At the start of 2023, a major part of my choice to join Tatler Asia was the knowledge that Tatler Gen.T strives to craft events that stand out. This promise is not only based on the astounding talent displayed by the Tatler events team but also because of Gen.T’s conviction for discovering fresh avenues to engage its community of honourees.
This mindset for shaking things up is why I was fully on board the very moment Vince Siu, the Founder and CEO of Press Start Academy, approached me with an idea. Vince suggested a partnered community event using Divergence, a card game developed by his team, to facilitate an evening of networking.
It is true I was inclined to say yes from experience. As an avid tabletop gamer, I am fully aware of the hobby’s ability to inspire fresh modes of thinking while simultaneously stripping down the social barriers we erect, allowing great degrees of understanding within a limited time frame. I believed these elements would make a tabletop-based Ideas Jam the perfect first Gen.T community gathering for 2023, connecting honourees from various industries via gameplay.
And it seems my instincts were extremely correct. The expert planning of the Tatler events team combined with some superb game mastering by the Press Start Academy team made Ideas Jam a critical hit. Even before the evening was over, I was told by honourees that the format had shaken up their perception of the form that networking events could take.
To sum up that sentiment, here is a quote from one of the attendees:
Honestly, I loved the Ideas Jam. I love the interactive and out-of-the-box networking activity provided for participants. It helped us create more authentic connections than traditional networking events. We were able to see a more real version of the people, which made the engagement meaningful. Our group has already created a WhatsApp group following the event to keep the chats going.
Suffice it to say, this is one game night that everyone involved won. I intend to follow this success with more challenges to the expectations of what events can be for Gen.T, and I will certainly be glad to have Press Start Academy be a part of that going forward.
