Building Community Through Events

I co-founded a women’s networking platform. And I’ll be the first to say it: most networking events don’t work. When The Globe and Mail asked me about this, I didn’t hesitate. I agreed. Because I know exactly how it feels. As a first-gen immigrant, I watched my parents send out résumés with decades of experience and still never get a call back - all because they didn’t have the right connections. Meanwhile, I watched friends land internships through an uncle who “used to golf with someone at the bank.” And when I walked into “networking nights,” it was obvious the rooms were never built for me. (Proven instantly true by the Patagonia-vest men who asked if I worked in marketing without looking at my name tag 🙃) And the data backs it up - we ran a study earlier this year with Environics Analytics, 83% of women say they want more spaces designed specifically for them. Here’s the real problem: Most women’s events are one-off, top-down, and at times even performative. They look great on a company calendar, but they rarely create the kind of trust or relationships that actually move a career forward. Men have had informal systems for decades - golf clubs, alumni ties, investor dinners - where trust builds over time and opportunities circulate. Women are still offered token IWD panels and the one-off mixer. Without consistency or follow-through, those moments don’t compound into anything bigger. That’s why Istiana and I built Monday Girl. We designed for access: a quarterly rotating roster of 100+ hard-to-reach senior execs and founders opening their calendars to our vetted members. We designed for consistency: over 2,000 events a year across our key cities so relationships actually grow. Today, that’s 5,000 paying members. 350,000 in our community. And The Globe and Mail covering how brands like Monday Girl, and founders like Kristine Beese at Untangle Money, are rewriting the rules of networking. But for me, it started with something much simpler: Access should not be a luxury. 👉 What would YOU change about the way networking works today? #WomenInBusiness #Leadership #Networking #CareerGrowth #FutureOfWork

Women’s sport doesn’t need saving.  It needs SEEING. Picture this: it’s the first time our Adelaide Lightning team had come together to play their first game of the season, against last years’ grand final runner up the Perth Lynx . It’s a completely packed out stadium, with standing-room only and fans sitting shoulder to shoulder. It’s a slow start by the Lightning, down 20-odd points at one point but they come out firing in the second half. Our captain, Steph Talbot drills a three-pointer with less than 3 minutes to go, nudging us into the lead. The sound of the crowd is deafening - people are out of their seats, young voices screaming across the stadium as the fans urged their girls on. We lost. By 3 points. And I’ve never celebrated more. This was a team on the brink of extinction not long ago, but now we’re seeing a true rebirth - not of just this team, but of the WNBL as a whole. Across the season opener, the League had record crowds in attendance - 51% more than last year, in fact. A historic league-first broadcast deal with 9Now and ESPN on Disney+ also means viewership is all the more accessible. But while we’re celebrating this huge achievement, the front page of The Advertiser is focused on AFL players’ personal holidays. Tell me how that’s news. We talk about supporting women’s sport, but if we’re serious, it’s time to do more than just pay lip service. If the NBL's Adelaide 36ers can sell out 10,000-seat arenas, we know the Lightning has the same potential. But to get there, we need to build the same level of visibility and support for women’s games. That means not just relying on words, but on action - from media coverage to fan engagement. Athletes should be paid what they’re worth, and that worth comes from the number of eyeballs they have on them. If we want to see equal pay, we need equal coverage, equal airtime, equal crowds and equal enthusiasm. I’m not asking for the front page. I’m just asking for equal opportunity. The opportunity to let these girls have a fair crack at the same success as their male counterparts. This isn’t just about the Adelaide Lightning. It isn’t even about basketball. It’s about the next generation of girls believing they belong on the front page too. This is about changing the narrative, filling those seats every single game and getting eyeballs on the broadcasts. Let’s stop waiting for someone else to give women’s sport the spotlight, and BE the spotlight. Do you have a favourite women’s team to support? Give them a shoutout below 👇🏀⚡ Melanie MacGillivray | James Begley | Jeevan Koo | James Kitching | Tim Brenton | Drakes Supermarkets | Launchd | Taylor Cowper | Rhiannon Pearce

Shopping centres must become experiential arenas! The term ‘experiential arenas’ comes from Diana Teixeira Pinto and aligns with my view of how to design worlds not spaces. So how do we transform spaces into worlds? Here are some of my top design principles for executing successful Experiential Arenas: Build Worlds, Not Spaces Design destinations that transport people into new realities, not just corridors of commerce. Colour as Energy Bold, surprising palettes and patterns that lift mood and inject personality into every corner. Wellness in Motion Seating that heals, greenery that breathes, zones that invite pause and reset through biophilic design. Shopping should restore, not exhaust. Fill the Forgotten Atriums, rooftops, stairwells, and voids become playgrounds for art, light, and imagination. Sensory Immersion Use sound, scent, light, and texture as storytelling layers to spark memory and emotion. Everywhere’s a canvas Turn escalators, walkways, and food courts into theatres for entertainment, surprise, and play. Participation Over Passivity Invite people to co-create through interactive art, digital play, gamified shopping, and communal rituals. Play is Serious Business Design joy into the architecture: swings as benches, slides as shortcuts, playful touchpoints everywhere. Local Stories, Global Scale Embed local culture, artists, and narratives, then amplify them into experiences with global resonance. Micro-Magic Surprise through small details like bins that talk, ceilings that glow, restrooms that delight. Fluid & Ever-Changing Keep spaces alive with rotating installations, seasonal scenography, and pop-up moments of wonder. Sustainable Spectacle Awe doesn’t need waste: design modular, reusable, and eco-conscious experiences that wow responsibly. Community as Stage Curate experiences where people become part of the show — from live performance to collaborative design. Memory is the Metric Success isn’t footfall, it’s stories: people leave with moments worth retelling, not just receipts. Elena Knezović #retail #architecture #interior #design

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰-𝐮𝐩 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 90% 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬? Incredible! Since 2017, I've been producing and organizing both in-person and online events. Opportunities to speak about entrepreneurship to mothers, especially to promote my book "𝑴𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕," were rare. So, I took matters into my own hands. Without a mentor or formal guidance, I leveraged my extensive experience in advertising, media, sales, and marketing, where I collaborated with over 100 clients on event management. This background allowed me to craft my own event strategies, focusing deeply on understanding my target audience's needs, desires, and pain points. A pivotal moment for me was incorporating attendee feedback through surveys, which significantly enhanced my events and boosted my conversion rates. Post-COVID, I adapted to the changing landscape and discovered the formula for a high show-up rate. Partnering with Andrea Zsapka, we co-founded EmpowerBiz Global . Our mission? To create diverse and inclusive events for the local and global business community. Over the past three months, our 𝐅𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 has brought together female founders and male allies to explore building investible startups using AI, in collaboration with Asia Innovate Hub's Jasmine Goh and Huawei’s Llewellan Vance. Here are three tips to help you achieve a higher show-up rate for your events: 🔸 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧: Collect your attendees' WhatsApp or Telegram contacts and send them reminders—welcome messages, sign-up confirmations, venue instructions, post-event thank-yous, survey forms, and updates about upcoming events. 🔸 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬: Incorporate experiential activities like team bonding or ice-breaker sessions that can't be replicated online. 🔸 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤: Encourage attendees to fill out event survey forms. This invaluable feedback helps you refine your events, making each one better than the last. Feeling blessed and excited to continue this journey, making each event a memorable and impactful experience for all attendees. Let's keep innovating and empowering together! 🚀 #EventManagement #Entrepreneurship #FemaleFounders #AI #EmpowerBizGlobal

I didn’t expect to get emotional at a mall. But somewhere between a mom humming along to a live performance she didn’t know she needed, and two women laughing over a bouquet they were making together. I realized the space had completely changed around us.. This Mother’s Day, Broadway hosted “Mumma’s Day Out” with MARS Cosmetics and IGP. What stood out to me wasn’t the branding or activities individually. It was how naturally the entire space turned into an experience people wanted to stay inside. There were bouquet-making corners, mirror art, tambola, live music, personalized engraving by MARS… but the most memorable parts weren’t the planned ones. For the longest time, brands focused on visibility. Now the more memorable experiences seem to come from creating participation, emotion, and community. IGP brought its gifting culture into a more experiential, offline format. MARS Cosmetics added personalization in a way that felt intimate rather than transactional. And Broadway became more than just a retail space for the day. It became a shared emotional environment. Maybe experiential marketing works best when it stops feeling like marketing at all. The strongest moments are usually the unscripted ones anyway.

For the last three editions of the Olympic Games, India's medal tally has been opened by women: 2016 - Sakshi Malik (Bronze, Wrestling) 🥉 2020 - Mirabai Chanu (Silver, Weightlifting) 🥈 2024 - Manu Bhaker (Bronze, Shooting) 🥉 Yet, despite these successes, sports is often not seen as a viable career for women, with societal pressures discouraging them. In fact, 68% of girls consider being judged as a barrier to sports. Consider these stories: >When MC Mary Kom started boxing, society's concern was who would marry her if something happened to her face. >When Sania Mirza began her tennis career, she faced extreme criticism for her attire. >Karnam Malleswari, the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal, was discouraged from weightlifting because it made her look "manly." As a former national-level swimmer for over a decade, participating in various competitions, I've gained discipline, consistency, and the will to stand against anything in life. These lessons aren't unique to swimming; any sport teaches you the same. However, we are failing to impart these core values through sports to the masses in India. When India won the men's T20 this year, our women's Test cricket team set a world record with the highest-ever team total of 603/6 against South Africa. Yet, this achievement went largely unnoticed. This must change. It's not just the government's or society's responsibility but also that of the brands operating in this economy. Here's how businesses can promote the cause and increase brand equity: >Endorsements: -TATA Tea promoted players from the Indian women's hockey team. -Visa appointed PV Sindhu as a brand ambassador. Brand endorsements can provide financial support and visibility for sportswomen. >Hosting Women's Sporting Events: -Visa became the first standalone sponsor of UEFA Women's Football in a 7-year deal. Such endorsements elevate women's sports, encouraging broader participation and support. >Launching Campaigns for Women's Rights: -adidas launched "She Breaks Barriers," aiming to address the lack of visibility for women in sports and dismantle obstacles faced by female athletes. These initiatives enhance the visibility of women's sports and counter the challenges female athletes encounter. Women have the potential to excel in sports, just like anyone else. We need to recognize their achievements without biases. For this shift to happen, we all must come together and contribute in any way we can. PS: Fingers crossed for more women athletes to bring home medals. Looking forward to those double digits in the tally :) #Parisolympics #Sports #Genderequality #Women

One of the most underused strategies in business development is bringing people together around a theme. Think about it. Everyone is busy. Everyone gets invited to another reception or cocktail party. Most people say no because they know the value will be surface level. But when you create something intentional, something smaller and more thoughtful, people notice. They make time. A dinner for women GCs in private equity. A roundtable of next generation dealmakers. A conversation between founders and investors who have successfully scaled. These kinds of gatherings give people the chance to connect with peers who understand their challenges. They create space for conversations that don’t happen in a big room. And here’s the part many professionals miss — when you’re the one convening, you’re not just building your own network. You’re helping others expand theirs. You become known as someone who creates opportunities. That’s memorable. It makes people want to stay close to you and your organization because being connected to you means access to something bigger. But it doesn’t end with the event. The real business development happens in what you do afterward. ✔️ If two people hit it off, follow up and connect them directly. ✔️ Share a quick recap of themes from the evening to keep the conversation alive. ✔️ Create touchpoints — an article, a coffee, an invite to the next dinner. ✔️ Build continuity with a series so people look forward to the next one. ✔️ Share high level highlights on LinkedIn to reinforce your role as the connector. Bringing people together in the right way isn’t just about networking. It’s about creating community. And the professionals who do this well strengthen relationships, build influence and grow their business in ways that feel natural. Let me know when you think of this tip and if you will try it! #BusinessDevelopment #ClientDevelopment #Networking #LegalMarketing

Women’s Day comes and goes every year, but the real question is—how many companies actually invest in opportunities for women beyond just a ‘Happy Women’s Day’ email? This year at SBI General Insurance, we did something different. We brought women entrepreneurs straight into corporate spaces—not just to showcase their talent, but to drive real business. And let me tell you, the energy was electric. 🛍️ Employees weren’t just browsing—they were buying, supporting, and engaging. 🛍️ Women-led businesses weren’t just present—they were thriving, making real sales. 🛍️ Conversations turned into connections, and connections turned into opportunities. I watched as a homegrown skincare brand sold out within hours. A first-time entrepreneur who was hesitant at first walked away with her biggest single-day sales yet. That’s what real empowerment looks like—visibility, revenue, and growth. When workplaces create space for women entrepreneurs, they don’t just celebrate Women’s Day—they accelerate real change. If this kind of impact resonates with you, let’s build more opportunities like this—one collaboration at a time.

Women’s networking events matter because they quietly rebalance a system that wasn’t originally designed with women in mind. First, they create access. A lot of opportunities (jobs, promotions, partnerships...) don’t come from formal applications. They come from conversations! Historically, many of those informal networks have been male-dominated. Women’s networking spaces open that door wider, making sure information, referrals, and opportunities circulate more equitably. They also build something less visible but just as powerful: confidence. When you’re surrounded by women navigating similar challenges, whether it’s being the only woman in a meeting, negotiating salary, or switching careers, you stop second-guessing your experiences. You start recognizing patterns instead of personalizing obstacles. That shift changes how you show up professionally.

🌟 Sometimes the simplest ideas create the most meaningful impact on our students' lives and institutional culture... When I was Director at Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) Manipal, I noticed a significant gap in how we recognized student achievements outside academics. While we had structured systems to reward academic excellence, the incredible work students were doing through student clubs, NGOs, and personal initiatives often went unnoticed. During a team meeting, a colleague suggested something beautifully simple - inviting these students for "Tea with the Director" to share their stories. We launched this initiative with some uncertainty about how it would be received. To our pleasant surprise, students embraced it wholeheartedly. Each session allowed them to take the stage and share their experiences - what they had created, challenges they overcame, and the impact of their work. I'd appreciate their efforts, take photos with them, and share these achievements on social platforms. When I later became President (Vice Chancellor) at Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ), Rajasthan, we continued this tradition as "Tea with the President" with equal success. I thank the student welfare team in both organizations for their excellent coordination. What began as a simple recognition opportunity evolved into something far more meaningful. Students included these recognitions in their CVs, which employers and universities abroad valued. We built comprehensive records of student achievements beyond academics, strengthening our institutional narrative for accreditation. Most importantly, I observed these students developing stronger self-esteem, performing better academically, and forming deeper connections with like-minded peers and their institution. Key takeaways for educational leaders: 1. Recognition doesn't always require elaborate systems - sometimes informal, genuine appreciation creates the deepest impact 2. Celebrating co-curricular and extra-curricular activities strengthens student engagement with their institution 3. Simple acknowledgment often fuels continued excellence and innovation 4. Recording non-academic achievements significantly strengthens institutional quality narratives 5. Creating platforms for students to share their stories inspires others to pursue their passions Have you implemented any unconventional recognition systems at your institution? What simple practices have you found most effective in acknowledging student achievements beyond academics? #HigherEducation #StudentRecognition #AcademicLeadership #StudentEngagement #InstitutionalCulture #EducationalInnovation