About us
welcome to local networking nights.
previously LinkedIn Local Sunshine Coast
Local Networking Nights is a FREE in-person networking event designed to help local business owners, professionals, and entrepreneurs connect beyond the profile. Hosted on the first Wednesday of every month at Buderim Tavern (5:30 pm to 7:30 pm). Every event features a mix of networking and practical workshops to help you grow your business and build meaningful connections. Expect real conversations, new opportunities, and a welcoming community of like-minded locals.
meet the host.
Luke Hawley is a Sunshine Coast marketer, entrepreneur and community builder with a long track record of helping local businesses grow through stronger connections, smarter marketing and practical collaboration. With experience spanning global brands, higher education and local media, Luke brings both strategic insight and real-world business perspective to every event he hosts. He is the co-owner of Buy Local Sunshine Coast, has led business networking initiatives across the region for more than a decade, and is passionate about creating spaces where genuine relationships can lead to opportunity. As host of Local Networking Nights, Luke is known for his warm, professional style and his commitment to helping attendees feel welcome, connected and inspired to take action.
Upcoming events
1
Local Networking Nights Sunshine Coast August 2026
Buderim Tavern, 81 Burnett St, Buderim, QL, AULocal Networking Nights is back at Buderim Tavern for September — and this month we're doing double duty. We've teamed up with Bx Networking (Business Networking Reimagined) to open the night with fast-paced speed networking, then we'll slow things down for a hands-on session on turning your LinkedIn profile into a genuine business-development tool.
Whether you're growing a local business, building referral relationships, or just tired of networking events where you talk to the same three people all night — this one's built to get you moving, meeting and connecting with purpose.
#### What to expect
5:30 PM — Bx Speed Networking Bx Networking bring their signature speed networking format to Local Networking Nights: structured, timed, one-on-one rounds designed to get you in front of more of the room, faster. No long pitches, no awkward hovering by the bar — just quick, focused conversations that actually go somewhere. Bx call it "Business Networking Reimagined," and it's the perfect warm-up for a room full of Sunshine Coast business owners.
6:45 PM — Networking with LinkedIn Once the room's warmed up, we shift from face-to-face to profile-to-profile. This session is a practical, guided activity — not a lecture — built around the idea that on LinkedIn, people don't do business with you because they like you; they do business with you because they trust you. You'll work through:
- A quick partner profile audit — what's working, what's costing you credibility
- Crafting a headline and "about" section that actually says who you help and why it matters
- Practising warm introductions using mutual connections in the room
Bring your phone (or laptop) with LinkedIn logged in — you'll be working on your own profile live, with the people around you.
7:20 PM — Wrap-up & door prizes We'll close out the night with a few quick announcements, thanks to Bx Networking, and [TO CONFIRM: door prize details].#### Who should come
Business owners, consultants, freelancers, and anyone on the Sunshine Coast who wants more than a stack of business cards from their networking — people building real relationships that convert to referrals and clients.
#### Sponsor
This month's event is proudly supported by Bx Networking — Business Networking Reimagined.
Bx Networking is a global business networking community built on one idea: real referrals come from real relationships, not sales pitches. Their groups bring together non-competing business owners who become each other's referral partners — collaborating instead of competing, and sending each other warm, qualified leads. It's a "no-selly" approach backed by results: Bx members report an average of $100,000–$200,000 in additional annual revenue from their network, and the group has picked up 60+ industry awards, including Business of the Year two years running. Bx runs groups across five countries, with meetings locally here on the Sunshine Coast — this month, they're bringing their signature speed networking format to Local Networking Nights so you can experience it firsthand.
#### The event is hosted by Buy Local Sunshine Coast.
Thanks to Buy Local Sunshine Coast for supporting this event. Local businesses can join for free to promote their services, increase visibility, and help the Sunshine Coast business community thrive.
4 attendees
Past events
67
Group links
Organizers
Members
430
