The Chaos You Did Not See At Women’s Cocktail Night
When we decided to host a Women’s Cocktail Night, we knew we wanted to do something special — something that had never been done before for Nepali women in Boston.
A rooftop venue with sunset views.
Cocktail attire.
Professional photography.
Nepali food, charcuterie boards, and champagne.
An entire evening dedicated to celebrating and connecting Nepali women — from students to senior professionals.
We partnered with incredible sponsors like Makalu Boston, Zomsa Restaurant & Bar, Petals & Platter, Newchi TV, and DJ Mukund to bring the vision to life.
We knew the concept was new. Bold. Premium. But we believed in it.
And yet…
Everything that could go wrong… did.
Mistake #1: Pricing it Wrong
We knew the value was there. But we forgot one key thing — people couldn’t see what we were seeing in our heads.
The concept was too new. Hard to visualize.
Despite over 200+ visits to our event checkout page, only 5 people bought early bird tickets. That’s when we realized: we’d priced it too high — even with a cost-plus mindset.
We immediately asked for feedback, and yup — it was a bit too steep.
So we got our sponsors involved to help cover the difference, and dropped the price by $15 per ticket. That made all the difference. 20 RSVP’s in 2 Days.
Mistake #2: A Fender Bender… Literally
One of our teammates couldn’t make it in time to pick up the drinks from Zomsa. So we had to drive there last-minute before heading to the venue.
In the rush, I hit my car.
Back fender damaged.
Mood ruined.
But the show must go on, right?
Mistake #3: “Your Name’s Not On the List”
We reached the venue 45 minutes before showtime, and the concierge tells us:
“Sorry, the space doesn’t show as booked under your name.”
Heart. Drops.
After 15 minutes of back-and-forth, (TIME WASTED!!!) we realize he had just been spelling my name wrong the entire time. Crisis averted, but not the last one.
Mistake #4: The Pani Puri Fountain That Betrayed Us
We were so excited about this. It was supposed to be one of our “WOW” moments.
A fancy pani puri fountain filled with jhol, flowing elegantly as guests arrived.
Except the coriander in the jhol jammed the motor.
Jhol started spraying everywhere.
And this happened 5 minutes before the event started.
Mistake #5: Still Setting Up… After Start Time
Even after the event officially began, we were scrambling. It took us 20 extra minutes to finish setting up. Definitely not ideal — but a lesson in what not to do when you host a premium event.
Mistake #6: Elevator Broke Down
Just as I ran down to let people in and help direct guests to the rooftop, the elevator broke.
I got stuck in the lobby for 15 minutes while my sister was calling me for help setting up.
You can’t make this stuff up.
And Yet…
Despite all the chaos, the event was a huge success.
We had almost 60 Nepali women attend.
From students to experienced professionals.
Celebrating each other. Uplifting one another. Dressed to the nines. Champagne in hand. Boston skyline in the background.
This was a milestone moment for NSA Boston.
A reminder that sometimes, even when everything goes wrong… the bigger vision can still shine through.