Connected Women is officially a movement whose time has come,” says co-founder Ruth Yu-Owen in a Facebook post.

For the part 2 of our #ConnectedWomen Series, hosts, organizers, and members share their insights and lessons learned from their first Connected Women meetup.

Pakistan: Islamabad

“Loved the positive energy of the group. We must have more of such meetups but please keep it on a weekend or earlier in the evening for the convenience of working ladies like me,” says Irum Mumtaz.

“It was wonderful meeting all the wonderful superwomen. Yes, weekends could be best in the morning. We all are different from different situations yet, at the same time, we share so much in common. Love the laughing session, needed it after a long, tiring day,” adds Saira Hamdani.

“What an amazing event last night! We had an awesome, awesome time. Thank you for sharing your stories, superpowers, jokes. Thank you for letting all of us take a small piece of you away as part of our collective memories,” says Samar Hasan.

“Very energetic meetup. I especially enjoyed a lot of our self-assessment. It’s a thought-provoking activity. We end up with laughter yoga. I was deeply involved in that session,” shares Ibtisam Tahir.

Philippines: Alabang

“Mounting and running an event don’t always go as scripted. Most of the time, you need to listen to the audience to get them engaged and give the value in exchange for their time. Encourage each other’s growth, collaboration over competition, no judgments (all inclusive), gratitude, and sense of community,” says Kassy Pajarillo, a multi-passionate serial entrepreneur whose roots came from the hospitality industry and few start-up ventures.

“With the technology-driven generation, the human connection or people-centric operated mindset matters and shouldn’t be discounted nor neglected.” Kassy is the founder of The After Six Club, born from the LinkedIn platform in 2018. The startup focuses on learning as she organizes and co-creates an eco-system where CoLearning meets CoWorking.

Philippines: Bulacan

“It is unusual for me to be surrounded by wonderful, smart, driven, and inspiring women. Last night was a life-changing experience. My girl power has increased to a higher level during my first-ever Connected Women grand meet-up, which is an excellent resource for discovering opportunities, insights, and connections with exceptional young women who are doing incredible things in business, fashion, food, arts, and beyond,” shares Karen Marcelle Moralde Ventura, whose friends and family call her Yen Yen.

“I have two major takeaways for last night event. First, women are born to be optimistic. Last night, I realized that ‘we’ women are driven by our dreams and ambitions for our future business, no matter the hardships and difficulties we may encounter. We are focused and determined to reach that dream with a big bang.

“My second key takeaway is having a positive environment. I’ve been so blessed and honored to be part of a group of women who are all good at empowering one another and amplifying each other’s inspiring thoughts and experiences. Last night as a whole was an inspiring meetup of women sharing their inspiring experiences and best practices. Everyone is driven by our optimistic goals to have a better life in the future, not just for our own selves but to contribute positively to our country.” Yen is a widow with 3 beautiful kids. She’s an entrepreneur and a former OFW who is very active in different organizations in Bulacan. Her advocacy is to help other women and empower them.

Philippines: Legazpi

“My post-event learnings from our first Connected Women meetup here in Legazpi City is, of course, that I feel blessed and empowered for being one of the hosts. I learned a lot from the sharing of experiences and exchanging of ideas among the new members,” shares BS Accountancy graduate Novie C. Condat.

“To be connected and empowered are two of the reasons why I joined Connected Women but the main reason is I want also want to share what’s in me.” Novie is also a health counselor, a sales agent, and the owner and manager of JNC Marketing.

Philippines: Lucena

“There are gaps to be filled. I’ve learned that there are women who are very eager to take advantage of technology but due to limited resources, they’re unable to do so. There are those who are concerned with not being able to keep up with the emerging technology,” says freelance conversion copywriter, digital marketer, and Connected Women marketing manager Nica Valdeavilla.

“There are stories to be shared. Last night, I’ve heard inspiring stories and strong aspirations from women in our province. While there are struggles, I highly admire how women are able to go through everything just for the sake of their families. There are people who stepped out of their comfort zone. It’s a common notion that work-at-home individuals are timid and introverts. After all, they spend their time working alone. But surprisingly, the meetup encouraged everyone in the room to speak up and share a bit about what they do. Some gave tips and insights to help fellow freelancers, too.”

Philippines: Las Piñas

“I’m glad that I volunteered as a host in my beloved city of Las Pinas for the first Connected Women meetup in our city. It was my third time to attend a Connected Women meetup but my first to become meetup host and organize this kind of event. I was inspired by last Mandaluyong meetup and really wanted for my fellow Las Piñeras to experience it. And praise God, it was a successful, fun, and memorable night for me,” shares financial literacy advocate, Marose Gaton.

“I met and won new friends, knew some of their life stories, journeys, especially the single moms, and those with different past experiences and hardships in various industries. I learned that being with fellow, like-minded women will make me feel grateful for every blessing I have and that I have more to share. I’m really inspired and looking forward to new meetups and meet more women who empower each other.” Marose is a licensed financial consultant of Pru Life UK, a home baker, and an aspiring artist.

Philippines: Manila

“Co-hosting a Connected Women meetup for the first time and in a new city is nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time. As soon as we entered the venue, we realized all the other things we could have done: get more sponsors, more ads, more invites, and more,” explains entrepreneur and soft skills trainer, Imelda Say.

“However, as the guests arrived, we were quick to realize that the eagerness of the attendees to meet and connect is enough to make the event a success. For future meetup hosts, the best preparation is to encourage more people, businesses, associates to work with you for the meetup. This will ensure not only the flow of resources but more so, the fulfillment of the meetup goal – connecting women together,” Imelda manages a 7-year-old travel agency while she helps corporations mentor principle-driven leaders. In her spare time, she writes a weekly blog discussing joy and how one can find, keep, and share it.

Philippines: Valenzuela

“Connected Women is an ideal venue for us women to showcase and share our talents, skills, and expertise regardless of profession, status, age, and race. I see that everyone here is willing and ready to help and support each other not just to achieve one goal but life’s challenges and limitless opportunities,” says mom entrepreneur, financial advisor, and self-proclaimed chef, Anna Salazar.

This article is part of a series of testimonials, read our Part 1.

Official global meetups happen every six weeks. Next run will be on November 6!
Sign up here if you want to attend or host one in your city!