In Order To Build A Village
Win & Bella on belonging, community, and why connection doesn't need alcohol.
There are easier ways to build an event business.
You could follow a proven formula. Find a venue. Sell tickets. Repeat.
Instead, Win and Bella built something that didn't quite fit into an existing category.
MP3, short for Matcha Parties in Third Spaces, sits somewhere between a café, a community gathering and a dance floor. Since launching, the concept has transformed tattoo studios, coffee shops, hotels and even an abandoned church into spaces where hundreds of people gather around specialty matcha, music and connection.
For Win and Bella, however, MP3 didn't begin with a business plan.
It began with a lifestyle.
"We're morning people," they explain. "We're also trying to drink less alcohol, but we still love music, socialising and meeting new people."
At the time, most social events seemed to revolve around nightlife. Going out meant staying out late, drinking heavily, and sacrificing the next day.
The pair found themselves asking a simple question.
"Surely there are other people who want to dance in the daytime, have a really good matcha, and still make it home before dinner."
So they built the thing they wished existed.
What followed wasn't a sudden breakthrough but a series of small moments.
Before MP3, they were already creating miniature versions of the concept without realising it. Hosting friends at home. Bringing a coffee machine to community events. Serving free matcha to mothers at church on Mother's Day.
The drinks weren't what stood out.
The conversations were.
"We'd see strangers talking, people lingering longer than expected, and genuine connections forming."
Eventually, those moments became impossible to ignore.
The Feeling
Ask Win and Bella what they're most protective of and the answer comes quickly.
The feeling.
Not the numbers.
Not the growth.
Not the brand partnerships.
The feeling.
"We've had brands approach us that were willing to pay good money, but if it doesn't align with who we are, we won't do it."
It's a philosophy reflected in every aspect of MP3.
From the DJs and venues to the menu and event flow, every detail is designed with intention. Not because perfection matters, but because experience does.
When people attend an MP3 event for the first time, Win and Bella want them to feel something simple.
They want them to feel like they belong.
"We want them to feel safe enough to let loose, be themselves, and not worry about what anyone else thinks."
That sense of belonging has become the foundation of the community they've built.
Becoming Bigger Than The Event
Over time, something unexpected happened.
The community began existing beyond the event itself.
Regulars started organising group chats. Friendships formed outside of MP3. Familiar faces kept returning and bringing others with them.
One event drew more than 800 attendees.
Looking around the room, Win and Bella remember asking themselves:
"Why are this many people signing up to our event?"
The answer wasn't matcha.
It wasn't music.
It wasn't even the event.
It was connection.
"We weren't just hosting parties anymore. We were helping create connections between people."
Today, success looks very different to how it once did.
Success isn't measured by ticket sales or venue capacity.
It's measured through stories.
Messages from people who met their closest friends through MP3.
Business partnerships that began over a conversation.
Even relationships.
One regular attended every MP3 event. Over time, she became friends with another attendee. Eventually they started dating.
Now they invite Win and Bella over for lunch.
"It's crazy that something we started has played a small part in bringing people together like that."
Building A Village
One philosophy continues to guide the way they approach community.
"In order to build a village, you need to be a villager."
It's advice they live by.
Support your friends.
Show up to events.
Participate.
Contribute.
Bring energy.
Everybody wants a village, they explain, but not everybody wants to be a villager.
The strongest communities aren't built by spectators.
They're built by people willing to contribute.
That belief has shaped MP3 from the very beginning.
And perhaps explains why it resonates so deeply with the people who attend.
Looking Forward
When asked what excites them most about the future, neither mention scale.
Neither mention expansion.
Instead, they talk about other community builders.
The people creating spaces, gatherings and experiences that bring others together.
"The older we get, the more we realise that community builders are some of the most generous and inspiring people to be around."
MP3 may not last forever.
Win and Bella are realistic about that.
But if people remember the friendships they made, the songs they danced to, and the strangers who became friends, they'll consider it a success.
"If we can become part of someone's favourite memory, that's more than enough for us."
Rituals
Current Obsession
Camping, golf, Michael Jackson clips, and whatever Netflix series they're currently bingeing.
Favourite Place To Spend A Slow Morning
At home with their seven-year-old Chow Chow, Tofu, a coffee, a matcha, and nowhere to be.
A Film That Stayed With Them
Eternity — a reminder that life's meaning is often found in ordinary moments shared with the people we love.
A Piece Of Advice
"To be cringe is to be free."
Most of the good things in their lives happened after they stopped worrying about looking silly.