How The Champagne Lounge is combating loneliness with its cheer squad for regional businesswomen

Veteran business coach and entrepreneur Rebecca Saunders is no stranger to the feelings of loneliness, isolation and disconnection that befalls businesswomen trying to start or run a business in regional Australia. 

After moving to Mudgee, a town in the Central West of New South Wales, in September 2022, Saunders swiftly realised how hard it can be to make friends as an adult and the loneliness that can set in when you’re running your own business and don’t have a team to go and work with.

So, five months later in February 2023, the editor and publisher of Mudgee’s Mid-Western Living Magazine launched The Champagne Lounge, a virtual membership community for regional businesswomen and entrepreneurs. 

The Champagne Lounge now has 103 active members spanning all states across Australia, with Saunders hoping to connect with and support more than 1000 regional businesswomen through the digital community by the end of 2025.

Speaking with SmartCompany, Saunders says she realised she couldn’t be the only person who was feeling isolated and wanting to have conversations about building businesses, doing business, and all the highs and lows in between. 

“I founded The Champagne Lounge as an online community that regional businesswomen across the country could join to have those...