The cost of doing it all: A Female Focus with Roni Millard
Schedule
Fri Jun 26 2026 at 01:00 pm to 03:00 pm
UTC+10:00Location
The Union Hotel | North Sydney, NS
About this Event
There's a certain kind of person who always shows up.
They deliver. They carry. They keep going. They look completely fine on the outside, even when they're running on empty.
Whether that's in a boardroom, a business, or running a household that never stops — sound familiar?
Burnout doesn't announce itself. It builds quietly in the background of a full life. It shows up in careers, in parenting, in managing a household that depends on you, in caring for others while quietly neglecting yourself, in the relentless pressure of always being the capable one.
It's rarely weakness that gets people there. It's the fact that they are exceptionally good at pushing through.
In this honest, energising session, Roni Millard discusses what sits beneath burnout and why so many high-performing women reach depletion despite looking like they have it all together.
Drawing on 30 years in senior leadership and her own lived experience of multiple burnouts, breast cancer, fertility struggles and chronic health challenges (all while raising a family and continuing to perform), Roni challenges the myth of invincibility.
So many women navigating full lives:
- Tie their self-worth to how much they do or give
- Normalise exhaustion as just part of life
- Ignore early warning signs until the body forces a pause
- Keep pushing, even when everything is begging them to stop
Roni introduces her core concept:
Return on Self (ROS)
In a world obsessed with ROI - return on investment - we are trained to measure, track and optimise everything we do for outcomes.
But rarely do we apply that same discipline to the one asset driving it all: ourselves.
Return on Self is about how you invest your energy, protect your health, honour your limits and what you get back as a result.
If your Return on Self is low, everything else eventually follows, and when it’s strong, everything else has the potential to rise with it.
This is not a passive lunch. Roni will present, ask questions and run short exercises during dessert.
You'll leave with:
- Clarity on the real difference between stress and burnout
- The hidden behaviours that lead to depletion
- Roni's Return on Self (ROS) framework as a practical tool for your own wellbeing
- Strategies across movement, nutrition, mindset and recovery
MEET RONI MILLARD
Roni Millard is the founder of The Wellbeing Edge and a former Top 50 Australia Chief Marketing Officer with 30 years across marketing, sales and transformation for global brands.
She knows what high performance looks like from the inside. She also knows what it costs.
After decades at senior level, Roni navigated endometriosis, miscarriages, osteoporosis and ultimately breast cancer, all while continuing to lead. She also worked through psychologically unsafe environments where pressure and silence did real damage to confidence and wellbeing.
Now the healthiest and strongest she has ever been, Roni helps leaders do the same. Through The Wellbeing Edge, she delivers keynotes, executive workshops and coaching to organisations ready to take their people seriously. She recently featured in the AFR as an expert in this topic.
She also mentors with the Women's Resilience Centre, supporting women rebuilding their lives after domestic violence, and sits on the Business Women Australia Marketing Sub-Committee.
She's a mum of three, a committed runner, and someone who brings a warmth and energy to a room.
WHY THIS LUNCH IS WORTH YOUR FRIDAY
- Intimate setting and beautiful food at The Union Hotel, North Sydney
- Two-course lunch (mains and dessert) with two beverages: wine, beer or soft drinks
- Q&A and Workshop woven through dessert
- Connect with other local women from all walks of life who just get it
Seats are limited. This one will go.
YOUR INVESTMENT
EARLY BIRD: $130 (Save $20 — available until 31st May)
STANDARD: $150 (from 1st June)
Oh, and….
We are looking for brands who want to get in front of smart, driven, local women.
If that sounds like your audience, we would love to hear from you.
Get in touch: [email protected]
This event will be photographed and filmed. Images and footage may be used across Female Focus and Friday Lunch Club social media and marketing channels. By attending, you give your consent to this. If you have any concerns on the day, please speak to one of the team.
ABOUT FEMALE FOCUS
Female Focus is the women's health chapter of The Friday Lunch Club, founded by Julie Dormand. We create transformative conversations around health, wealth and careers, because every woman deserves to thrive at every life stage.
www.thefridaylunchclub.com.au
Grab an early bird ticket before 31 May and save $20. Spaces are limited.
Where is it happening?
The Union Hotel, 271 Pacific Highway, North Sydney, AustraliaEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
AUD 130.00 to AUD 150.00















