I Booked a Table for 8 and Ended Up Starting a Movement: The Story of Girlies in Tech
It started in the shower.
I was in Chicago for the 2025 Grace Hopper Convention. My company had been incredible enough to sponsor my trip, and as I was getting ready to head out, a thought hit me with the force of a double-shot espresso:
“I have free will.”
It sounds simple, but in the corporate world — and especially in tech — we often forget that. We wait for the itinerary. We wait for the “official” networking mixer. We wait for permission to connect.
I didn’t want to wait. I was going to be in a new city, I’m young, I’m extremely social, and I was craving something that felt… real. I decided right then and there to be the solution to my own loneliness. I thought, “I’ll just book a modest table for eight. Keep it humble. See if a few girls want to grab dinner.”
I posted the invite on LinkedIn. Thirty seconds later, the table was full.
A minute after that, I had a waitlist. By the end of the day, I was booking dinner reservations for every single night I was in Chicago. What was supposed to be one small “modest” dinner turned into a whirlwind of connection that quite literally gave me life.
Bringing the Human Back to the Table
When I got back to DC (where I’d been living for about a year), I couldn’t shake the feeling. I realized that even though I was “well-connected” on paper, I was starving for community.
So, I brought the energy home.
In December, I hosted my first official DC dinner. Since then, I’ve hosted one every month. “Girlies in Tech” was born, but it wasn’t just another networking group. It became a brand — my brand. From the logo colors to the business cards and the stickers, everything reflects who I am.
But the most important part of the brand? We don’t really talk about tech.
I know, I know. It’s literally called Girlies in Tech. But here’s the thing: we are humans first. We spend 40+ hours a week obsessing over AI products, code, and Jira tickets. When we sit down at my table, we pivot. We talk about our opinions, our lives, “girly talk,” and the things that actually make us who we are when the laptop is closed.
What I’ve Learned About Cultivating Community
In less than a year, more like ~5 months, I’ve seen over 300 women at these dinners. I’ve seen friendships form that moved from the dinner table to Sunday brunch. Here is what I’ve learned about building something that actually sticks:
- Small is better: I cap my dinners at 12–16 people. Once you go bigger, you lose that “dinner party touch.” You want to be able to hear the person at the other end of the table.
- Authenticity is the hook: I don’t show up as a “facilitator.” I show up as Jordyn. I interact, I engage, and I bring my full personality. People don’t join communities; they join people.
- Protect your energy: In the beginning, I thought I had to host every weekend to stay “relevant.” I learned quickly that quality beats frequency. I host based on demand and my own capacity to be present.
- Be the solution: If you feel like something is missing in the world — whether it’s a niche hobby or a specific vibe — there are likely 100 other people feeling the exact same way. They are just waiting for someone to book the table. Make it exist.
The Nudge is Real
I’ve had requests for these dinners in different cities and even different countries. It’s been the most fulfilling journey of my life.
If you’re reading this and you have that “nudge” — that tiny voice telling you to start a community, host a meet-up, or just create a space for people to gather — do it.
Whatever you’re looking for is likely looking for you, too. You just have to be the one to make the reservation.
Shameless plug — here’s the link to my event calendar.
