If you’ve Googled any of the following recently, you’re not alone:

• “Boston small business networking events”

• “Women entrepreneurs Boston”

• “In-person networking Boston”

Boston has always been a city built on proximity—ideas bump into each other here. In classrooms, hospitals, coworking spaces, cafés, and yes, even while waiting for the Green Line to show up.

After years of remote work and digital overload, founders are craving rooms that feel warm, human, and worth the commute.

What does a forgotten umbrella say about leadership, systems, and culture? In this honest reflection, Michelle Watson shares a small-business lesson that exposed a much bigger truth: operations can’t work without buy-in. Especially from the top.A must-read for founders, team leaders, and anyone working to scale with integrity.