Study Session

One of my goals for this year was to "become more socially active," so I attended a "mokumoku-kai" (a casual co-working session) hosted by a programmer and a networking event hosted by a marketer.

Here's how those events went.

The Reason for Socializing

Until 2023, work dominated my life. On my days off, I would either spend time with my wife or focus on studying and personal projects.

But in 2023, I started feeling like I needed to "live more fully" - to cherish family time, enjoy friendships, and pursue hobbies.

That is why I wanted to meet more people who can share my interests in AI, data science, SEO, and digital marketing, which led me to these events.

The Study Session Experience

Through Connpass, a platform for tech communities, I found a "mokumoku-kai" in Gotanda.

It turned out to be incredibly fun.

A typical "mokumoku-kai" follows this structure: "Share what you plan to work on → Work time → Present what you accomplished."

The organizer was such a fun character that our casual chats actually cut into our work time - but in the best way possible.

Everyone showed genuine interest in my project "ARIGATO AI," and when I demonstrated my rap generation tool, the room erupted in laughter.

My personal projects used to consist mainly of solitary tasks like blog writing, so it was refreshing to work in such an enjoyable, social atmosphere.

I definitely plan to keep attending these sessions.

If this sounds interesting to you, check out:

» Gotanda Mokumoku IT Study Session

The Shibuya Networking Event

I received a LinkedIn invitation to an event at "Kobushi" in Shibuya, a popular spot for entrepreneurs and marketers.

The intimate group consisted of eight people - five business owners and three company employees.

The conversations were engaging throughout. I had fascinating discussions about AI and product development with a tech entrepreneur, and swapped SEO affiliate marketing stories with someone who specializes in in-house marketing support. The whole evening was incredibly valuable.

The organizer did an amazing job of bringing together people with aligned interests, which made conversations flow naturally.

I even made plans to meet up with one of the attendees again, and I'm looking forward to joining more events at this venue.

My one regret was getting too technical when discussing "AI integration in marketing" - I went deep into explaining a complex LangGraph workflow.

The awkward silence that followed was telling... I should have started with something more accessible. That was a learning moment.

I've realized that showing off technical knowledge to new acquaintances can come across as pretentious.

It was a good reminder to focus on engaging with others rather than trying to impress them.

Looking Forward

While I'm thrilled about all the great conversations I had, I know I can still improve at being a better conversationalist.

For now, I'm committed to regularly attending the Gotanda mokumoku-kai, continuing to develop "ARIGATO AI," and sharing its progress with this supportive community.

Here's to making it happen!