a new Member who joins EO Melbourne. Invite someone who’d be a great fit. If you have names in mind, you can also reach out to our Membership Chairs, James Murray, at james@workhealthyaus.com.au, and Rick Bazerghi, at rick@meir.com.au.

Submit a MEMBERSHIP Referral
Submit an ACCEELRATOR Referral

GSEA 2026

EO Melbourne is calling on members to help spread the word.


If you have contacts at universities or know student-entrepreneurs, please share this opportunity!


🚀 Applications are now open for the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) 2026. This programme is the launchpad for student-entrepreneurs with drive, stamina, and passion to scale their ventures. Winners not only compete for a USD 100,000 prize pool, but also gain global recognition, mentorship, and powerful connections.

If you know a student-entrepreneur aged 18–30 who’s running a business, this is their chance.


📅 Deadline to apply: 15 October 2025
⭐ EO Melbourne Competition Date: 23 October 2025, 5:00 PM at BlueRock (New Office)


Share the details: https://www.eoapac.com/gsea-2026

For queries, please contact our Chapter Manager, Kirsten Yokoyama, at manager@eomelbourne.org or EO Melbourne Member Rodney Bloom at rodney@coredesktop.com.

Industry Roundtables

EO Melbourne Members can choose from six intimate, industry-focused discussions, and each session brings together up to 15 members (with a waitlist) from the same sector for candid conversations, shared challenges, and fresh insights.

7 October 2025 (9:00 AM-11:00 AM)

- (IT MSPs) Evolving the MSP/MSSP: Harnessing Automation, AI, and Cyber Resilience

- (Creative/Digital/Media/Comms Agencies) The Future of Agencies in a Post-AI World

7 October 2025 (11:30 AM-1:30 PM)

- (Health) AI, Longevity and Biohacking: Shiny Objects or Strategic Pillars? 

- (Professional Services) The State of Play: Priorities for Professional Services Leaders

15 October 2025 (9:00 AM-11:00 AM)

- (Ecommerce/D2C) The Current State and Future of Retail in Australia

- (Product Development and Manufacturing) Developing and launching new products, manufacturing experiences & challenges local & abroad

Chapter Events

14 October 2025

"Elemental Breath and Sound Experience" Presented by Next Step Collective

21 October 2025

Scaling Up Learning Day Sales & Marketing

23 October 2025

Using EOS to Create Accountability & Get What You Want from Your Business

11 November 2025

Scaling Up Learning Day Strategy

14 November 2025

Cultural Learning Event: Shabbat Dinner Experience

18 November 2025

AGM and "Outrageous Optimism" with Simon Kuestenmacher


Other Chapter Events

26 November 2025          Forum Tools in Action: The Full Forum Toolbox Workshop

5 December 2025            Christmas Long Lunch 

22 March 2026                 Save the Date: Family Day - registrations will be opening soon!

APAC & Global Events

12-15 October 2025                EO with Harvard Business School Executive Education:

                                                     Inspiring Entrepreneurial Strategy

28-31 October 2025                Bridging the Globe

5 November 2025 (AEST)       EO Powerhouse Series with Gary Vaynerchuk

5-9 November 2025                 EO Rio University

19-22 January 2026                EO@INSEAD Singapore Campus

9-13 February 2026                 EO@Wharton: Elevating Finance & Operations

New Members

We welcome the new Members of our Chapter:

•  Sue Cook (Accelerator Graduate) - Founder & CEO at Aged Care & Medical

•  Eamonn Hortle - Co-founder and Director at Australian Vending Company; Co-founder and Director at Atana Technologies

Have you been featured lately in the news? Each month, we have a special bulletin, MEMBERS IN THE NEWS, featuring EO Melbourne members who have recently appeared in news outlets. Please email communications@eomelbourne.org the link to your feature/media article if you want to be included.

Let's Stay Connected!

Make sure that you are part of EO Melbourne's online community:


WHATSAPP - (EO Melbourne Members) Join our Events & Official Matters channel and Members' channel; (EO Accelerators) Join our Accelerator channel

LINKEDIN - Follow us and add EO as an experience on your profile.

FACEBOOK - Join our Facebook group, where we post most of our event photos.

INSTAGRAM - Follow @eomelbourne on Instagram.

YOUTUBE - Follow @eomelbourne on YouTube.

BLOG - Check out news, articles and member features on our blog.

eomelbourne.org

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