The social sector isn’t perfect, obviously. But generally, people who work in the nonprofit / social enterprise world are easy to love. They’re usually:
- Not in it for the money
- Not afraid of hard work or long hours
- Not ashamed of standing in solidarity with people
- Not dreaming for only one family/community because interconnectedness is real
And I’ve been working in the nonprofit sector for over a decade now, so I can say that with my whole chest. But sometimes — your faith in the sector gets tested, and you come face to face with behavior that makes you go: “And that’s on CAPITALISM, baby.” No sector is exempt, sadly, not even leaders in the nonprofit sector, huh?
So what does one do?
Drown in free-flowing sangria, of course. Char lang.
I signed up for Impact Happy Hour (IHH) last July 2, 2025, a casual mixer for changemaking professionals hosted by the likes of Villgro, Ashoka Philippines, and more.
Going to IHH reminded me about why I love the sector in the first place (what? people actually caring?), I also uncovered new ways to survive networking events without completely depleting my energy.
Note: I’m a well-adjusted introvert, but happy happenstance occurred at IHH that worked to my advantage. I ended up going home with some social battery left. I think the organizers themselves figured out a way to honor the introverts and extroverts among us.
1. Take your time.
I was around the venue, like, three (3) hours before the event was meant to start because I didn’t want to be stuck in traffic anywhere. But I was working. Deliverables, amirite? So by the time I finally finished the last email, the event was already well underway. I registered late, got my wrist tag, and noticed that the venue had both indoor and outdoor seating — and indoors was already full.
2. Make a bee-line for people you know.
Thank the Lord, I instantly saw a former colleague’s familiar face (hi, Merry)! I asked if I can sit with him, and was introduced to his two other current colleagues from AHA! Behavioral Design (hi Shaira, hi Dom).
Additionally, make sure to say hi to everyone else you know (for me, this included the beautiful people from Ashoka Philippines – hi Erika, hi Nico)! Do a quick face-scan of everyone in the room. Mind you, I’m smiling politely at anyone else, but I had absolutely zero expectations. I found my group in IHH; I’m sticking to ’em!
3. Stay outside.
Sitting outside turned out to be a blessing for me. I had a GREAT time with my table group during the ice breaker questions. Props to Rae for that! I actually missed the main program of IHH due to logistics (so definitely sit INSIDE if you don’t want to miss the cool initiatives the organizers want to highlight).
But staying outside doesn’t disqualify you from learning and conversing with your table mates.
So, if you’re an introvert easing yourself into community, don’t force yourself to hear about the event’s “main thing”. In networking events, people are the main focus. I had the privilege of staying with the people I met for the most part.
4. Go deep (not wide).
Related to #3, one of the best ways to conserve your energy is to assign it to a few. I kept asking Merry, Dom, and Shaina questions about this org I wasn’t familiar with. I learned so much about founders, fellowships, and client work (that’s something I’ve had experience in).
I realized: Oh, is this what events like this are actually for? I’m not expending too much energy, because I’m actually enjoying the conversations with these new people. My industry is always interesting, and doing a “deep dive” into the nuts and bolts of another organization was surprisingly not too energy-draining at all.
Con: I didn’t get to see or hear the panelists and the organization featured during this IHH (see photos above) — a bummer. Still, I’m sure the people who needed to hear them did. At least now I know I can get connected if I ever needed to. I became LI friends with one of them!
5. Do something.
I signed up during the open mic section of IHH to share about my nonprofit participating in a bazaar. I didn’t even remember I signed up for it, until someone from Villgro (Shayna) heard my name and said, “Oh! You’re doing something for open mic, we’ll call on you!” And honestly, that was impressive. She knew the program so well that upon hearing my name, she knew exactly which part of the program I’d be in, without being introduced to me. Credit where credit is due.
So I gave what was probably a 2-minute announcement. After a quick spiel, Nico approached me and said, “I remember you were part of the Faith-Inspired Changemaking Masterclass, right? I’m so happy to hear that you’re sharing about an initiative that lines up with that.” Another person got my card for a potential partnership. I came to another realization: Sometimes showing up and sharing something small is enough to open conversation and spark connection.
And correct me if I’m wrong, I know a lot of other agendas happen behind the scenes, but isn’t connection essentially what all these mixers, networking opportunities, and gatherings are for?
We connect so we can transform.
The next Impact Happy Hour is happening on November 3, 2025. Sign up here. 🙂