in my hosting era.
what it's teaching me about leadership and community care
As the holiday season winds down, I’ve been reflecting on how the skills I use across my professional and creative work are all connected. At the center of it is leadership, specifically, my instinct to bring out the best in people in ways that are thoughtful and sustainable. That same mindset shows up in one of my love languages: hosting.
I used to think hosting was all about aesthetics.
The right wine. A clean condo.
Scented linen candles.
Music low enough for conversation but loud enough to soften the silence. But what I know now is that hosting is really about paying attention: who arrives early and needs grounding, who arrives late and needs grace, and who takes up space easily without any prompts.
Recently, I hosted four friends (shout out to Sadiyah, Charlene, Fena, and Cha Cha) for an end-of-year reflection where we looked back on 2025 through the form of presentations (PowerPoint, Canva, and a little improvisation). What stood out the most wasn’t the format but the honesty that emerged especially during each person’s Q&A time, when the room slowed down, and how people felt safe enough to go deeper. Moments like that remind me that hosting isn’t about control; it’s about reading the room and responding with care. And that, I’ve learned, is one of the most honest forms of leadership.
When I host, whether it’s a dinner, outdoor hang on my deck with no overhead coverage (the summers are brutal), a small wine tasting, or even a meeting, I’m not trying to impress anyone. I’m trying to hold the room, which means making decisions in advance so others don’t have to and leaning on my community of support when needed most. It means setting a tone that says: you’re safe here, you’re seen here, you don’t need to perform.
However, somewhere along the way (inside institutions, panels, and overly scripted spaces) I’ve noticed that people started confusing leadership with visibility. We reward the person with the mic, the agenda, and the closing remarks but hosting asks something different. Hosting asks you to notice what’s not being said. To prepare without rigidity. To guide without dominating.
A good host doesn’t rush the moment. They let conversations breathe. They know when to refill a glass and when to leave it alone. I’ve learned so much about leadership from hosting because it teaches restraint and accountability which may be why hosting is undervalued. When it’s done well, it doesn’t draw attention to itself. You don’t leave saying, wow, what a great host. You leave saying, that felt good, without always knowing why.
This year, I’m excited to lean into my hosting leadership era (both solo and in partnership with cool brands) because I want everyday consumers/people to spend less time on screens and more time gathered together, engaging in real, shared experiences one conversation, one bite, and one sip at a time.
xoxo,
Ty-Juana