Small Tables, Big Conversations: YWLC's First Brunch Buddies
There is a particular kind of ease that settles in over a shared meal. Somewhere between the first pot of coffee and the last plate cleared, the small talk falls away and the real conversation begins. That is the feeling the Member Journey subcommittee set out to capture with Brunch Buddies, a new addition to the YWLC calendar that trades the buzz of a crowded event hall for something smaller, slower, and altogether warmer.
On 1 August 2026, 26 members made it to the table for a morning of good food and unhurried conversation, gathering in small groups at cafés around the city.
An Invitation to Slow Down
Where many YWLC events fill a room, Brunch Buddies was designed to do the opposite. Members were assigned into six intimate groups, each bringing together a mix of newer and long-time faces, with each group free to choose a café that suited them. There was no agenda to rush through and no programme to follow: just a table, a shared meal, and the time to actually get to know one another. The result, as many would later reflect, was a rare chance to connect beyond the quick hellos exchanged at larger gatherings.
More Than Small Talk
With smaller groups came space for conversations that ranged wide and often ran deep. Over brunch, members compared notes on morning routines and favourite ways to stay active, from yoga to Pilates to badminton, before wading into weightier waters: navigating career pivots, finding purpose in their work, and balancing family building with professional life. Others swapped stories about entrepreneurship and the realities of running a business, the growing role of AI in how they work, side hustles, and what it is like to build a life overseas. With members drawn from a range of industries, including tech and start-ups, the conversations offered a window into worlds beyond their own, and many described the morning as genuinely eye-opening.
New Faces, Real Connections
If the conversations were the heart of the morning, the connections were its lasting gift. Members spoke warmly of how thoughtfully the groups had been put together, with enough common ground to spark easy conversation while having enough difference to keep it interesting. Many valued the chance to meet women outside their usual circles, and several left already making plans to stay in touch, from fitness classes together to future catch-ups.
For newer members, the relaxed setting offered something more, a low-pressure way to find their footing in YWLC and learn how to get more involved. By the time the plates were cleared, more than a few were asking the same question: when is the next one?
A Seat Always Waiting
Brunch Buddies began with a simple idea, that connection comes easiest over good food and in good company, and ended as a reminder of how much can grow from a single shared table.
Curious what the community looks like at YWLC? It looks a lot like this: new friends, familiar faces, and a seat always waiting for you. Learn more about becoming a member at ywlc.org.sg/become-a-member.
Author: Abigail Laureen Sy
Organising Committee: Abigail Laureen Sy (YWLC 9th Exco Member Journey Director), Arifah Begum, Hui En Lee, Arissa Lee, Tharshini Ganesan
