I'm probably at a stage wherein I don't know where my dating life is going. All I know is most of the events are normally until the age of 35. So what I've been doing this year was go to all events from different Fil-Chi organizers that I've never been to before I turn 36. It's a blessing that my birthday falls after mid autumn so there are more chances of attending events that I've never been to. Well, I think at this phase, I also realized that I'm not ready to get married... Or even to be in a committed relationship. So what's there to lose?
Then two months ago, an organization who I never got a chance to attend on any events because of my scared to explore mode and it's late at night came back once again and they entiled their event as "Ichi Superstars".
The concept meant you have to pitch someone why people should date them or even marry them. At first I felt like the concept seem to be scary to do in such an unconventional way in our community. Yes there was the online pitching of a friend during pandemic where everybody got bored and gave enough time to get to know people virtually, but we have to take note that some people were even more willing to do it online rather than in-person.
I think it's an open secret that there will be a bit of side comments from the people... but I also noticed that there are other people who wanted to go into a low-risk high reward stake to feed their curiosity without risking embarassment.
In my mind, I felt like I want to experience this not from an observer's point of view - but for something more. I wanted to pitch! I think I'm at a point wherein I'm tired of hiding in the sense that the friends you've grew up with wasn't the type who would immerse in this kind of the societal norm's embarassing stuff so you tend to involuntarily follow your friendship norms. The only time you could be what you wanted to be without holding back was when your friends are not around because nobody is going to feel any sense of second-hand embarassement from whatever you decided to do.
However doing this would be a bit tricker since I can't force people to let me pitch for them if they don't want to get pitched. So my backup plan was to pitch myself if nobody does not want to get pitched. Fortunately, one of the friends I met along in this community was curious on how would someone pitch him. So, there, I have someone to pitch to and he would have an idea how someone will pitch him!
It's been quite a long time since doing a slide presentation that has nothing to do with our company's Monday morning sharing only for you to realize that people are now using Canva as their form of presentation while I'm still using Google Slides from my MBA days for crying out loud!
Alas, the day of pitching comes, I have two core friends who attended and I do believe they supported me well as one of them even volunteered to press the screens on my behalf.
Initially, I'm nervous because pitching is different from hosting a company Christmas party. Then whatever mishap you did on your hosting part, your colleagues would forgive you. However, in this pitching event? If you made a horrible mistake, the rumours would spread like a wildfire in the small community through various groupchats. All I've been praying to God was to make sure whatever I said I wouldn't make the one I'm pitching to get humiliated. That's all I prayed for because I would rather get the flak for my pitching mishaps than the one I'm pitching to receive the insult.
In the end, I appreciate the organizer and the hosts unending support during my pitching presentation. It's my first time doing it and I admit the duration of my knowledge of him was so brief so it would be harder, but I am not making excuses - it was the card I was dealt with and that's another thing that I need to learn how to deal it too.
I think having hosts who set the tone that the event is a safe space for as long as you adhere to the rules, they would make you feel welcomed and comfortable without judgement. I can feel their sincerity in telling that you did a good job in the presentation even if you thought you didn't or you're literally showing signs of nerves.
I know I may not executed the way I envisioned to, but I could say as someone who is scared of any marketing-related activities most especially when it comes to advertising or selling anything, this is a first brave step for me. For years, I've always believed that I'm not good when it comes to this especially during younger years wherein my mom would force us to sell something in school and I can't even sell a damn thing to my classmates. It's one of the reasons why I dodged these courses that would require me to use my mouth as a primary asset to feed my tummy - I would starve to death!
Looking back, I don't regret on doing the pitching for my friend. I just know if a similar opportunity was given to me again, there is no way to go but up in terms of self-improvement when it comes to pitching presentation. Some people would learn more by watching. As for me, though I would agree that it would have been nice to observe from the sidelines so you'll make fewer mistakes, but sometimes you don't know when will the opportunity knocks again and I feel like in my case I would regret more if I opted to follow the perceived norms which is to observe how the presentation goes rather than boldly take the chance and make some presentation bludners along the way - and I believe that I prepared well enough not for me to regret major stuff.
I don't know if there's another opportunity that would allow me to do this again, but if this is my last time regardless of whether people want me to pitch for them or not, I am already contented with the experience I gained - most especially overcoming the thought that you can't sell or advertise anything and overcoming the fear of judgement from other people in our small community.
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