What Happens When You Just Go

The room was full.

Not just with people, but with energy. The kind you only find in NYC networking events—fast name tags, mid-conversations, and the subtle choreography of everyone trying to make the most of a few hours.

I didn’t know many people there. And as an introvert, I felt it. The nerves. The inner monologue. The quick scan of the room for someone—anyone—who looked like they were also figuring it out.

But I showed up anyway.

No pitch. No big intro. Just a quiet intention to be present, ask questions, and be real about what I do and what I care about.

Thanks to The Well Network for creating the space (and Mark Nguyen and Brian Choi for the invite), because once I settled in, the conversations found me. I connected with a founder working on something quietly powerful. I introduced two people I knew needed to meet. I left reminded that the best parts of these events rarely happen in the spotlight.

They happen in the sidebar. The pause. The "wait—what are you working on?" moment.

Not everything has to be loud to be meaningful.

Sometimes, showing up quietly is more than enough.