I recently attended what I would consider my first real female networking event.
It was held in Alabang at Launchpad on the second floor of Commerce Center, and what initially caught my attention was simple. It was free. No expensive tickets, no pressure to “invest in yourself” through a five-digit workshop. Just transportation expenses, free food, and an invitation to show up as you are. The event was called SSide Quest and out of curiosity more than confidence, I applied.
Luckily, I got in.
What made the experience even more interesting was that I already knew the host. Then I found out I also knew the keynote speaker, MK Bertulfo. Suddenly the event felt less intimidating and more familiar, at least in theory.
However, the moment I walked into the room, the introvert in me immediately clocked in.
I did not want to talk to anyone. It was frightening. I felt like an impostor.
I wanted to sit quietly, eat the food, observe people from afar, and maybe leave without anyone remembering I was there. But that would completely defeat the purpose of attending a networking event in the first place. So I forced myself to start conversations.
Beside me were moms running preschools and small businesses. On the other side were women who looked polished, successful, and intimidating in the way accomplished people sometimes are without even trying. Some were panelists. Some had hosted for SM. One was a Russian model.
Across the room were people I already knew, and naturally, a part of me wanted to migrate toward familiarity. But networking only works when you allow yourself to stay uncomfortable long enough to grow from it.
So I stayed where I was.
Surprisingly, it turned out to be one of the best decisions I made that week.
One thing I appreciated about the event was that it did not feel performative. It wasn't just for show. It wasn't just fluff or sparkly dust.
The conversations felt grounded. MK Bertulfo’s talk especially stood out to me because she discussed the difference between a side hustle and an actual business in a way that felt practical and easy to understand. Usually, with speakers, you hear the same productivity lines over and over again. The same motivational sound bites dressed up in different PowerPoint presentations.
This time, I actually learned something new and that alone made attending worthwhile.
But beyond the lessons about business, the part that stayed with me most was realizing how many women are quietly building things while also trying to hold themselves together. Different industries. Different backgrounds. Different levels of success. Yet everyone in that room was trying to create something meaningful for themselves.
And somewhere in the middle of all that, journaling kept appearing in conversations.
Women talked about journaling to process thoughts. To survive difficult seasons. To organize ideas. To recover from burnout. To reconnect with themselves after feeling lost creatively or emotionally.
As someone deeply immersed in the journaling space, hearing that felt oddly validating.
Sometimes when you are in a niche long enough, you begin to wonder if people still see value in it outside your own circle. That night reminded me they do. Journaling is not just stationery and stickers and pretty notebooks. For many women, it has quietly become a survival tool.
Another unexpected moment for me was realizing that some people in the room already knew who I was. Some remembered Ang Arty Ni Kathy. Others remembered my blogging days. A few had followed my content for years without me knowing.
I do not think creators always understand the footprint they leave behind while they are busy creating.
You think you are just posting reviews, stories, random thoughts, maybe oversharing a little online. Then one day, someone walks up to you in a room full of strangers and tells you they remember your work from years ago.
Suddenly, the internet feels a little more real.
The entire experience was both humbling and encouraging. It reminded me that growth does not always happen inside your comfort zone. Sometimes growth looks like introducing yourself first. Sometimes it looks like sitting beside strangers instead of friends. Sometimes it looks like showing up to a room alone even when your anxiety is begging you not to.
I left that event realizing I want to attend more female networking gatherings in the future. Not because I suddenly became extroverted overnight, but because I realized there is value in being around women who are building, struggling, learning, pivoting, and trying again.
There is also something powerful about seeing women openly discuss ambition without apology. This was my biggest takeaway from the night.
We are all just on different versions of the same side quest.
