Some moments stamp themselves on your heart forever.
Our first HDDL event at Shiloh’s Annex is one of those moments for me. It was more than a gathering — it was a chance to experiment with what it looks like to create intentional, community-centered experiences that prioritize connection, trust, and regrounding, all without relying on big budgets.
The magic started with partnering with Shi at Tea at Shiloh’s, an already beautiful and thoughtfully designed space + human that naturally honors the purpose of bringing creatives and entrepreneurs together. Spaces like this do half the work for you — they set the tone for intimacy, calmness, and shared intention.
From there, I got to blend one of my other passions: cooking and serving the community. I planned a simple but special menu that included two vegan dishes — a butternut squash and labneh dip and a couscous salad — alongside a labneh-feta dip. Sharing food has a way of opening up the room and softening the edges of connection.
To breathe life and color into the space, I partnered with my partner, Daisha, who created beautiful floral arrangements for the table. I wanted baby’s breath as a way to honor my first company + space, JIG+SAW where I hung dried baby’s breath arrangements as an installation in the space.
I also worked with small local businesses to offer meaningful gifts to our guests, wrapped in handkerchiefs for an extra personal touch. Candleessentials provided candles, and Matter of Fact shared their skincare serum (a personal favorite). Thoughtful details like this show care and intention, walking away with usefulness and highlighting partners go a long way.
One of the most special moments of the evening was partnering with Marley Ralph, someone I had been in community with for so long, and her breathwork + movement is what truly got me through the pandemic as well as thousands of others in LA, to guide everyone through an intention-setting session. It was the perfect way to honor the close of the year and celebrate our first event being back in community. Breathwork grounded the space and gave everyone permission to connect deeply — to themselves and each other.
I wrote in my morning pages that morning that being everything for everyone is what got me into the burn out I did and the lack of inspiration that came after. When I realized I could create a new version of gathering ‘preneurs together, that I didn’t need to abide by what’s cool / what’s tried + true / what’s validated in this space, I could create a space that felt real.
Coming back into the space, at 36, second time round, with fresh eyes, a very open heart + mind, and this passion to support the creatives + ‘preneurs that enter this proverbial space, is catching up to me in these big, emotional waves.
The Takeaway
Here’s the truth: you don’t need a massive budget or over-the-top production to create experiences that make an impact. What matters is understanding what you want your community to feel when they’re in the space. Connection, trust, and care aren’t things you can buy — they’re earned through intention, authenticity, and thoughtful execution.
“Doing this differently” is about stepping away from the performative networking events we’ve all been to and creating something real. At HDDL, that means crafting spaces where creatives and entrepreneurs can breathe, reground, and connect — over shared conversations, shared food, and shared empathy. ❌Networking need not apply.
This Gathering was a reminder that impact is about depth, not scale. It’s the details, the energy, and the care that turn a simple event into something unforgettable.
Photos + Video by Tyler Topacio
