Powered by Community. Built for Connection.
A one-day business conference for Virtual Assistants, OBMs and digital support professionals who want to grow their business, expand their network and feel more connected to the industry they work in.
Spend the day learning from experts, sharing ideas with other VAs and having the kinds of conversations that can lead to new connections, collaborations, referrals, opportunities and friendships.
Because sometimes the next thing your business needs isn't another download or webinar.
It's the right conversation with the right person.
Friday 23 October 2026
Lake Macquarie Yacht Club, Belmont
Tickets $189
New connections
Real conversations
Fresh business ideas
A stronger VA community
WHO IS NEWVAC26 FOR?
If you work in this industry, there is a place for you in the room.
NEWVAC26 is for Virtual Assistants, Online Business Managers and virtual support professionals at every stage of business.
You might have one client and be wondering how to grow.
You might be established and looking for collaborators, referrals or fresh ideas.
You might be building a team, changing direction or stepping into consulting.
Or you might simply want to meet more people who understand what you do without having to explain what a VA actually is!
Some people are coming to learn.
Some are coming for business direction.
Some want professional development.
But overwhelmingly, people are telling us they want one thing:
Connection.
Genuine conversations. New networks. Old friends. New friends. People to learn from. People to collaborate with. And that feeling of being part of an industry rather than building your business alone.
Come for where you are now. Leave knowing more people than when you arrived.
And if you don't fit neatly into one of those boxes? Perfect. Neither does business!
NEWVAC26 isn't about where you should be. It's about meeting you where you are.
There is a seat for you here.
Come for the learning. Leave with your people.
You can learn a lot about business online.
You can watch another webinar. Download another checklist. Save another post you'll definitely come back to later. 😉
But connection is harder to create from behind a laptop.
NEWVAC26 gives you a whole day to meet other Virtual Assistants, OBMs and business support professionals who understand the work you do.
People at different stages.
People doing things differently.
People you might learn from, collaborate with, refer work to, ask questions of or simply enjoy having a really good conversation with.
You might meet someone doing similar work in your niche.
You might find the person who answers a question you've been stuck on.
You might meet a future collaborator or referral partner.
Or you might simply leave feeling a little more connected to the industry you've chosen to build your business in.
Your next opportunity might start with a conversation.
And NEWVAC26 is creating the room for those conversations to happen.
Coming on your own?
Please do.
You won't be expected to walk into a room and somehow magically “network”.
We've deliberately built connection into the day through facilitated activities, shared conversations, workshops and the Collaboration Café.
You'll have plenty of opportunities to meet people naturally.
Come on your own. You won't spend the day alone.
Our workshops are designed to give you something useful to take back into your business while also creating conversations between the people in the room.
Meet Michelle, Tash and Yvette.
LEARN TOGETHER.
THEN TALK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR BUSINESS.
MICHELLE BROADBENT
Business + Strategy + Growth
Michelle will help you step back from the busy work and look at the bigger picture.
Expect practical thinking around business growth, direction and making better decisions about what comes next.
You'll leave thinking:
Where am I actually taking this business, and what needs to change to get me there?
TASHA MILLER
Business & Marketing Partner
How to build authority so the right people can find you, trust you and choose you
Tash will help you uncover the Invisible Gap™ between people discovering your business and deciding to work with you.
You’ll learn how to strengthen your visibility, build trust and identify the content, proof and authority assets that make you easier to find and harder to overlook.
You’ll leave thinking:
How can I make it easier for the right people to find me, trust what I do and choose to work with me?
YVETTE SIMPSON
Emotional Intelligence
Running a service business is about much more than systems and strategy.
We work with people.
We navigate expectations, conversations, boundaries, relationships, decisions and pressure.
Yvette will explore the role emotional intelligence plays in how we communicate, lead and work with others.
You'll leave thinking:
How can I work with people more intentionally while protecting the way I want to work?
The Collaboration Cafe
This is where the room becomes part of the program.
Hosted by Lyndel Baker and Kirsten Smith, the Collaboration Café gives you an hour to talk, ask questions, share experiences and learn from the people sitting around you.
Bring something you're working through.
Ask the question you've been wondering about.
Hear what other VAs are doing.
Discover tools, ideas, approaches and opportunities you might never have found on your own.
And meet people you may continue talking to long after NEWVAC26 finishes.
Because some of the best knowledge in the room won't come from the stage. It will come from each other.
New people in your network
VAs and support professionals you can stay connected with after the conference.
New business ideas
Practical strategies, different perspectives and conversations that spark something useful.
Potential collaborators and referral partners
People whose work complements yours and who now know what you do.
Greater confidence
Sometimes spending a day with people who understand your industry reminds you how much you already know.
Clarity about what's next
Whether you're growing, changing direction, building a team or just starting out.
A stronger sense of community
Because running a virtual business doesn't mean you have to build it alone.
What could you leave NEWVAC26 with?
The Big IdeaA conference designed around the attendee, not just the agenda
Most conferences begin with a list of speakers. Then they build an agenda and hope the people in the room connect with it.
NEWVAC26 begins somewhere different.
It begins with you. Your business. Your stage. Your questions. Your energy. And your need for connection.
When we asked attendees what they most wanted to get from NEWVAC26, one answer came through louder than anything else:
Connection.
New connections. Genuine conversations. Networking. Collaboration. Community. Learning from other people in the room.
And that has helped shape the day.
Of course, we want you to leave with useful information, practical strategies and fresh ideas for your business.
But we also want you to leave feeling more connected to the industry you work in, more confident about where you fit within it and knowing people you didn't know when you arrived.
That's why every part of NEWVAC26 has been designed with the attendee experience in mind. The sessions. The conversations. The networking. The room. The pace. And the people.
A good conference should give you useful information.
A great conference should leave you feeling differently about yourself, your business and your place in the industry.
Program Agenda
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Opening remarks, housekeeping and a warm welcome to the day.
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An introduction to AIOP and the opportunities, connections and support available.
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No awkward standing around wondering who to talk to.
We'll start the day with a fun, facilitated activity that gets people talking, laughing and learning who is in the room.
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STRATEGY + GROWTH
Step back from the busy work.
Look at the bigger picture.
Explore your business direction, growth and the decisions that could shape what comes next.
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AUTHORITY + VISIBILITY
Being brilliant at what you do doesn’t automatically make you the person people find, trust or choose.
Tash will help you uncover the Invisible Gap™ and identify how to strengthen the authority and evidence around your business.
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EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Running a service business is about much more than systems and strategy.
It’s also about people, communication, expectations, relationships, boundaries and the way we work with others.
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An interactive session focused on conversation, connection and collaboration. A chance to share ideas, meet new people and explore opportunities to work together.
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Key takeaways, reflections and a final wrap-up of the day.
Proudly Welcoming
our Sponsors
Australian Institute of Office Professionals | Founding Partner
We’re proud to welcome the Australian Institute of Office Professionals (AIOP) as a Founding Partner of NEWVAC26.
AIOP supports Australia’s office and administrative professionals through connection, professional development, education and networking. With a shared belief in the power of community and creating opportunities for business support professionals to grow, this partnership is a natural fit.
Stronger Together. When We Connect, We Lead.
Tash Miller | Workshop Partner
Tash Miller helps business owners become more searchable, seen and sought after by building authority around their name.
She turns the expertise already sitting inside a business, including its stories, ideas, opinions and experience, into a credible body of work that can be discovered through search, content, podcasts, PR, media and strategic opportunities.
Through AUTHORITY™ The Mastermind and The 100 Stories Project™, Tash helps business owners create the digital evidence that shows people what they know, what they believe and why they’re worth paying attention to.
Her philosophy is simple:
Visibility creates awareness. Evidence builds trust. Trust creates opportunities.
Instagram: @iamtashmiller
LinkedIn: Tash Miller
Seed Virtual Assistants | Community Partner
Seed Virtual Assistants is one of Australia's leading communities for Virtual Assistants, Online Business Managers and Online Service Providers.
We help women build flexible, fulfilling businesses through practical training, mentoring, resources and a supportive community.
Whether you're just starting your business journey or looking to grow an established business, Seed provides the education, connections and opportunities to help you succeed.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seedvirtualassistants/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seed-virtual-assistants
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seedvirtualassistants
The Business Centre | Community Partner
The Business Centre helps people turn ideas into businesses, and businesses into something stronger. From startup through to growth, innovation and even exit planning, their experienced advisors work alongside business owners to set achievable goals, make confident decisions and navigate the next stage with practical support, training and resources.
With more than 40 years in the local business community, they support entrepreneurs across the Hunter, Central Coast and Mid Coast, as well as online.
EVENT DETAILS
DATE: Friday 23 October 2026
LOCATION: Lake Macquarie Yacht Club, Belmont
TIME: 8:30am arrival for a 9:00am start. Conference concludes at 5:30pm.
CATERING: Full day catering will be included. Dietary requirements will be collected during registration.
WHAT TO WEAR: Smart casual. Wear something that helps you feel comfortable and confident.
WHAT TO BRING: Bring your phone, business cards and an open mind. If you'd like to bring a laptop or notebook, absolutely.
YOUR $189 NEWVAC26 TICKET INCLUDES
✓ Full-day conference admission
✓ Three expert-led business workshops
✓ Facilitated networking
✓ The Collaboration Café
✓ Full-day catering
✓ Professional headshots
✓ Attendee gift
✓ Practical resources and business takeaways
✓ Plenty of opportunities to meet and connect with other VAs
But the thing we can't put a dollar value on?
The people you'll meet in the room.
A conversation could lead to a referral.
A new connection could become a collaborator.
Someone else's experience might help you make your next business decision.
Or you might simply meet some really bloody lovely people who understand this strange little world we work in.
Friday 23 October 2026
Lake Macquarie Yacht Club
Tickets $189