Content created in partnership with Viaduct Harbour
Last Wednesday, Cathy Fan, founder of Fankery, and Grace Ko, founder of Baobei and Sets, hosted Hello Ambitious; an intimate evening dedicated to Asian women in business.
The sold-out event, held at Hello Beasty in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour, welcomed 80 guests of diverse Asian backgrounds, who were greeted on arrival with Seoul 75 and Raspberry G&T mocktails. That’s right, the night was alcohol-free - they were there to talk business after all.
The venue glowed with pink neon lights, and dried floral arrangements by Madame Rat added a touch of Dr.Seuss whimsy. Guests dressed for the occasion, naturally - an event gathering this many ambitious Asian women together was bound to be done in style.
Of course, the evening wasn’t just a night of glamour and delicious food. Ko and Fan’s purpose was to create a supportive space for young entrepreneurs in their community, something they didn’t have when they started out in business.
“We wanted to create an event that left our community feeling inspired, supported and connected,” explains Ko. “Just as Deanna Yang, from Moustache Cookies said in her talk, growing up, we didn’t have these spaces for Asian women, so our mission was to provide a sense of community to those who wish they had one growing up, and also for those who are new or have felt isolated in their craft.
“I was seeing people walk through the door, grab their drink on arrival and sit themselves at the tables we had set up. They were laughing and chatting and radiating the most genuine and authentic energies. They were gravitating towards each other and no one looked lost," says Ko.
“This is what it looks like to be at an event that was created for you. I never had a 21st or event for myself, but this is what I’d imagine it to feel like.”
Although it was the pair’s second year hosting the event, this was the first time they were able to bring their vision to life on a larger, more polished scale. Having the Viaduct Harbour team on board helped them deliver a truly unforgettable experience for their community.
“The overwhelming support we received from the team at Viaduct Harbour truly touched our hearts,” says Fan. “From the very beginning, they wholeheartedly embraced our idea and vision, making us feel incredibly valued and supported.
“They took tangible actions to help bring our event to life, from securing Hello Beasty as our hosts and stunning venue, to featuring an Asian owned florist, to loading 80 Hello Ambitious goody bags onto the Viaduct golf cart, their commitment to our success was evident in every detail.”
Throughout the night, guests made connections, exchanged numbers, and heard inspiring stories from other ambitious and successful business-owners, including Sandy Chen of Bare Beauty Studio, Frances Lowe of Loclaire, Enna and May of Thea Matcha and the aforementioned Deanna Yang of Moustache Cookies.
“Deanna’s message through her speech of being your true self and that everyone is a lotus flower was a huge takeaway for us all,” says Fan. “The most radiant energy is seeing women uplift each other and that was the night of Hello Ambitious.”
For Ko, one takeaway was learning that “most people are there to just connect with each other. It’s not so much about the technicalities of business. Your community can play a massive role in creating the brief of an event and it’s important to check in and ask them what it is they really want to be a part of.”
Another highlight had to be the food. Hello Beasty served a delicious custom menu fusing Korean, Japanese and Chinese cuisines: Nikuman beef cheek steamed buns, fresh market tuna and ponzu sauce, Korean fried chicken, followed by the fluffiest matcha and taro cheesecakes by Fankery.
“When I saw plates of Fankery cheesecakes being brought out onto the tables and people were eating dessert and connecting with each other, it was as if the roomful of people were old friends catching up,” says Fan.
“I felt so gratified and content that Grace and I have succeeded in creating this space for these women to meet each other, chat about anything under the stars, get inspired and become lifelong friends.”
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