Financial Engineering

**Join us for a joint meetup with our friends from Qodo and Tessl** AI coding agents are increasingly embedded in production workflows, but their failure modes are often poorly understood, difficult to detect, and even harder to evaluate systematically. ​This session examines how agent-based systems degrade under real-world conditions, focusing on three critical dimensions: reliability, code quality, and security. We’ll look at where current evaluation approaches fall short, how non-determinism and context drift impact correctness, and why seemingly “successful” generations can still introduce latent defects or vulnerabilities. ​If you’re building, evaluating, or deploying AI agents in production systems, this session will provide a grounded view of where they fail and what it takes to make them robust **Agenda** * ​​​6:00pm Venue opens * ​Join us for Drinks and Pizza! * ​​​6:30pm **Hidden Failure Modes for AI Agents** by Nupur Sharma * ​6:50pm Panel Discussion * ​**Panelists** * ​**Simon Maple -** Developer Relations at Tessl * ​**Brian Vermeer** \- Staff Developer Advocate at Snyk * ​**Nupur Sharma -** Solutions Engineer at Qodo * ​**Kunal Kushwaha -** Senior Developer Advocate EMEA at Cast AI **SPEAKERS** **​** **Simon Maple - Developer Relations at Tessl** ​Simon Maple is the Head of Developer Relations at Tessl, and AI Native Dev co-host. Previously, Simon was the Field CTO, and VP Developer Relations at Snyk, ZeroTurnaround, and IBM. He became a Java Champion in 2014, JavaOne Rockstar speaker in 2014 and 2017, Duke’s Choice award winner, Virtual JUG founder and organiser, and London Java Community co-leader ​ ​**Brian Vermeer** \- Staff Developer Advocate at Snyk ​Staff Developer Advocate for Snyk, Java Champion, and Software Engineer with over a decade of hands-on experience in creating and maintaining software. He is passionate about Java, (Pure) Functional Programming and Cybersecurity. Brian is a JUG leader for the Virtual JUG and the NLJUG. He also co-leads the DevSecCon community and is a community manager for Foojay. He is a regular international speaker on mostly Java-related conferences like JavaOne, Devnexus, Devoxx, Jfokus, JavaZone and many more. Besides all that, Brian is a military reserve for the Royal Netherlands Air Force and a Taekwondo Master / Teacher. ​ ​**Nupur Sharma -** Solutions Engineer at Qodo ​ ​**Kunal Kushwaha -** Senior Developer Advocate EMEA at Cast AI ***

Agents are writing code, running workflows, and building other agents. ​ The challenge isn’t basic functionality. It’s getting these systems to operate predictably in production, and integrating them into how teams build and ship software. ​This session covers both. ​ From a production lens: how to build agentic systems using spec-driven development, structured context, and evaluation loops that hold up at scale. ​From a human lens: what breaks when agents become collaborators. Ownership, coordination, and how teams actually adapt. ​Speakers: ​**Clifton Cunningham** ​**Member of Technical Staff, [guidemode.dev](https://guidemode.dev/?utm_source=luma) \| Former CTO at DailyMail\, Infinitas Learning\, TES Global** ​Clifton will explore what happens when AI agents become part of your team. Drawing on experience leading large-scale engineering organisations, he’ll unpack the human, cultural, and operational challenges of working alongside AI colleagues. ​**Alfonso Graziano** ​**AI Tech Lead\, Nearform \| Author of *AI-Native Software Engineering*** ​Alfonso will walk through how to build agents that build and maintain other agents. A practical, production-focused session covering spec-driven development, context engineering, evaluation loops, and how to make agentic systems reliable at scale. ​ Join us for pizza, drinks, and practical AI insights.

High tech discussions at the edge of Bitcoin innovation **[TICKETS HERE](https://btcpay.btc.aw/apps/rvvVwGSSSiJ7UgtzjmBdxy1Uq6a/pos "https://btcpay.btc.aw/apps/rvvVwGSSSiJ7UgtzjmBdxy1Uq6a/pos")** Antoine Riard discusses Ark. Technical knowledge advised, all levels welcome. Promotional activities related to shitcoins not permitted. No unsolicited photograhy. Peace and love.

***Enter the live meeting room here: [https://discord.gg/5wgxtr4c2u](https://discord.gg/5wgxtr4c2u)*** ***Download the engine here: [https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/download](https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/download)*** Welcome to the **Unreal Engine Workshop!** In each session we'll tackle essential game design discussions, then transition into hands-on project creation. Participants will build and expand their skills continuously as we explore every aspect of game development. From basic blueprints and interactive mechanics, to advanced rigging, animation, environment design, and lighting, we'll work our way up to creating small complete games. We encourage experimentation and peer teaching, so whether you're a beginner or experienced developer looking to deepen your expertise, our sessions provide a supportive environment to learn, create, and innovate together in Unreal Engine 5.

Antoine Riard is, among other things, a contributor to both Bitcoin Core and the Lightning Network. In this event, he will share his expertise and knowledge about Ark: a technology that aims to help address some of Bitcoin's known limitations at scale. He will share its benefits, tradeoffs and his opinions. Don't miss this event, hosted at Cyphermunk House! Location: **9 John Street, Holborn, London, WC1N 2ES** Date: Wednesday 8th April 2026 Time: 18:30 Find more info and purchase a ticket (first timers are free) here: https://www.cyphermunkhouse.com/events

Hi everyone, Looking forward to the Bank Holiday? So are we! What better way to return to the workweek than a cheeky after-work networking event! This event will be relaxed and informal, with the chance to meet and connect with other Women in Product London members. Please join us on **Wednesday 8th April** for a quick drink and a chat at [The Jack Horner Pub ](https://www.jackhornerpub.co.uk/)on Tottenham Court Road (nearest station) from 6:00pm until around 8:00pm. Spaces are limited so please make sure you book now. As this event is not sponsored, any food or drinks you order will need to be paid for at the bar. See you soon The WIP London team x

**Important:** Register on the [event website](https://www.aicamp.ai/event/eventdetails/W2026040809) is required for admission. **RSVP on meetup is turned off** Enjoy afterwork drinks and practical discussions on Apache Kafka, ClickHouse, PostgreSQL and much more. Enjoy a session designed for data engineers, architects and technical decisions-makers like you, who want to address the challenges they face in data-infrastructure. No high-level pitches but straight into practical discussions on how to build scalable, efficient open sourced-powered data platforms. **Why Attend?** * Connect with local data and tech professionals * Get practical insights into streaming, storage, and analytics with Kafka, Iceberg, PostgreSQL, and ClickHouse * Learn how to reduce operational overhead while scaling your data infrastructure performance * Bring your questions and challenges for direct discussions with Aiven experts **Agenda:** * 4:00pm\~4:30pm: Checkin, Food, Networking * 4:30pm\~6:00pm: Tech talks and Q&A * 6:00pm\~7:00pm: Happy hour, Open discussion, Networking * **Tech Talk: Context Is the New Infrastructure** **Speaker:** Stan Dmitriev (Aiven) **Tech Talk: Apache Kafka on Aiven** **Speaker:** Hugh Evans (Aiven)

**Beginners Tango dance classes/course** Learn the first basics of how we dance Argentinean Tango * in a very friendly relaxed environment * in small but dynamic class groups * with professional teachers * both individuals & couples welcome * no previous dance experience required Every other month we start a new **8 week** intensive beginners' course for absolute beginners *(that we would love for you to join and experience).* **What are your options?** ✅ You can choose to attend individual **drop-in classes** ✅ Signing up to one of our **8 week beginners courses** ✅ The most value for money you will get out of our **Memberships** *(membership offer unlimited beginners classes at all our venues)* **Starts:** Thursday 12th March 2026 **Class dates:** 12, 19, 26 Mar, 09, 16, 23, 30 Apr **Time:** 19.00 - 20.00 **Location:** [The Wesley in Camden](https://maps.app.goo.gl/JRmQUpoffto229mW8)

Hi friends, Off to a great start! Our first event made one thing clear, we got together because we all agree it’s surprisingly hard to meet others in our field outside of work or a commercial conference. As a smaller group, we make meaningful connections with like-minded actuaries and quants. Lifelong friendships are forged along the way! Whether you're a veteran, a rising star, or simply new in town and want to expand your social circle, get into the insurance and banking space, or see a friend you know, this is the place to be! No guest speakers nor rigid agenda, just a casual meetup and lots of fun conversation! 🥳 We're also on Luma, so please follow us there too! [https://luma.com/friendly-actuaries](https://luma.com/friendly-actuaries) See you soon! NOTE: Please remember to bring your ID with you, as all guests must be of legal age to enter the venue. **About Us** We're a sister group of [The Friendly Data Meetup London](https://www.meetup.com/the-friendly-data-meetup/?eventOrigin=home_groups_you_organize), a bootstrapped 2000+ person group (and still maintains that small cozy vibe!). This one is focused on actuaries and quants :D 🤗 Welcome actuaries, quants and friends! Sometimes, it can be difficult to make friends within the field, and that's what we're all about! We're a group of like minded individuals who understand the highs and lows of working in finance and insurance. ✅ Our primary goal is to have higher quality conversations that are more meaningful, with smaller groups so that we get to spend more attention on each individual. 💯 If you're already reading this, you're definitely welcome! We welcome everyone, whether you're already in the field, looking to get started or just curious! 🗨️ Bring your friends, bring your plus ones, we're all just here to have a good laugh and a good chat about the world, even if it isn't always about our work. **Our values:** 📖 Openness - We welcome everyone 🤝 Trust - Build long-lasting friendships together 💝 Care - Be kind to others and help each other out **Who it's for:** \- Life Actuaries \- Non\-Life Actuaries \- Health Actuaries \- Pensions Actuaries \- Reinsurance Actuaries \- Quantitative Analysts \- Quantitative Traders \- Investment Bankers \- Portfolio Managers \- Financial Engineers \- Entrepreneurs\, Contractors \- Anyone who works with Insurance\, Pensions\, Hedge Funds\, Investment Banks\, Asset Managers etc\. \- Anyone looking to get into the space \- Friends **How to Make the Most of the Meetup** The Friendly Meetup for Actuaries and Quants has one simple purpose: meaningful connections. We're not just a community of people, we're friends who get invested in each others lives. We check in on our friends regularly, and personally. So come and join us, more than just once or twice! **Code of Conduct:** The Friendly Meetup welcomes all genders, nationalities, ethnicities, backgrounds, identities etc. There is a strict no discrimination policy in adherence to our code of conduct and our guiding principles. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for hateful or antisocial behaviour. In short, be kind to others. Do not insult or put down others. Behave professionally, don't make others uncomfortable. Remember that harassment and sexist, racist, or exclusionary jokes are not appropriate for The Friendly Meetup.

**Join the London Investors and Traders Group for an afternoon of discussion and networking focused on trading and investing** Whether you are a short-term trader or a long-term investor, this event offers a platform to discuss market trends, exchange ideas and strategies, and potentially collaborate on future trade and investment projects. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your trading and investing knowledge and skills while making valuable connections in the trading and investing community. **This event is only for members who have posted RSVPs here.** (Please change your RSVPs early if you are unable to attend so that some of those on the waitlist could) **AGENDA** **15.00 Meet Greet and Network** **16:30 Discussion** Topics for Talks & Discussion: **Current Developments** in the Financial Markets **Active, Passive & Systematic** Investing Strategies **Trading Strategies for** Short, Medium & long-term **Followed by Q&A** **18:30 Close** **We look forward to meeting you at this event!** *(We are a peer group of Investors and Traders, not an advisory service)*

Flamenco Dance Classes for Beginners at Danceworks every Sunday! We will work on the placement of the body, the perception of the rhythm, clapping, footwork, movements of arms and head. Choreography depending on the level: Alegrías, Bulerías, Tangos, etc. We will learn or perfect the four Sevillanas. If you have dancing shoes and clothes, bring them. Otherwise, don't worry, just feel comfortable to dance! When? **Every Sunday** Time: **12:00 - 13:00** Where? **Danceworks** 16 Balderton St, London W1K 6TN Studio 4 Nearest Tube stations: **Bond St.** Marble Arch Cost? £12 per class. **Book here:** https://danceworks.com/london/classes/timetable/ Class bookings become available 7 days in advance. Online bookings close 15 minutes before the class starts but you can book in person up to the start time. **Waiting lists are available.** ***About Maika:*** Maika is a flamenco and Spanish dance teacher with more than 17 years of experience, teaching adults and children in Spain, the United States of America, Mexico, Canada and UK. She also led flamenco classes at Rey Juan Carlos University from 2013 to 2018. Born and raised in Madrid (Spain), she began studying ballet and Spanish dance from the tender age of nine. Maika studied at Karen Taft Dance Academy and Flamenco Centre “Amor de Dios”, majoring in Spanish Dance at Conservatory of Dance in Madrid. In 2003, she was awarded a certificate in Teaching Methodology Applied to Spanish Dance and then focused her career on dance education. Maika has continued her professional training alongside teachers including Antonio Canales, Alfonso Losa, La Lupi, Rojas and Rodriguez. Maika co-founded the company Spanish Flamenco Tour, based in Miami (USA), a business dedicated to promoting flamenco and Spanish culture, to a local audience. Adding more strings to her bow, Maika embarked on a Master´s Degree in Leadership and Management of Cultural Projects at Institute of Dance “Alicia Alonso”, Rey Juan Carlos University. Her final master’s project was based on the promotion of Spanish dance, receiving a First-Class Degree. Maika’s classes are designed to extract every student’s natural ability to dance and show them how wonderful and fun, this art form is.

Meet out front at ten to 1pm (12:50) and go in together Join Lester Hillman for a talk about John Harrison, master clockmaker. I have long been fascinated by historic issues with measuring longitude. Rather important for ships to know where they had sailed to! This problem couldn't be solved until clocks were accurate enough, and capable of functioning aboard ships. Please join me. RSVP as soon as you know, I still need to request more tickets. The attendance fee is £2.50, thank you.

Elixir London Meetup; February 2026 edition. All are welcome. **Session 1: Anton Borisov - Distilling Kafka's Binary Protocol into Elixir** We'll trace a produce request to show what any Kafka client has to get right. In the BEAM ecosystem, erlkaf wraps librdkafka, brod implements the protocol in Erlang, and [kafka_ex](https://hex.pm/packages/kafka_ex) goes pure Elixir. Kafka_ex's approach is to generate serializers at compile time from Kafka's own schema definitions: plain structs, pattern matching, structural boilerplate isolated from the logic you actually think about. That design is what let us jump two major versions ahead and adapt to significant protocol changes. Let's dig into the idea, the code, and the tradeoffs. **Session 2: Evadne Wu** **\- JavaScript Execution Strategies in Elixir\-based Agent Frameworks** We'll look at integration points between elixir agents (in the AI fashion) and JavaScript execution, and all the foot guns involved. *The event is kindly sponsored by* [Fresha](https://www.fresha.com). **Time** Doors open at 18, start at 18.30. **Venue** Fresha The Bower, 207-211, Old St, Tower, London EC1V 9NR **Refreshments** Food and drinks will be provisioned on the day. **IMPORTANT**: **If you wish to take photos and post online during the event, please notify organisers first, so that attendees can opt-out from being in photos.**

**£10 CASH FOR YOGA / £10 CASH FOR BOOK CLUB - payable on the door** **Bitcoin discount [HERE](https://btcpay.btc.aw/apps/rvvVwGSSSiJ7UgtzjmBdxy1Uq6a/pos "https://btcpay.btc.aw/apps/rvvVwGSSSiJ7UgtzjmBdxy1Uq6a/pos")** Join Storm and Annie V for another mind/body session at Cyphermunk House. Yoga starts at 11am - please bring your own mat. Munk Brunch follows at Ana's Deli from 12pm. Book club starts at 1:30pm. Promotional activities related to altcoins not permitted. No unsolicited photograhy. Peace and love.

If you are interested in selecting investment choices for your 401(k) or other workplace savings plan, minimizing your income tax liability, or identifying the most effective investments for your brokerage account, we are the group for you. We are a local chapter of Bogleheads**®**, whose investment strategy can be found here: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bogleheads%C2%AE_investment_philosophy Or you can peruse the Boglehead forum here: https://www.bogleheads.org/index.php I look forward to seeing you there. Mark Vonder Haar

**Welcome to the Women’s Columbus Bogleheads® Sub-Group** This sub-group is for **women who want to learn and discuss finances in a safe, supportive space**. For those interested in moving towards financial independence and retirement by learning investment basics, choosing your 401(k) investments, minimizing taxes, and more. We’re a local chapter of **Bogleheads®**, following a long-term, practical investment philosophy: [Investment Philosophy](https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bogleheads%C2%AE_investment_philosophy): https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bogleheads%C2%AE_investment_philosophy [Bogleheads Forum](https://www.bogleheads.org/index.php): https://www.bogleheads.org/index.php No question is too small, and no experience is too simple. Share, ask, and learn — at your own pace, without judgment, in a group of like-minded women. Let’s build confidence and knowledge **together**!

Learn how seller finance and notes can create cash flow and new deal opportunities with 40-year investor Eddie Speed **FREE TICKET** 🎟️ https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-structure-real-estate-deals-using-seller-finance-and-notes-tickets-1984826171509?aff=cicmeetupapp Most real estate investors only know one way to make money: Buy the property. Fix the property. Rent it or sell it. But there’s another side of real estate that can create cash flow, flexibility, and opportunity without only focusing on owning more property. At this month’s Columbus Investors Club, Tiffany and Josh High are sitting down with Eddie Speed - a real estate veteran with 40 years of experience who has closed more than 50,000 note deals. He has spent decades helping investors understand how to structure deals through seller finance and notes, and how to think more like the bank instead of just the buyer. This will be a practical conversation around a part of real estate most people have heard about, but very few truly understand. If you’ve ever wanted to know how to create more opportunities in deals, generate cash flow in a different way, or understand how seller finance actually works in the real world, this is a night you want to be in the room for. You’ll walk away thinking about deals differently, seeing new possibilities, and understanding how creative structuring can open doors that traditional investing alone can’t. **What You’ll Learn** * How seller finance works in real estate deals * How notes fit into real estate and create opportunity * How to structure deals more creatively * How investors generate cash flow by focusing on the payment * How to think like the bank instead of only focusing on owning the property * How this strategy can create flexibility in today’s market **Open Q&A - Ask Eddie Anything About** * Seller finance and how to use it in real deals * How notes work in a practical, beginner-friendly way * Creating cash flow without only relying on rentals * Structuring deals that others might miss * How experienced investors think differently about financing * Common mistakes investors make when they only focus on the property **Why You Should Be in the Room** Because the investors who win in the long run know how to do more than just buy houses. They know how to structure.They know how to create terms.They know how to see opportunities other people miss. This is the kind of conversation that can expand the way you think about real estate entirely. Come ready to learn, ask questions, take notes, and connect with people who are serious about growing in this business. **Reserve your free seat now - and be part of the conversation.** Grab your spot here ➡️ https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-structure-real-estate-deals-using-seller-finance-and-notes-tickets-1984826171509?aff=cicmeetupapp

💥 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐚 💥 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: 💥 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝: 𝐀𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐥 𝐈𝐲𝐚! . 💥 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟏𝟖 💥 𝟖 𝐩𝐦 – 𝟏 𝐚𝐦 . 🟣 Salsa, Bachata, and Merengue 🟣 Dancing All Night Long! . 👉 𝐁𝐮𝐲 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐚𝐭: [https://columbussalsadancing.com/live-salsa-band-tickets-early/](https://columbussalsadancing.com/live-salsa-band-tickets-early/) . Lincoln Street Salsa 1717 Brice Rd Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068 . 🟣 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 8:00 pm – 8:30 pm . 🟣 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧! 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm . 🟣 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝! 9:30 pm – 1:00 am . ✅ Cover Includes Dance Lesson and/or Party! . 👉 𝐁𝐮𝐲 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐚𝐭: [https://columbussalsadancing.com/live-salsa-band-tickets-early/](https://columbussalsadancing.com/live-salsa-band-tickets-early/) . 👉 $𝟐𝟓 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 (𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝟒/𝟒 @ 𝟓 𝐩𝐦!) . 👉 $𝟑𝟎 𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐨𝐫 . ✅ 𝐍𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲! ✅ 𝐍𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝! ✅ Always Other People to Dance With! ✅ Singles, Couples, Beginners, and Pros Welcome! . ✅ BYOB ✅ 18+ . ✅ 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬? 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭: LincolnStreetSalsa.com 𝐎𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝: 𝟔𝟏𝟒-𝟕𝟕𝟒-𝟖𝟏𝟒𝟔 . 👉 𝐁𝐮𝐲 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐚𝐭: [https://columbussalsadancing.com/live-salsa-band-tickets-early/](https://columbussalsadancing.com/live-salsa-band-tickets-early/) .

The Fellowship of the Star Schema: Transforming OLTP Data for Power BI One does not simply build reports on OLTP data. Join us on an epic journey from the depths of raw, normalized tables to the shining halls of a well-modeled star schema fit for Power BI greatness. We will demystify the differences between OLTP and OLAP, walk through star schema vs snowflake (and why Power BI has a clear favorite), and show you the compression differences between normalized and columnar storage that will make you never look at an OLTP model the same way again. We will cover the different types of dimensions, when to use them, and how to handle Slowly Changing Dimensions without losing your mind. You will leave knowing exactly how to identify a bad model, how to convert OLTP data into a clean star schema, and how to forge relationships that rule them all. Whether you are a data wizard, a curious hobbit, or somewhere in between, your models will never be the same.

Let’s get together at the Crowne Plaza and talk deals, creative finance, problem solving, whatever you want! Hubert Bruce Hosts, COREE members share ideas and resources. Open to the public!

**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)