Organization Development

Toastmasters is an international, non-profit organization that provides self-motivated individuals the opportunity to improve themselves in the following areas: • Presentation and communication skills • Leadership skills • Organizational skills • Time management skills Toastmasters encourages its members to develop their public speaking skills by providing a friendly, mutually supportive, and positive learning environment. Members progress at a pace that suits their individual abilities, interests, and schedules. Membership in Toastmasters is one of the greatest investments you can make in yourself, and one of the most cost-effective skill-building tools available anywhere. Find out more about us at: https://plainstoastmasters.com Plains Toastmasters will be meeting virtually on Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Zoom meetings will be available starting at 6:30pm with the meeting starting at 7:15pm. Guests are welcome to join us virtually!

Join us in a virtual "Lean Coffee" every other week. We appreciate hearing from all voices about whatever puzzles you about Lean & Agile topics... As well as other workplace challenges! Pro tips: * When possible, use a laptop so you can fully participate by adding questions to the board * Consider turning on your camera so we network more effectively! * Look for email 24 hours before our Meetup, where we share the password Use the following Zoom info to join the discussion: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87077189170?pwd=U0lLNmZZVldTYkU4ODJseDZ1UFFUUT09 Meeting ID: 870 7718 9170 One tap mobile: +16465588656,,87077189170# US (New York) Dial by your location +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k688xqHid

Organizational Sponsors: KEAP Close more leads consistently! Create a repeatable sales process for your team by making it easy to set-up appointments, track leads, and send quotes, all from your CRM. Get a FREE trial here: [https://keap.com/lp/get-the-business?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=i2ipo&utm_campaign=i2ipoweb&utm_content=](https://keap.com/lp/get-the-business?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=i2ipo&utm_campaign=i2ipoweb&utm_content=) Build and Grow Your Online Reputation with NiceJ[ob.com](http://ob.com/)! For a FREE trial, visit: [https://nicejob.grsm.io/idea-to-ipo](https://nicejob.grsm.io/idea-to-ipo) SEMrush WHERE GOOD MARKETERS BECOME GREAT! Join 4 million SEMrushusers Analyze data on more than 580 million domains and more than 16 billion key words! Find the most profitable keywords for your website! Get a FREE 7 Day TRIAL! Visit: [https://www.semrush.com/sem/?ref=9340528129&refer_source=&utm_source=berush&utm_medium=promo&utm_campaign=link_7-day_pro_trial](https://www.semrush.com/sem/?ref=9340528129&refer_source=&utm_source=berush&utm_medium=promo&utm_campaign=link_7-day_pro_trial) Need help with bookkeeping and accounting? Get a FREE trial with Bench! Visit: [https://bench.grsm.io/idea-to-ipo](https://bench.grsm.io/idea-to-ipo) @ideatoipo [www.idea-to-ipo.com](http://www.idea-to-ipo.com/) Subscribe to our YouTube Channels: [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjYga11avYH_CUpC0BSyDng](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjYga11avYH_CUpC0BSyDng) [www.youtube.com/ideatoipo](http://www.youtube.com/ideatoipo) This event is 100% online. Attendees can be located anywhere in the world! This event is FREE to attend! In order to attend, please register here: [https://trainings.techspeakforentrepreneurs.com/a/2147504306/9agLFgrB](https://trainings.techspeakforentrepreneurs.com/a/2147504306/9agLFgrB) The login link will be sent to registrants. Hurry! Slots are limited. Product-market fit is one of the most important Lean Startup concepts, yet it is also one of the least well defined. Join us for a FREE online masterclass, where Nelly Yusupova, CTO with 18 years experience, Startup Tech Advisor, and creator of [TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs](https://techspeak.co/), will share what is product market fit and the importance of reaching product market fit quickly. You will learn: * What is Product Market Fit (PMF) * Product Market Fit metrics * A method of reaching PMF quickly * How to define your MVP properly to reduce the cost and time of development * A framework for releasing code more often so you can learn faster * A tactic you can use to improve your product * And more! About the Speaker Nelly Yusupova is a CTO, with over 18 years experience, leading companies to technical excellence. She is a start-up tech advisor, outsourced CTO, and the creator of [TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs](https://techspeak.co/). Nelly is on a mission to help entrepreneurs minimize technology mistakes and through her online masterclass TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs, she provides the roadmap to successfully manage technology teams and projects. Just recently included in Fast Company’s, “League of Extraordinary Women”, Nelly has been at the forefront of the women’ s movement online since 1999 and is a Wall Street Journal’s “Woman on the IT Fast Track”. Nelly is a speaker and presenter for many organizations and major industries events including: Women’s Enterprise Center, NY Entrepreneurs Business Network, Small Business Summit, BlogHer, Social Media Jungle, Mom 2.0, BlogWorld, and has been featured in INC Magazine, NBC Today Show, Fast Company Magazine, NewsD[ay.com](http://ay.com/), O’Reilly, SmartMoney, SmallBiz, TechRepublic, Women’s Radio.

6:15 - 7 pm. [--> ONLINE INTERACTIVE ONLY. Just click https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5124418988?pwd=VlhFUTZDeExZemZ5NEhwRUVlODRyZz09 <--] Hundreds of approaches to relaxation/centering/meditation have been developed over the centuries, and each has its own charm, benefits and wisdom. We explore one new approach each meeting. This lets you work some relaxation into your life while building a repertoire of stress-management techniques for improving your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Ages 12 and up. Free.

Overcome the fear of public speaking and become a better leader and communicator. Learn creative and impromptu public speaking to get your message across with impact during meetings, networking, negotiations, sales, interviews and more. Creativity Plus is a one-of-a-kind Toastmasters club in Ottawa with a focus on creative & impromptu public speaking and leadership development. Our meetings are full of unique short-function roles that give members the chance to think outside the box while practicing their public speaking skills. The club also provides in-depth and encouraging evaluations for the roles to support each member's growth. This club exists outside of Meetup and can be accessed at: creativityplus.ca Zoom link: [Launch Meeting - Zoom](https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9700955426?pwd=WitKenBxOWdDZG95M1k4Z0M5OWpaZz09#success) * Meeting password: **speak**

We'd like to invite you to an agile meet up in Nairobi. More details to follow.. We hope you can join us!

This event is organized by TechSpeak. Our meetup group is collaborating by promoting this event. This event is FREE to attend! In order to attend, please register here: http://www.techspeakforentrepreneurs.com/how-to-cut-product-development-costs-by-up-to-50/?utm=ideatoipo (Registrants will receive the login info right before the start of the event.) There is a difference between releasing code and releasing code effectively and efficiently. That difference is having an efficient process - a repeatable way to produce consistent results over and over again. In this webinar, Nelly Yusupova, a CTO with 18 years of experience, a startup tech advisor, and the founder of TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs, will share the process she uses to manage teams and projects to deliver projects on time and on budget. You will learn: 1) The lean way vs. traditional way of building products 2) Two money saving things you should do before you build anything 3) How to define your MVP properly to reduce the cost and time of development 4) How to see the red flags sooner and minimize mistakes and more! Please come with your questions and scenarios. About the Speaker Nelly Yusupova is a CTO, with over 18 years experience, leading companies to technical excellence. She is a startup tech advisor, outsourced CTO, and the creator of TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs. Nelly is on a mission to help entrepreneurs minimize technology mistakes. Through her online master class TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs, she provides the roadmap to successfully manage technology teams and projects. Just recently included in Fast Company’s, “League of Extraordinary Women”, Nelly has been at the forefront of the women’ s movement online since 1999 and is one of the Wall Street Journal’s “Women on the IT Fast Track”. Nelly is a speaker and presenter for many organizations and major industries events including: Women’s Enterprise Center, New York Entrepreneurs Business Network, Small Business Summit, BlogHer, Social Media Jungle, Mom 2.0, BlogWorld, and more. She has been featured in Inc. Magazine, NBC's Today Show, Fast Company, NewsDay.com, O’Reilly, Smart Money, Small Biz, TechRepublic, Women’s Radio and more. Nelly can be reached at: nelly@techspeak.co

Join us to improve your presentation and leadership skills. The event is free to guests and members. Please use the zoom link to register

This event is organized by TechSpeak. Our meetup group is collaborating by promoting this event. This event is FREE to attend! In order to attend, please register here: https://www.techspeakforentrepreneurs.com/outsource/?utm=ideatoipo (Registrants will receive login info right before the start of the event.) If you are a non-technical person with an idea for an app, you’re probably looking for a technical co-founder to help you build the app. However, you can launch a tech startup by outsourcing code! In the early days of your startup it can be challenging to attract a technical co-founder to build your app. But by knowing how to efficiently outsource the building of your MVP and gain some traction, you can de-risk the opportunity for the tech person and change the conversation from "I Need You" to "Here's an Opportunity". In this webinar, the speaker will discuss the best way to outsource the development of your app, including: 1) Why outsourcing may be the best way to find a technical co-founder 2) Outsourcing best practices 3) How not get ripped off in the process and more! About the Speaker Nelly Yusupova is a CTO, with over 18 years experience, leading companies to technical excellence. She is a startup tech advisor, outsourced CTO, and the creator of TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs. Nelly is on a mission to help entrepreneurs minimize technology mistakes. Through her online master class TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs, she provides the roadmap to successfully manage technology teams and projects. Just recently included in Fast Company’s, “League of Extraordinary Women”, Nelly has been at the forefront of the women’ s movement online since 1999 and is one of the Wall Street Journal’s “Women on the IT Fast Track”. Nelly is a speaker and presenter for many organizations and major industries events including: Women’s Enterprise Center, New York Entrepreneurs Business Network, Small Business Summit, BlogHer, Social Media Jungle, Mom 2.0, BlogWorld, and more. She has been featured in Inc. Magazine, NBC's Today Show, Fast Company, NewsDay.com, O’Reilly, Smart Money, Small Biz, TechRepublic, Women’s Radio and more. Nelly can be reached at: nelly@techspeak.co

PEACE SUNDAY. 1 - 2 pm. [--> HYBRID EVENT. Fully vaccinated folks can attend in person, or click https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5124418988?pwd=VlhFUTZDeExZemZ5NEhwRUVlODRyZz09](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5124418988?pwd=VlhFUTZDeExZemZ5NEhwRUVlODRyZz09)"> here \ <--] In an effort to improve the peaceful conditions in the world, we host a monthly quiet meditation, where all beliefs and religious traditions are honored. Following the meditation, participants are welcome to join in a potluck brunch and share camaraderie and croissants. Ages 14 and up. Free.

Bring what you have been working on and we can't wait to see you there! Check out our discord for up to date event info. You can also join via our discord channel (https://discord.gg/c9ZzUPRjc5) in the "Monthly Meetup" Voice Channel

Want to start? Seem to just not be able to get going? Here's help! Whether you are a business owner, or you want to be a business owner, or you are an employee or volunteer, if you want to launch something new, join us here in Denver any Friday from 2:30 to 4 p.m. the hard workers can then return to their work, others can take off early for the weekend. If you or any of your associates are visiting Denver, be sure to visit us. If you like the meeting we can help them start something similar in your hometown in cooperation with their local chamber or service club and community newspaper. We say it's 1X because if we are successful you will be too busy to come back the next week! _________________________________________________ WE need your help to help YOU! Starting now each Online IDEA Circle will be NEW, we will keep it fresh by using the dynamic Socrates Cafe format (thanks Chris Phillips), but limiting the focus to topics having to do with startup, a one time meeting where anyone can bring their startup problems and opportunities for a Fresh Thought Hunt (FTH,) for more about FTH see the HBR Press book "Just Start." We start and end with a meeting of the whole, the Fresh Thought Hunt itself will take place in groups of 3 through the magic of computer science. RSVP here now to make sure we save a seat for you. ' The NEW IDEA Circle is free and open to anyone and everyone who is starting something new, a new business prior to the first sale, or an established business or an individual who wants to start in a new direction. The only requirement is a clear statement of what you want the Fresh Thought Hunt to focus on for you. The first 10-minutes of each NEW IDEA Circle will be recorded and will be posted on our YouTube Channel for SBCC that has been inactive from it's founding long ago. (On YouTube search for Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Inc. or via Facebook/SmallBizChamber.) We encourage each of our SBCC fellow members to join us at a Socrates Cafe Online, Fridays, Saturdays, 1st Sundays, and Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Denver time, 8:30 p.m. Eastern, 5:30 p.m. Pacific, suggest the topic of startup or whatever topic might help you the most, and to eventually form a similar Socrates Cafe and New IDEA Cafe in your local library, coffee shop, or other public meeting place with the sponsorship of one of your local chambers of commerce and your local community newspaper. For more see our Facebook Page via www.SmallBizChamber.org and "Visit Group" to join while it's still free. Once you have started a Socrates Cafe or a NEW IDEA Circle, you will be invited to JOIN OUR NEW SBCC WREN COLLEGE and a FACULTY PEER GROUP, see https://WrenCollege.org for online application for being a faculty member and a student, and to request help starting your new Socrates Cafe. Questions about this are answered each week at our Monday Noon Newcomers workshop. ____________________________________________ We encourage you to: Watch one; Lead one; Start one! Be a startup catalyst for your community by starting an IDEA Cafe with your local community newspaper. Starting in a new direction? No matter what you want to start, a new career, a new project or campaign, or a new business, we can help you start faster, cheaper, and with less risk. The Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and our free, open meetings and peer groups are inspired by the clubs that formed in London during the English civil war that resulted in Sir Christopher Wren giving the first talk in a Franklin Circle type meeting that eventually became the Royal Academy. GROUND RULES: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY that has been developed over the last 20+ years is freely shared. You are welcome to take any of our procedures, forms, methods, and techniques to use for your own purpose, there is no charge. CONFIDENTIALITY We ask everyone to keep who attends and what is said by participants confidential, but there is, of course, no way we can be sure of this so protect your own anonymity by only using your last name, not giving anyone your contact information, etc. until you decide to be in our membership directory. MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY No RSVP ever is required and most don't until they decide to be an active member and to be in our published SBCC Denver Membership Directory. Next plan to publish a printed membership directory soon. SBCC Startup Method: The Practices of Imagine, Think, and Learn; to Start, Grow, and Flourish. OODA Loop. John S. Wren MBA founder Small Business Chamber of Commerce Inc, see http://www.SmallBizChamber.org or call (303)861-1447 Written by John Wren, see https://www.JohnWren.com Daring Might Things-- The Simplest Way to Start Personal Psychodynamic Processing-- My Experience.

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** GitHub Copilot is powerful, but what if you could scale from a solo AI assistant to an entire team of specialized agents working in parallel? This session introduces Squad: an open-source framework for multi-agent orchestration that lets you define teams of AI agents with specific roles, responsibilities, and expertise. We'll progress from Copilot basics to the Copilot CLI, explore how Agents add autonomy, and see how Instructions and Skills let you customize agent behavior. Then, the climax: a live demo where a Squad team of 3 agents (Lead, Developer, Tester) stands up and builds a working application in real-time, showcasing true multi-agent collaboration. Whether you're new to AI or exploring how to scale your use of Copilot, this session will show you what's possible when agents work as a team. **YouTube Link** TBD

Pay attention! We’re delaying a week for those of you who may be on Spring break and/or celebrating the holiday. Ok, no pancakes, but waffles-a-plenty. Join the local UX and Digital Design community for a casual monthly breakfast. Look for us upstairs!

**The Data-Driven Brand: Using Analytics to Shape Perception** Can you use analytics to improve tacos? This being CBUSDAW, we think the answer is probably “yes”, but we’re not sure how to implement or test this theory. For our April meetup we’ve got Sara Kear, CMO of Condado Tacos, to investigate this delicious question. Sara will explore how she blends quantitative data and qualitative customer feedback to shape brand positioning and drive business decisions. We all know that marketing and analytics go way beyond attribution. Sara will show how Condado uses customer insights to inform product and pricing strategy. She’ll also highlight how Condado leverages customer feedback at scale to influence operational priorities, positioning marketing as the voice of the customer across the organization. In the last 12 years Condado has gone from one location in Columbus to 52 locations across 10 states, so we’re guessing there’s more to that growth than really good guac (though the guac probably helps). Ultimately, this talk focuses on the intersection of art and science—using data to inform creativity and build a brand that resonates with customers in a measurable way. **About Our Speaker** Sara Kear is Chief Marketing Officer at Condado Tacos, where she oversees brand, restaurant design, menu and pricing strategy, off-premise including catering, and customer data strategy. Since joining in 2021, she has helped grow the brand from 19 to 52 locations while building a data-driven marketing organization focused on loyalty and customer insights. Condado has since been named to the Inc. 5000, recognized as Breakout Retailer by Chain Store Age, and consistently ranked among FastCasual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTES:** 1. The dates listed for this series are about 95% reliable. We are completing our 2026 schedule as we speak, so minor adjustments are still occurring. 2. Each class in this series has an attendance fee, though this first offering is free on a first-come, first-served basis. 3. Each class, from BOTH a sign-up and fee perspective, is a separate entity. **Introduction:** HTML5 is the foundational technology for modern web development, serving as the standard markup language for structuring and presenting content on the World Wide Web. Developed through a collaboration between the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG), HTML5 provides a robust system of elements (tags) that tell a browser how to display text, images, and multimedia in a clear and meaningful way. It works in concert with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for presentation and JavaScript for interactivity, forming the core technology stack for virtually all websites and many web applications today. One of the significant advancements of HTML5 is the introduction of powerful new features and elements designed to improve functionality and simplify development. Key additions include native multimedia support via the \ and \ tags, allowing developers to embed media without third-party plugins. It also offers new form controls for better user input, such as date and email types, and introduces web storage capabilities to store data offline for enhanced performance. These features streamline the process of building rich, interactive web experiences. A significant focus of HTML5 is enhanced semantics and better structural organization of content. New semantic elements like , , , , and \ provide meaningful structure to documents, which aids in search engine optimization (SEO) and improves accessibility for assistive technologies. These elements define different parts of a webpage (e.g., a header for the top, a nav for navigation links, a footer for the bottom), making the code more readable and understandable for both developers and machines. This emphasis on clear structure helps in creating more logical and maintainable websites. Developing websites in today's competitive environment requires taking advantage of every technique you can to get the maximum exposure possible. Our HTML5 class will not only show you what's new in the HTML specification, but also the best way to develop optimized web pages that get the attention your client and/or company requires. **The breakdown of the four-class series is as follows:** **Class 1: Introduction to Web Structure and Basic HTML5** This class introduces the core concepts of web development, the history of HTML, and the fundamental structure of an HTML5 document. * **Topics**: * **Web Architecture Overview**: How browsers, servers, and web pages interact. * **HTML Fundamentals**: Understanding elements, tags, and attributes. * **Basic Document Structure**: Using !DOCTYPE html, html, head, and body. * **Text Formatting**: Headings (h1 to h6), paragraphs (p), and text-level semantics (e.g., strong, em, br). * **Lists and Links**: Creating ordered (ol) and unordered (ul) lists, and linking between pages using anchor tags (a). * **Activity**: Students create a basic personal webpage containing text, a list of hobbies, and a link to an external website. **Class 2: Semantic HTML5 and Multimedia Integration** Class 2 focuses on modern HTML5 elements that provide meaning (semantics) to content, improving accessibility and search engine optimization. It also covers adding images and multimedia. * **Topics**: * **Semantic Elements**: Understanding and implementing elements like header, footer, nav, section, and article. * **Images**: Adding images using the img tag and attributes like src, alt, width, and height. * **Multimedia**: Embedding audio and video content using the audio and video tags. * **File and Folder Structure**: Best practices for organizing project files and managing file paths. * **Activity**: Students refactor their Class 1 project to use a proper semantic layout and add an image and a link to a video file. **Class 3: Forms and User Input** This session is dedicated to building interactive HTML5 forms, which are essential for capturing user data and input. * **Topics**: * **Form Basics**: Using the form element, action and method attributes. * **Input Types**: Exploring various input types (e.g., text, password, checkbox, radio, date, submit). * **Form Elements**: Utilizing label, textarea, select, option, and button. * **Client-side Validation**: Implementing HTML5 validation attributes like required, minlength, and pattern. * **Activity**: Students build a complete contact form with different input fields, radio buttons, and basic HTML5 validation. **Class 4: Introduction to CSS3 and Basic Styling** The final class introduces Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to style the HTML content and make the web pages visually appealing and accessible. * **Topics**: * **CSS Fundamentals**: The role of CSS, selectors, properties, and values. * **Integrating CSS**: Using inline, internal, and external style sheets. * **The Box Model**: Understanding margin, padding, border, and content for basic layout. * **Basic Styling**: Changing colors, fonts, and text alignment. * **Accessibility Basics**: Identifying principles of web design usability and accessibility, including ARIA labels. * **Activity**: Students apply an external CSS file to their Class 3 form project to style the layout, colors, and fonts, culminating in a well-structured and styled webpage.

At Evolve Synergy Sessions, you'll be part of a supportive mastermind where we share challenges, brainstorm solutions, and inspire one another to take bold steps in our businesses. Grow your network, gain fresh perspectives, and build meaningful relationships with like-minded women who are committed to success. Whether you’re looking to move the needle in your business or simply need a space to connect and recharge, this is the perfect place to fuel your entrepreneurial journey. [Add Event to Calendar](https://evolvecolumbus.eventcalendarapp.com/) \*\* Please note, we will be arriving around 8:15a for open networking! Get there early and get connected! Contact Alexis Morley at [alexis.morley@edwardjones.com](mailto:alexis.morley@edwardjones.com) or Terri Lawson at [terri.lawson@e-merge.com](mailto:terri.lawson@e-merge.com) for more information.

**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTES:** 1. The dates listed for this series are about 95% reliable. We are completing our 2026 schedule as we speak, so minor adjustments are still occurring. 2. Each class in this series has an attendance fee, though this first offering is free on a first-come, first-served basis. 3. Each class, from BOTH a sign-up and fee perspective, is a separate entity. **Introduction:** HTML5 is the foundational technology for modern web development, serving as the standard markup language for structuring and presenting content on the World Wide Web. Developed through a collaboration between the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG), HTML5 provides a robust system of elements (tags) that tell a browser how to display text, images, and multimedia in a clear and meaningful way. It works in concert with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for presentation and JavaScript for interactivity, forming the core technology stack for virtually all websites and many web applications today. One of the significant advancements of HTML5 is the introduction of powerful new features and elements designed to improve functionality and simplify development. Key additions include native multimedia support via the \ and \ tags, allowing developers to embed media without third-party plugins. It also offers new form controls for better user input, such as date and email types, and introduces web storage capabilities to store data offline for enhanced performance. These features streamline the process of building rich, interactive web experiences. A significant focus of HTML5 is enhanced semantics and better structural organization of content. New semantic elements like , , , , and \ provide meaningful structure to documents, which aids in search engine optimization (SEO) and improves accessibility for assistive technologies. These elements define different parts of a webpage (e.g., a header for the top, a nav for navigation links, a footer for the bottom), making the code more readable and understandable for both developers and machines. This emphasis on clear structure helps in creating more logical and maintainable websites. Developing websites in today's competitive environment requires taking advantage of every technique you can to get the maximum exposure possible. Our HTML5 class will not only show you what's new in the HTML specification, but also the best way to develop optimized web pages that get the attention your client and/or company requires. **The breakdown of the four-class series is as follows:** **Class 1: Introduction to Web Structure and Basic HTML5** This class introduces the core concepts of web development, the history of HTML, and the fundamental structure of an HTML5 document. * **Topics**: * **Web Architecture Overview**: How browsers, servers, and web pages interact. * **HTML Fundamentals**: Understanding elements, tags, and attributes. * **Basic Document Structure**: Using !DOCTYPE html, html, head, and body. * **Text Formatting**: Headings (h1 to h6), paragraphs (p), and text-level semantics (e.g., strong, em, br). * **Lists and Links**: Creating ordered (ol) and unordered (ul) lists, and linking between pages using anchor tags (a). * **Activity**: Students create a basic personal webpage containing text, a list of hobbies, and a link to an external website. **Class 2: Semantic HTML5 and Multimedia Integration** Class 2 focuses on modern HTML5 elements that provide meaning (semantics) to content, improving accessibility and search engine optimization. It also covers adding images and multimedia. * **Topics**: * **Semantic Elements**: Understanding and implementing elements like header, footer, nav, section, and article. * **Images**: Adding images using the img tag and attributes like src, alt, width, and height. * **Multimedia**: Embedding audio and video content using the audio and video tags. * **File and Folder Structure**: Best practices for organizing project files and managing file paths. * **Activity**: Students refactor their Class 1 project to use a proper semantic layout and add an image and a link to a video file. **Class 3: Forms and User Input** This session is dedicated to building interactive HTML5 forms, which are essential for capturing user data and input. * **Topics**: * **Form Basics**: Using the form element, action and method attributes. * **Input Types**: Exploring various input types (e.g., text, password, checkbox, radio, date, submit). * **Form Elements**: Utilizing label, textarea, select, option, and button. * **Client-side Validation**: Implementing HTML5 validation attributes like required, minlength, and pattern. * **Activity**: Students build a complete contact form with different input fields, radio buttons, and basic HTML5 validation. **Class 4: Introduction to CSS3 and Basic Styling** The final class introduces Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to style the HTML content and make the web pages visually appealing and accessible. * **Topics**: * **CSS Fundamentals**: The role of CSS, selectors, properties, and values. * **Integrating CSS**: Using inline, internal, and external style sheets. * **The Box Model**: Understanding margin, padding, border, and content for basic layout. * **Basic Styling**: Changing colors, fonts, and text alignment. * **Accessibility Basics**: Identifying principles of web design usability and accessibility, including ARIA labels. * **Activity**: Students apply an external CSS file to their Class 3 form project to style the layout, colors, and fonts, culminating in a well-structured and styled webpage.

**Confidence & Connection: Using Your Authentic Truth to Find Your People** Confidence isn’t just about believing in yourself, it’s about knowing where you belong and who you can grow alongside. In this April Confidence Lab Happy Hour, we’ll explore how living in your authentic truth helps you find your people, build meaningful collaborations, and create spaces where vulnerability is met with respect rather than risk. Together, we’ll reflect on what it looks like to advocate for yourself with clarity and care, and how confidence deepens when it’s rooted in connection rather than comparison. Featured speaker **Lachandra Baker**, founder of **[LBB Edutainment](https://www.lbbedutainment.com/)** and author of *Your Own Biggest Cheerleader*, will share reflections on authenticity, psychological safety, and the power of community over individual achievement. Drawing from personal stories—including the significance of turning 53—Lachandra will invite us into a conversation about showing up fully, being seen, and choosing relationships that support who you truly are. Expect a warm, welcoming atmosphere with space for reflection, shared insight, and intentional connection—plus drinks, light bites, and the kind of conversations that remind you you’re not meant to do this alone. Come as you are. Leave feeling clearer about your voice, your people, and the confidence that grows when both are aligned. **What is Confidence Lab?** Confidence Lab is a monthly community experience for bold, thoughtful leaders building confidence from the inside out. Whether you’re launching a business, leading a team, navigating change, or simply striving to show up more fully—you belong here. Our work demands clarity, courage, and conviction—but the pace of daily life can erode our sense of self. Confidence Lab creates space to reflect, reconnect, and grow with others doing purpose-driven work. It’s designed for entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, creatives, corporate professionals, activists, and anyone ready to lead with authenticity and impact. ***Please note:*** *All are welcome! If cost is a concern, please use promo code PUBLIC to access a free ticket—we want you to join us.*