I still laugh every time I remember the first speed networking event I ever attended… because I showed up wearing a Batman shirt.
Not a suit.
Not a blazer.
Batman.
And somehow till today people still compliment me for it. Which honestly proves two things:
- Confidence is everything.
- Batman never misses.
That was also the first time Mike introduced me to SBC. He explained it like this magical “deep dive networking experience” where people actually get to know YOU instead of just collecting business cards like Pokemon cards.
At that point I was still new to networking. Everything felt exciting. Every event felt like the first day of school except everyone had LinkedIn instead of homework.
The moment Mike mentioned the date, 15th May, my brain locked onto it like a Netflix release countdown.
I kept thinking:
When is this thing finally happening?
Then the day arrived.
Rakez Compass.
The battlefield.
The moment.
The legend.
I met Mike there and he casually told me:
“SBC registration is now live.”
Before the poor man could even finish his sentence, I disappeared.
Gone.
I sprinted to my laptop like I was buying concert tickets for the last show on Earth. Opened the registration link with panic, fear, excitement, and unnecessary dramatic breathing.
And BOOM.
Registered.
FIRST.
Ladies and gentlemen…
I became the very first person to register for the very first SBC Ras Al Khaimah event.
Years from now Ras Al Khaimah will grow.
SBC will grow.
People will come and go.
The world may change.
But one thing cannot be changed.
NO ONE…
and I mean NO ONE…
can ever steal my title as the first registered SBC member in Ras Al Khaimah.
That achievement is now permanently tattooed in history.
Unlike Jamie’s Arabic tattoo…
which unfortunately was tattooed incorrectly.
More on that masterpiece later.
Finally SBC day arrived and I headed to the venue with excitement mixed together with introvert-level panic.
Because this wasn’t regular networking.
This was DEEP DIVE networking.
Meaning people would actually know more about me.
Business-wise?
Amazing.
Personally?
I was sweating like a man smuggling snacks into a cinema.
See, people think I’m extroverted.
Absolutely false.
I’m just a highly trained undercover introvert who has spent years mastering the art of pretending to be socially confident.
Childhood training.
Elite level.
The moment I entered the venue, I saw Mike and instantly gave him a huge hug because honestly, Mike and Stephen made Ras Al Khaimah beautiful for me.
I even told Stephen later:
“If you and Mike didn’t put all this effort into building this networking community, RAK would’ve been boring.”
But WAIT.
Breaking news.
Apparently Mike does not operate independently.
Today Claire, Mike’s wife, revealed the truth to me:
“A man needs a woman to tell him what to do.”
Suddenly everything made sense.
The business success.
The organization.
The efficiency.
Claire is clearly the final boss behind the operations.
Now let me tell you something important…
I have officially evolved as an introvert.
Normally introverts at networking events pretend to check “important things” on their phones while actually scrolling through the same 14 photos in their gallery.
This time?
I DIDN’T TOUCH MY PHONE.
That’s growth.
As Australians would say:
“Good on ya mate.” Right Stephen?
Honestly, the people there made it easy. Everyone was smiling, welcoming, warm, and genuinely kind. It actually felt illegal to stand in the corner and ignore them.
Now…
let’s discuss Jamie.
This man has an Arabic tattoo that is spelled wrong.
I looked at him and thought:
“I will meet many people in life… but this story? This story is unforgettable.”
I also met some seriously inspiring people.
First, Tricia Evans.
Now THIS is a real business coach.
Not one of those “I made 7 billion in 3 days” coaches who are somehow 19 years old.
No.
Tricia carries wisdom the way Avengers carry trauma.
But what shocked me most was her energy.
This woman still does sports activities regularly AND goes kayaking every Friday like it’s a sacred weekly mission.
Meanwhile I’m 29 years old and sometimes I look at stairs like they personally offended me.
Then there’s Julie Lewis.
If you don’t know Julie, let me explain her in one sentence:
She doesn’t just love nature.
She and nature are in a relationship.
Mountains.
Water.
Peace.
Balance.
Renewal.
The way she talks about nature makes you want to quit your job and become a peaceful forest human.
She loves nature so much she wrote TWO books:
Moving Mountains and Uncharted Waters.
At that moment I realized something.
Many people in life claim they love nature.
Julie actually means it.
Then came Michelle.
Honestly one of the sweetest human beings I’ve ever met.
When she talks to you, she makes you feel like you matter.
Like she’s genuinely listening.
Like your words have value.
That’s rare.
Very rare.
If there was an award called:
“Person Most Likely To Restore Your Faith In Humanity”
Michelle wins it easily.
Then came the networking workshop by Phil himself.
And let me tell you something:
When Phil talks about networking…
you listen.
Immediately.
No distractions.
No pretending to take notes.
No fake nodding.
You PAY attention.
The food?
Elite.
Absolutely elite.
Of course it was.
Radisson and Claw BBQ by Hilton don’t play games when it comes to food and atmosphere.
Whoever planned that menu deserves a standing ovation and probably a trophy.
Now here’s the thing that tells you how successful this event was:
It SOLD OUT a day early.
That alone says everything.
Because Mike and Stephen don’t just organize events.
They make sure nobody feels alone.
If you’re awkwardly standing in a corner wondering why you came…
they’ll literally walk over and introduce you to people.
That matters.
A lot.
What Ras Al Khaimah was missing was THIS:
Deep dive networking.
Not the usual:
“Here’s my card.”
“Great.”
“Okay bye forever.”
No.
Here you sit with a group of people.
You share stories.
Achievements.
Struggles.
Goals.
Challenges.
People actually get to KNOW each other.
And honestly?
That changes everything.
This was my fourth networking event overall but this one felt completely different.
People in my group even learned my Pakistani name: Hayat.
Some started calling me Hayat instead of Muhammad.
That’s when you know the networking became personal.
And here’s something people misunderstand about networking:
You’re not selling to the room.
You’re connecting to the NETWORK of the room.
Big difference.
Now let me introduce the legendary people from our SBC “Fun Room.”
Mike:
The man sees numbers the way Neo sees the Matrix.
You tell him your business problems and somehow he turns confusion into profit.
Michelle:
Part motivator.
Part business genius.
Part human sunshine.
Sebastian:
Management expert.
The type of guy who can probably organize chaos itself.
Julie:
Nature healer.
Mountain whisperer.
Water enthusiast.
Inas:
Makes HR and people management sound easier than ordering shawarma.
Jacqueline:
Runs a value-based education system for children focused on creativity, life skills, environment, and holistic development. Honestly amazing.
Dr. Hanan:
Children probably trust her more than cartoons.
Jamie:
Compliance expert with legendary tattoo problems.
Tricia:
32 years of business coaching wisdom.
Basically business therapy with experience.
Yamen:
If RAK Innovation City had a human Wikipedia page, it would be him.
And let me clear up one important networking misunderstanding.
If you see two people talking constantly at an event…
DO NOT assume they closed a business deal.
For example me and Michelle spent a lot of time talking.
Was it business?
No.
Food.
Purely food.
The universal language.
Now let’s move to another chapter of the evening:
My anti-smoking campaign.
I gave Nasr and Naresh a full motivational lecture about why smoking is dangerous.
I truly believed I was changing lives.
Then suddenly…
Firas appeared.
Lighting a cigarette.
In slow motion.
Like a movie villain entering the scene.
At that moment I realized my mission was far from over.
And finally…
the grand finale.
Darts.
I played darts with Nasr and Naresh.
FIRST TRY.
Bullseye.
Absolute cinema.
Naturally I took a photo immediately and showed everyone because moments like this deserve public recognition.
Overall?
SBC Ras Al Khaimah was not just another networking event.
It felt like community.
Like stories.
Like laughter.
Like growth.
Like people genuinely wanting to help each other.
And honestly…
that’s rare these days.
If this is what deep dive networking looks like, then honestly… somebody prepare me for SBC Season 2.
THANK YOU ALL
Muhammad Hayat | Your Favorite Marketer