Retooling yoU - The Meeting Startup

Retooling yoU is a series of online workshops to help you kick off your facilitation practice in 2025. Presented by me, Brian Tarallo of Lizard Brain, each workshop will bring you a different aspect of what it takes to build, launch, and grow your practice as a facilitator. We'll cover both facilitation methods and what it takes to run a facilitation business.

In rhe Meeting Startup: The make-or-break moment in the meeting, we'll cover how to frame a meeting for success. We'll discuss the four area you MUST cover at the beginning of every meeting that are the difference between success and failure. We'll discuss Framing: techniques used to create containers for honest and authentic conversations. And as a group, we'll share our best methods for setting the stage, creating the right atmosphere, and making sure everyone in the room is on the same page and ready to work as their best selves.

About Retooling yoU
I'm launching Retooling yoU because 2025 has seen massive churn and upheaval in the DC area. I firmly believe that when one door closes, another door opens, and this may be the time for you to finally launch your facilitation practice. I'm not charging for this workshop, but I will be inviting a "Pay-What-Feels-Right" donation during the workshop. To quote Reinventing Organizations author Frederic Laloux, "I cannot know what [this] is worth to you, so a fixed price does not make much sense. Pay-What-Feels-Right is an experiment in abundance where I trust that when I give, I will also receive. In my mind, Pay-What-Feels-Right is not free. It's an invitation to give what feels right for the value you've received and/or the support you want to give me to continue doing my work."

About Brian Tarallo
Hi there. I'm Brian. I'm one of the co-founders of NOVA Scribes, and I'm the managing director of Lizard Brain. I specialize in visual and virtual facilitation. I've got more than a few certifications in facilitation, including:

• INIFAC MCF - International Institute for Facilitation Master Certified Facilitator, one of 80 globally (2025).
• IAF M|CPF - International Association of Facilitators Master Certified Professional Facilitator, one of 78 globally (2024).
• IFVP-I MVP - International Forum of Visual Practitioners – Institute Master Visual Practitioner, one of 8 globally (2024).
• INIFAC CVF - International Institute of Facilitation Certified Virtual Facilitator (2020).
• MBTI MP - Meyers Briggs Type Indicator Master Practitioners, one of 160 globally (2019).
• PMI PMP - Project Management Institute Project Management Professional (2010).
• MBA - Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University focusing on development and finance (2005).

...plus a bunch of other certifications for tools and assessments. Beginning as a Peace Corps volunteer, I've been facilitating since 2001. I'm the author of the #1 Amazon bestseller, Surviving the Horror of Online Meetings. In 2023, I was awarded an IAF Facilitation Impact Award. My work is primarily with the federal and state government, defense, engineering, and healthcare industries.