Leadership

Ready to captivate any audience, nail your next presentation, or give feedback that people actually enjoy hearing? Then come check out **First Berlin Toastmasters**, Berlin's oldest public speaking club. We're a warm, supportive, and international community here to learn, practice, and grow together. Our meetings are full of laughter, and every voice adds something special. The stage is a safe space, so come by, listen, and see how much fun communication can be. Please, be our guest! The most important people in the room aren't the speakers, they're the audience. Your presence, energy, and reactions are what bring the evening to life. **When** 🗓️ Every **1st & 3rd Wednesday** of the month 🕒 Doors open at **6:30 PM** \- Event starts at **6:45 PM** sharp **Where** St. Lukas-Kirche (near Anhalter Bahnhof) Bernburger Straße 4-5 10963 Berlin 📍 [https://goo.gl/maps/AhDfDmVndqbC9A1C9](https://goo.gl/maps/AhDfDmVndqbC9A1C9) You’ll find us in the **Gemeindesaal** on the first floor of the building to the right of the church. We look forward to welcoming you! Best wishes, John aka Yevgen Schweden - VP Public Relations Important note: We take pictures and clips during our meetings for promotional use only. By attending our meetings, you agree to that by default. If you don´t want to be on any picture, please let the VP PR or another representative from the board know (for example the president.)

**Prepared Speech Contest 2026** Mercury Toastmasters Berlin invites you to a special Prepared Speech Contest at Das Center, Potsdamer Platz, in the stunning Historic Imperial Breakfast Hall. This is not a regular meeting. It’s a showcase. Our strongest speakers take the stage and deliver their very best speeches, competing for the top spot. Expect polish, passion, structure, storytelling, and impact at a higher level. What’s in it for you * 🎤 Outstanding prepared top speeches * 🏆 A live contest atmosphere * 💡 Insight you can apply immediately * 🌍 A vibrant, international audience Whether you love powerful storytelling, want to see excellence in action, or are curious about how great speeches are built, this evening will raise your standards. Be inspired. See public speaking in action. **Learn from the best. All are welcome. Free entry.** *Whether you want to speak up at work, boost your presence, or just meet inspiring people, you’ll feel at home at Mercury Toastmasters Berlin.* *** **[What to Expect:](https://mercurytoastmasters.de/find-toastmasters-meetings-in-berlin/)** ✨ A supportive space to speak, grow, and connect 🎤 Engaging prepared speeches ⚡ Fun, fast-paced impromptu speaking challenges 💬 Feedback session you can actually use 🌍 A friendly, international crowd (around 25–30 people) **No experience needed.** ***Come curious. Leave energized.*** *** **🤙 [Hear it from our members:](https://maps.app.goo.gl/eRtvR9DRNqU9WZQn7)** *“You can sharpen your public speaking skills and gain tons of confidence, while having fun and making new friends. Mercury is well-structured, fun, and affordable.”* — *Therese Pitt* *“Mercury gave me a safe place to speak, create, and grow. I love the multicultural vibe and supportive community. It’s the best place to learn and have fun.”* — *Krisztina Linka* *** **[Did You Know?](https://mercurytoastmasters.de/about-mercury-toastmasters-berlin/)** Toastmasters is where people go to get better at speaking—and grow into confident communicators and leaders. Today [Toastmasters ](https://mercurytoastmasters.de/about-mercury-toastmasters-berlin/)has 350,000+ members across 16,000 clubs in 143 countries. And [Mercury](https://mercurytoastmasters.de/find-toastmasters-meetings-in-berlin/) is one of the best places to experience it. So bring your curiosity, your energy—and just be yourself. Whether you’re just starting or ready to level up, there’s a place for you here. *** **[Wondering what you get as a member?](https://mercurytoastmasters.de/membership-mercury-toastmasters-berlin/)** Think expert feedback, real-world speaking practice, and a supportive crew that’s got your back. [See you Wednesday night! 🎉](https://mercurytoastmasters.de/find-toastmasters-meetings-in-berlin/)

English: Join our weekly training session for an introduction to the underwater hockey sport. Training sessions are in English and German. Please consider joining only if you have experience swimming and snorkelling beforehand. We are looking forward to seeing you :) Deutsch: **Nimm an unserem wöchentlichen Training für eine Einführung in den Unterwasser-Hockey-Sport teil.** Die Trainingseinheiten finden auf Englisch und Deutsch statt. Bitte nimm nur teil, wenn du bereits Erfahrung im Schwimmen und Schnorcheln hast. Wir freuen uns auf dich! :)

🎙️ **Redewettbewerb – Die Bühne gehört den Mutigen\! \| 4\. März** Am 4.3. wird es kraftvoll, persönlich und inspirierend: Unser **Wettbewerb für vorbereitete Reden** steht an! ## 🏆 Vorbereitete Reden (5–7 Minuten) **8 Teilnehmer** betreten die Bühne – jede Rede sorgfältig vorbereitet, jede Botschaft mit eigener Handschrift. 5 bis 7 Minuten Zeit, um zu berühren, zu überzeugen oder neue Perspektiven zu eröffnen. Wichtig: Wer die Mindestzeit unterschreitet oder die Höchstzeit überschreitet, wird disqualifiziert. Präzision ist hier kein Detail, sondern Spielregel. Die Gewinner dieses Abends qualifizieren sich für den **Area-Wettbewerb** am 21. März und vertreten unseren Club auf der nächsten Ebene. ☕ **Pause** Zeit zum Durchatmen, Austauschen und Staunen über das Gehörte. ## 🎯 Zielrede & 12 Feedbacks Nach der Pause erwartet uns eine besondere Herausforderung: Eine **Zielrede (5–7 Minuten)** von einem Redner von außerhalb. Und dann wird es intensiv: Diese Rede erhält **12 Feedbacks**, jeweils 2–3 Minuten. Zwölf Perspektiven. Zwölf Blickwinkel. Zwölf Mal konstruktive Rückmeldung. Ein Abend voller Redekunst, Präzision und wertschätzender Analyse. Wenn Worte Gewicht bekommen und Feedback zu Wachstum wird, dann weiß man: Hier entsteht Entwicklung live auf der Bühne. 🎤✨ Komm vorbei, lass dich inspirieren und wachse mit uns!

[*Registration form required below*] **Interested in Japanese sword fighting or Japanese culture? Come join a trial and experience the traditional Samurai art at Katori Shintō-ryū in Schöneberg.** **Trial Fee**: **25€**/ session (2hr). Classes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 19:00 to 21:00. **!!SIGN UP HERE**: [Katori Shinto-ryū Berlin Sign-up (google.com)](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBt4A13VgnEcgQQ2PDaruthmYMRWineG4KtUCKsuC9KBsCUQ/viewform) Registration is required before your participation so that we can prepare enough training equipment. **Address**: Belziger Str. 25, 10823 Berlin. **No previous experience required!** The classes are in English and German. **Our website**: [Kenjutsu Berlin - Official school of Katori Shinto-ryu in Berlin (katoriberlin.org)](https://katoriberlin.org/) **Katori Shintō-ryū** is one of the oldest Japanese sword fighting traditions (koryū) still practised today and is recognized by the Japanese government as a cultural intangeable asset. The school was founded in the middle of the 15th century by Iizasa Chōisai Ienao at the Katori Shrine (Katori jingū) and has become the origin of numerous other martial arts schools over the course of its almost 600-year history. The training consists of the continuous repetition of fixed sequences of movements (kata) and includes the use of classic Japanese weapons such as the sword (iai-jutsu, battō-jutsu, ken-jutsu, ryōtō-jutsu, kodachi-jutsu), the long staff (bō-jutsu), the lance (naginata-jutsu) and the spear (sō-jutsu), as well as unarmed disciplines, tactics and spiritual aspects. **The Katori Berlin dojo** is the only official shibu of Otake Nobutoshi-shihan’s dojo Shinbukan in Germany and fully dedicated to the transmission and study of one martial tradition: Tenshinshō-den Katori Shintō-ryū. Through these efforts we aim to contribute to the cultural preservation of this martial tradition. The dojo has one officially appointed shidosha. **Our sensei**: Sebastian Graetz has been active in martial arts since 1997. After almost 15 years of taekwondo in Berlin, he started with Katori Shintō-ryū in Asia in 2014. Since then, he has studied in Japan with Ōtake Risuke-shihan and Ōtake Nobutoshi-shihan, and in Vietnam with Malte Stokhof-shihandai. In 2023, he received his Menkyo license and permission to set up a training group in Berlin the following year.

Welcome to the very first meetup of our new community! As we mentioned in our group description, the way we build and deliver software is evolving rapidly. We are kicking things off by bringing together Berlin’s engineers, architects, and tech leaders to discuss the shift from standard automation to **Agentic AI** and **intelligent cloud workflows.** For this premiere event, we are currently finalizing a lineup of two deep-dive talks that will explore practical use cases in this emerging field. We will update this page with the specific speaker details and talk titles very soon—stay tuned! **What to expect:** * **Insightful Talks:** Real-world perspectives on where software delivery is heading (Speaker below) * **No Fluff:** We’re here to move beyond the buzzwords and discuss what actually works. * **Great Company:** Plenty of time to grab a cold drink, enjoy some snacks, and connect with peers who are facing the same challenges and opportunities in the cloud-native space. **Speaker:** Milan Wiezorek – Head of Customer Engineering, Google Cloud ([https://www.linkedin.com/in/milanwiezorek/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/milanwiezorek/ "https://www.linkedin.com/in/milanwiezorek/")) **Talk:** "Operating Agentic Eco-Systems at Scale" Milan helps government and healthcare institutions harness secure, resilient AI to solve society's biggest challenges. He previously led AI industrialization for the German automotive industry – spearheading the Gemini-powered Mercedes-Benz 2026 CLA launch, scaling workflow automation for Bosch, and accelerating R&D for Volkswagen through AI surrogate modeling. **Speaker:** Ahmed Diab – Consultant Cloud Engineering (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmed-diab-ac/) **Talk:** "Pioneering the Future of Agentic DevOps: Why Mindset Matters More Than Tools" Ahmed is a DevOps and cloud engineer working with modern automation and AI-assisted tooling in production environments. He focuses on how agentic systems are applied in practice, where they help, and where careful choices are needed when adopting new tools in DevOps workflows. Whether you are already experimenting with AI agents in your pipeline or just want to understand what the hype is about, you’ll feel right at home.

\*\* Eintritt: 10-20 Euro (nach eigenen Möglichkeiten)\*\* **Sichere Dir Deinen Platz mit [einem Ticket (Eventbrite).](https://www.eventbrite.de/e/nur-fur-frauen-neue-freundinnen-in-berlin-workshop-tickets-1982769849996)** Falls Du doch nicht kommen kannst, sage bitte hier auf Meetup ab und gib Deinen Platz frei. Wir fangen 19:00 Uhr an. Sei deshalb bitte pünktlich 18:45 Uhr da. Ein späterer Einlass ist nicht möglich, weil wir mitten im Flow sind. **Vielen Dank Dir** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Menschen mit guten Freunden leben länger, glücklicher und gesünder. Außerdem machen gute Freundinnen einfach Spaß.** . Deshalb biete ich Freundschaftsworkshop an. . Manche sagen: "Es ist schwierig, in Berlin gute Freundinnen zu finden." Berlin, die Stadt der 1000 Möglichkeiten ... ich kenne das auch. . \*\* Dann machen wir einen Workshop!\*\* 1. Maximal 40 Frauen. 2. Eine leichte Moderation führt durch den Abend 3. Ihr lernt Euch kennen und habt Spaß. 4. Wer mag, trifft sich wieder. . Du wirst überrascht sein, wie vertraut Du mit vielen nach 3 Stunden sein wirst - so, als ob Ihr Euch schon lange kennt. . \*\* 4 Jahre Arbeit - 1 Workshop\*\* Vier Jahre habe ich geforscht und ausprobiert, wie Menschen Freunde werden & was die Magie der Freundschaft ausmacht. Das Ergebnis ist dieser Abend. . Praxisnahe, schnell umsetzbare Tipps, die Du schnell in den Alltag umsetzen kannst. Kleine Happen zur Theorie. - Und vor allem: Kennenlernen & Spaß haben. Wir probieren einfach miteinander aus. . Eine Teilnehmerin sagte mal zu mir: * "Georg, das ist so eine angenehme Atmosphäre. Danke, dass Du das machst." . Was soll ich sagen? Stimmt. Das ist mein Anliegen . . . \*\* Diese Methoden kannst Du in Deinen Alltag mitnehmen.\*\* Ab sofort kannst Du Menschen besser und persönlicher kennenlernen – und damit tiefe Verbindungen und bessere Freundschaften aufbauen. . . **⏰ Die Türen sind offen ab 18:45 Uhr.** * Deinen Mantel aufhängen, WC, eine Runde schwatzen und los geht's... . **❓ Darf ich wiederkommen?** Es gibt nur wenige Veranstaltungen, bei denen man wirklich miteinander ins Gespräch kommt. Hier schon, mit Tiefgang. . Einige kommen immer wieder, um die Details des gut gestrickten Programms zu ergründen - und immer wieder neue Menschen kennenzulernen oder auf bekannte Gesichter zu treffen. . Bis es endlich Klick macht und die richtigen Freundinnen gefunden sind. . . \*\* Was bringst Du mit?\*\* * Etwas zu trinken (z.B. deine Wasserflasche, keinen Alkohol!) * Du solltest satt sein und vorher gegessen haben * Bargeld für den Eintritt (10-20 Euro) [oder[ Ticket von Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.de/e/nur-fur-frauen-neue-freundinnen-in-berlin-workshop-tickets-1982769849996)] . \*\* Der Veranstaltungsraum\*\* * Wir haben einen wunderschönen Raum im Prenzlberg - im Life Artist Hub * Gut mit Öffis zu erreichen: Schönhauser Allee (Ringbahn, U2, M1), Eberswalder Straße (U2, M10, M12) * Vor Ort ist alles ausgeschildert. . **Vorsichtshalber hier die Wegbeschreibung:** * Du gehst in den Hof bis nach hinten durch. Dort ist eine Tür. * Du klingest bei "Life Artist Hub". Die Tür sollte sofort summen. Öffne die Tür. * Du gehst in den 3. Stock. Da sind wir. . **‍♂️ Warum moderierst Du als Mann diesen Workshop?** . Hi, ich bin Georg. Ich weiß, ich bin ein Mann. Warum moderiere ich dann diesen Workshop? . Abenteuer Freundschaft ist mein Beruf. Am Anfang war ich auf Männer-Freundschaften spezialisiert. Überraschenderweise waren 60 Prozent der Newsletter-Empfängerinnen Frauen. Frauen scheinen die Wichtigkeit guter Freundschaften viel mehr zu spüren. . Deshalb habe ich letztes Jahr angefangen, Workshops für Frauen anzubieten. Soziale Träger, das Rathaus Schöneberg und das Frauenzentrum Begine haben mich bereits für Freundinnen-Workshops gebucht. Im Frauenzentrum moderiert eine Bekannte die Workshops.... denn da darf ich noch nicht mal rein :). . Unseren Workshop werde ich zurückhaltend moderieren. Ich weiß mit der Situation umzugehen. Das ist Euer Raum. . Für die Männer gibt es alle zwei Wochen am Dienstag einen Männer-Workshop, der regelmäßig gut besucht ist. . . **Mehr über Abenteuer Freundschaft & mich:** [www.abenteuer-freundschaft.de](http://%5Bhttps://www.abenteuer-freundschaft.de/%5D(https://www.abenteuer-freundschaft.de/) "\[https://www.abenteuer-freundschaft.de\](https://www.abenteuer-freundschaft.de)") . . \*\* Get in touch & stay in touch:\*\* . **✈ Telegram-Kanal: [t.me/abenteuer_freundschaft](http://t.me/abenteuer_freundschaft)** für Events, Workshops & Neuste Erkenntnisse aus der Freundschaftsforschung (Überschriften) . **✉ Freundschafts-Newsletter:** [https://abenteuer-freundschaft.de/newsletter](https://abenteuer-freundschaft.de/newsletter) Alle 4 Wochen das Neuste aus der Freundschaftsforschung; oft seltener, denn ich schreibe nur dann, wenn es wirklich etwas zu berichten gibt. . \*\* 6 Zutaten großartiger Freundschaften\*\* Seit 2020 forsche ich, was großartige Freundschaften wirklich ausmacht. Das Ergebnis ist das 30seitige eBook: "Die 6 Zutaten großartiger Freundschaften". Du erhältst das eBook zurzeit kostenlos, wenn Du Dich für den Newsletter anmeldest: [https://abenteuer-freundschaft.de/newsletter](https://abenteuer-freundschaft.de/newsletter) . \*\* Meet-Up-Gruppe:\*\* [https://www.meetup.com/g/abenteuer-freundschaft/](https://www.meetup.com/g/abenteuer-freundschaft/) Hier bist Du schon: Workshops, Spaziergänge, Wanderungen, Treffen, Eislaufen, Eisbaden, Männer-Abende, Freundinnen-Workshops, Sonntagsausflüge . . \*\* Ehemalige Teilnehmende der Meetups:\*\* . "Ich hatte Schwierigkeiten in Berlin anzukommen. Früher war es immer easy. Bei deiner Veranstaltung haben wir uns kennengelernt. Jetzt sind wir Freunde. Ich hätte das nicht mehr geglaubt." . "Ich bin ein bunter Hund und habe viele Bekannte. Aber eine Bekanntschaft zur Freundschaft machen - das hast Du mir gezeigt." . "Ich war nervös, ob ich wirklich kommen soll. Was sind da für Leute? Mit wem verstehe ich mich? Nach einer Stunde war mir klar: Gute Freundinnen sind gleich. Ich muss mich nicht mit jedem verstehen. Und allein für die Methoden hat es sich gelohnt. Dankeschön!" . "So schnell im Deep Talk. Interessant!" . \*\* Einige Highlights von der Webseite:\*\* * [Wo kann man neue Leute kennenlernen?](https://abenteuer-freundschaft.de/neue-leute-kennenlernen) * [Wie schnell entsteht wahre Freundschaft?](https://abenteuer-freundschaft.de/wie-schnell-entsteht-freundschaft) * [Der ultimative Freundschaftstipp: Zum Essen einladen - bei Dir zu Hause](https://abenteuer-freundschaft.de/zum-essen-einladen) * [Das erste Freundschafts-Treffen: So lernt ihr Euch wirklich kennen](https://abenteuer-freundschaft.de/freundschaftstreffen) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Sichere Dir Deinen Platz mit [einem Ticket (Eventbrite).](https://www.eventbrite.de/e/nur-fur-frauen-neue-freundinnen-in-berlin-workshop-tickets-1982769849996)**

Finally, it’s happening! [Value Rebels](https://www.valuerebels.com/) are thrilled to invite you to another [Product Management Night](https://productmanagementnights.com/), this time in the inspiring office of [Babbel](https://uk.babbel.com/). Under the banner “Staying Relevant: Data, innovation, and the architecture of decision-making”, we’ll explore how to stay innovative in a fast-changing environment and what it really takes to make meaningful, data‑informed decisions in a world saturated with signals. 📅 **Date**: March 5th 📍 **Location:** Babbels office at [Andreasstraße 72, 10243 Berlin](https://maps.app.goo.gl/PNNNehcW9GmBdf6T7) 🥂 Drinks & Finger Food Provided (veggie/vegan) **Timetable** 18:00 \| Doors Open: Networking over drinks and light food 18:45 \| Intro and hello from Value Rebels and Babbel 19:00 \| “Escaping the innovator’s dilemma: How established companies stay disruptive” \- An on\-stage discussion with [Diana Pulnar](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-pulnar-51781b13/) 19:30 \| Break 19:40 "What data-driven, actually means in 2026" - A talk by [Markus Kiefer](https://www.linkedin.com/in/markus-kiefer-979372388/) 20:10 \- 21:00 \| Closing & Networking (Please note: times are approximate) **Get to know our experts & speakers** 🎤 **[Markus Kiefer](https://www.linkedin.com/in/markus-kiefer-979372388/)**[ ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/markus-kiefer-979372388/)is a Tech & Data Consultant passionate about turning data into better product decisions. He works with product and engineering teams to design data-driven systems and helps organisations not just to understand their users but the systems that increasingly decide for them. 🎤 **[Diana Pulnar](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-pulnar-51781b13/)** is VP Product at Babbel, where she leads teams that translate speech technology and learner insights into concrete outcomes. She focuses on product strategies that balance data with real learner behaviour and uses experimentation to keep decisions anchored in results for learners. **Why join us?** * **Discover how to stay relevant:** explore how established teams handle innovation, trade‑offs and the tension between today’s business and tomorrow’s bets. * **Rethink what “data‑driven” means:** move from more dashboards to understanding the whole system behind your product decisions. * **Connect with peers who get it:** share experiences with senior product, tech and data people facing similar constraints and ambitions. **Who should attend?** Product Leaders & Drivers C-level & Business Leaders Experienced product contributors 🚨 Limited spots available - reserve yours only if you’re sure you can join! 📸 **📸 Please note:** We will be capturing event photos for promotional use. Let us know if you prefer not to be photographed. Photos are only taken of people who give consent on site. You can always say no or change your mind on the day or by emailing employerbranding@babbel.com 🔜 Looking forward to seeing you on March 5th

Join us for an upcoming in-person Lean Coffee meetup. Lean Coffee is a lightly-structured meeting format where the attendees create the agenda. Bring your management challenges; whether you're managing people, products, processes or beyond, and solve them together with peers from a diverse set of backgrounds. This event is great for anybody trying to create better ways of working and wants to share with + learn from others trying to do the same.

Welcome to Sunday Tech Coffee. This is a **networking** event for those in the tech industry in Berlin. We are usually inside and to the right. Ask the barista/bartender if you can't find us.

Nice! You are looking for real long time friendship! You might have already lived in Berlin or other big cities and experienced the "Anonymous" culture for a while. Meeting random people over and over and never see the same person again! In order to find "Real Long Term Friendship" in Berlin, do as follows: * You should not care how many people are joining this meetup. You RVSP. Even if only one person is joining. Because if everyone are waiting for everyone else to RVSP, nobody joins and nobody finds a new friend. * You do not care how many people of the opposite sex are joining. You are looking for friends. Finding the best romantic partner in the world, while avoiding not very attractive others, can be your other goal, for another time. Here we are looking for Friends. Real ones. * You are going to risk a very precious property of yours: Your time! Yes, there are thousands of opportunities in Berlin, there might be a rock concert for free, a birthday party you might miss, an important person might call you and invite you spontaneously, but you never find new friends until you decide to risk your time and meet people anyway. "I will check my calendar and get back to you" also does not work. Commit your time and spend it. Trust me, you won't go bankrupt ;-) * You are ready to use your phone as a real phone! You might have been using your phone as a tablet to visit Instagram and Facebook and watch movies. But if you want to find friends, you must know that people might take your phone number and give you theirs. That means they will Call you! And you have to pick up the phone and answer it. If you want to find new friends, you must be ready to do something really hard for the first time after years: Call people first, and if they called you: Answer your phone! * You are going to meet some people twice! That's the point of friendship. We already can experience random encounters with random people in random places one at a time. But that is not called friendship. If you want friends, you must be ready to meet the same person more than once. If you agree with above, RVSP and COME! You will meet other people who think the same way. P.S: Now that you've read all the way down to here, I suggest you [watch this animation](https://player.vimeo.com/video/547249272?h=22f3dd0f6f).

**PLEASE NOTE THE ADDRESS CHANGE! We're now at [w3hub.berlin](https://w3hub.berlin)** *[Qase](https://qase.io) is presenting the **eleventh** Meetup on Quality Engineering in Berlin.* *This time, we’re bringing you three deep-dive talks — all designed to challenge the way you think about quality, testing, and collaboration.* *As always, expect great conversations, snacks, and drinks. See you there!* **AGENDA** **1\. Mitesh Patel\, Technical Consultant \- Scientific Instruments @ Altum Solutions: *Food QA: Testing Tasting*** On this fine evening, we shall enjoy some food … and also learn why we enjoy it. Because tasting is really a form of testing for our brains — wetware QA in essence. But how do we reformulate this wetware testing into those familiar realms of software and hardware testing? It is not as simple as exchanging taste buds for test suites and bites for bytes. Just ask Big Food which spends billions on this same question: How can computers do taste tests like humans? Guided by the example of an ML/AI-powered scientific instrument for chemical analyses, namely, a spectrometer, this session addresses this question and explores the broader topic of QA in the food industry. Discover how food companies scale testing across scientific software, device hardware, and food/human wetware. So grab a spoon for this insider scoop on QA for food. **2\. Vitaly Sharovatov\, developer advocate @ Qase: *QA Myths Busting: A Practical Guide to Higher Quality*** Have you ever felt the urge to increase the amount of testing or hire more testers, thinking it would improve product quality? As a tester, have you ever been held “accountable” for quality or pressed for time, leaving you feeling helpless? Or perhaps you’ve been asked to justify quality assurance initiatives with numbers? Our industry is filled with myths: from “quality can be measured” to “more testing means higher quality” and from “QA slows down work” to “testers are responsible for quality”. In this talk, I will present the myths I once believed, explain the dangers they pose to both teams and products, and demonstrate how they should be debunked and overcome. **3\. Asya Isakova\, Co\-Founder @ TECH_Connect: 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵\, 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘑𝘰𝘣** The job market is wild: it’s hard to get hired, and sometimes even harder to stay hired. In a new role (or a new team), one of the fastest ways to reduce uncertainty and accelerate collaboration is to build trust quickly. But how do colleagues and managers decide you’re trustworthy? It’s rarely just about closing Jira tickets or moving cards on a Kanban board. People assess trust through patterns of behavior: what you do, how consistently you do it, and how do you act towards others. In this talk, you’ll learn an evidence-based approach to building trust at work using three practical components: integrity, reliability, and benevolence. We’ll unpack what shapes people’s trust judgments (including context, risk, and prior experiences) and translate research into concrete behaviors you can apply immediately: especially in multicultural and cross-functional teams.

***Ever wished you could speak more confidently in meetings? Pitch your ideas with clarity? Think faster when put on the spot?*** This Saturday, you can experience exactly what makes that possible. The Toastmasters Area Speech Contest brings together some of Berlin’s strongest speakers for a live competition in English and German hosted at Das Center am Potsdamer Platz. **Start:** 🇩🇪German Contest 09:30 \| 🇬🇧 English Contest 14:00 **So what is Toastmasters?** It’s a global community where people practice public speaking, leadership, and communication in a supportive environment. No gurus. No lectures. Real practice. Real feedback. Real growth. **At this event, you’ll see:** 🎙️ International Speeches powerful stories and ideas ⚡ Table Topics speakers thinking on their feet 🧠 Evaluations constructive feedback that helps people grow *All are welcome, Just come, watch, and experience how communication skills are built in real time.* **If you want to:** ☑️ Become more confident ☑️ Improve how you present yourself professionally ☑️ Expand your network ☑️ Or simply enjoy a high-quality live speaking event **This is for you.**

A small NEXUS gathering built around movement rather than discussion alone. This is for high-bandwidth Mavericks who spend most of their time in conceptual thought and need some physical counterweight. Why bouldering? Because it’s deliberate: short problems, full focus, and immediate feedback. You’re on the wall, solving something tangible. The mental noise drops instantly! Conversations happen naturally in between climbs. No pressure, you move at your own pace. Some exchanges stay light. Others go deep. Both are fine. This is not about athletic achievement. It’s about presence, recalibration, and being around people who don’t require you to shrink or translate yourself. Come as you are. Try some bouldering problems. Rest when needed, and engage where it makes sense. **Bring comfortable clothes and climbing shoes if you have them (rentals are available at the gym).** *Registration equals commitment. If you sign up, you show up. Read the group description first and decide consciously. For context about NEXUS, visit our* ***[website](https://thenexusformula.com)*** *and* ***[newsletter](https://news.thenexusformula.com)****.*

**Confidence in Bloom: How Creativity Builds Confidence** What happens when creativity becomes an intentional practice? In this month’s Confidence Lab, we’ll gather at **Petals That Inspire: The Flourish Studio** for an evening exploring the connection between creativity and confidence. How making with our hands, engaging our senses, and allowing space for expression can shift how we see ourselves and what we believe is possible. Our featured speaker, **Amanda Lorenzetti**, owner of Petals That Inspire, will share how creativity has shaped her own confidence journey and why creative environments play such a powerful role in well-being, resilience, and personal growth. Drawing from her work leading an experience-driven floral studio and a community-centered workforce development program, Amanda will reflect on creativity as both a personal and collective catalyst. Amanda will also guide us through a **hands-on floral design experience**, creating a fresh arrangement in a wide mouth mason jar. No prior floral experience is needed, just curiosity and a willingness to engage the process. This evening is an invitation to slow down, create, and reconnect with the part of yourself that grows through care, attention, and imagination. You’ll leave with a floral arrangement to take home, and a deeper understanding of how confidence can be cultivated through creative practices. **Featured Speaker: Amanda Lorenzetti** Amanda Lorenzetti is the owner and founder of [Petals That Inspire](https://www.petalsthatinspire.com/) and The Flourish Studio, a social enterprise florist based in Columbus, Ohio. She brings more than a decade of experience in wedding and event sales, paired with hands-on expertise in floral and event design. Amanda’s connection to the floral industry began early, spending time alongside her godmother, a professional florist on the East Coast. After earning her business degree, she returned to her hometown in Connecticut to work as a floral and event designer, blending creative artistry with strong operational and client-focused skills. In 2020, Amanda returned to the floral industry with a renewed purpose, driven by a desire to build a business rooted in creativity, community impact, and sustainability. During this pivotal time, she founded Petals That Inspire—an innovative floral concept that reimagines the traditional florist model by combining event florals, workshops, and experiential offerings with a mission-centered approach to workforce development. Today, Petals That Inspire is a thriving social enterprise known for its thoughtful design, educational experiences, and commitment to empowering young adults facing barriers to entry in the workforce. Amanda is deeply passionate about building businesses that are both profitable and purpose-driven, and she leverages her strong business acumen to create a scalable & sustainable model that inspires creativity while giving back to the community. **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.*

## Hey Columbus WIP peeps! ## Are you ready for an event that actually gives you what you asked for?? **\-\-\-\-\-\-** **A Small-group coaching conversations for women in product navigating growth, leadership, and career decisions.** **March 10 \| 5:30–8:00 PM** **Rev1 -- NEW SPACE** **330 Rush Alley #100** **Parking Options:** • **Rev1 at The Peninsula** • **Starling St. Garage South** – 377 W. Capital St. • **LAZ Parking (COSI)** – 50 Belle St. • **LAZ Parking Limited** – 375 W. State St. • **Veterans Memorial Lot** – 300 W. Broad St. • **Metered Street Parking** **What moves are you making?** A promotion you’re working toward. A role change you’re considering. A bigger leadership opportunity. A conversation that needs to happen. A decision that’s been sitting in the back of your mind. For our Q1 Women in Product Columbus event, we’re creating space to actually work through those moments. **Making Moves** is an evening of focused, facilitated coaching conversations with experienced mentors from our local product community. This isn’t a panel. It’s not passive networking. It’s small-group dialogue designed to be thoughtful, practical, and worth your time. Here’s how it will work: • You’ll choose a topic that reflects what you’re navigating right now • You’ll join a small coaching circle (5–7 participants) • Each circle is led by a mentor who has lived experience in that area • We’ll run two rounds so you can go deeper or explore a second conversation ### Coaching Topics: • Communicating the Value of Your Work (or Team) • Career Transitions & What’s Next • Growing Into Leadership • Staying Relevant as Technology (and AI) Changes • Getting Alignment and Decisions from Leadership Our goal is simple: you leave with clearer thinking, practical perspective, and at least one next step you feel confident about. Space in each circle will be limited to keep conversations meaningful. If this sounds like the kind of room you’ve been wanting to be in, we’d love to see you on March 10. RSVP here! [https://community.womenpm.org/c/all-local-events/making-moves-a-columbus-wip-event](https://community.womenpm.org/c/all-local-events/making-moves-a-columbus-wip-event "https://community.womenpm.org/c/all-local-events/making-moves-a-columbus-wip-event") *And if you haven't joined the WIP group - do that too, would ya?!?!* — Your Columbus Chapter Leads - Amber, Leah and Liz!

**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.*

## Overview Networking event for aspiring school leaders interested in building their own high-quality K-12 public school in their community. **About the Event:** Aspiring school founders in the Columbus, OH, area are invited to join us for this special in-person networking event where you will be able to ask questions, learn more about the BES Fellowship and make sure you are prepared for the application process and beyond. In addition to meeting like-minded leaders who are also committed to transforming education and bringing a high-quality K-12 option to their community, you’ll have the opportunity to meet our team and gain special insights from Dr. Chaundria Smith, BES Senior Director of Fellowship Coaching, who works closely to support BES Fellows. During this event, you can also learn more about the various regions across Ohio we are prioritizing for the BES Fellowship to ensure that new schools will respond to the needs of their community. **About the BES Fellowship:** Leaders in the BES Fellowship embark on a multi-year process to design, found, and lead an excellent K-12 public school that reflects and responds to community needs. We are currently accepting applications to the 2026 BES Fellowship. The extended deadline is March 30, and the 2026 Cohort will begin August 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all spots are filled. Learn more at [bes.org/fellowship](http://bes.org/fellowship "http://bes.org/fellowship").

Join other experienced and aspiring agile coaches and professionals to: * develop and practice your coaching skills in a peer-to-peer environment * share current successes and challenges in your work environment and get support from each other * learn from each other, build better relationships and experiment with new ideas

This is a free, in-person meeting on the subject of betrayals, losses and how to get over them so you can build lasting relationships. Burdened by a stressful relationship? Unhealthy relationships can trigger feelings of anger, despair or self-doubt. They can create dwindling spirals of fights and seeking to make-up, or trying to “pin the blame” on someone or something. If you don’t find the RIGHT reasons, or select the correct sources of the problem, the problem can just get worse and worse. Whether in love or personal ties, with friends or at work, our life really IS affected by the quality of our relationships. Good ones can promote pleasure and survival while less optimum ones can lead to annoyance, anger, self-doubt, stress, or even affect our health and ability to survive well. Whether you are suffering from a divorce, or a painful break-up, don’t know who to trust (or who to CHOOSE) as a partner, friend, boss or employee - the anxiety of relationship troubles can really make a mess of things. Maybe you’ve suffered a betrayal, or are dealing with hostility or criticalness or invalidation. Dwindling relationships can involve destructive behavior, where we hurt those we love, or start succumbing to self-destructive thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that spiral out of control and affect much more than our immediate relationship. Past losses in love or life can affect how we act or react to new people and situations and hold us back from even starting to create new, possibly great relationships! How can one get back onto a saner course of action? Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life: human relationships! Break free from self imposed limitations Here we will discuss: • How to “erase” the trauma of past hurts and betrayals so that one isn’t always repeating past mistakes. • Why and how do the negative emotions of others affect you? • Why is my partner withdrawing and what can I do about it? • Why do we sometimes feel compelled to hurt the ones we love? • Fights & arguments - what's really behind them? • What underlies “corrosive criticism” or the need to invalidate self or others? • How one can stably change one’s outlook on life so they can affect positive change? • Where do compulsive destructive behaviors come from and what can be done about them? • How to form closer bonds & keep growing the relationships with the people you care about? • How to enhance one’s own ability to survive and create positive healthy relationships whether in love, family & friendships or in work, business or one’s career? Relationships can be hard and life itself IS challenging. Why not arm yourself with the knowledge and breakthroughs that have been made about the mind, mental reactions & interpersonal relationships, so that one has better awareness and control over themselves and life in general. Learn where painful experiences are “stored” and how they can unknowingly affect us. You will also find out how one can “erase” those past painful experiences so that one is free to move forward without being tripped up by the past. Learn too, about what can lead some people to become “toxic” personalities and how to identify those traits in others so you won’t be tripped up trusting the wrong person. Our free Meet-ups occur in a safe environment where one can learn, without fear of judgment or criticism, and without the recommendation of harmful mental techniques or therapies, just how YOU can get yourself onto a happier & more successful path: in love & in life. We look forward to having you join us! This class is sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

One of the most valuable parts of this community is the opportunity to think out loud with other product professionals. This session is built for exactly that. As we wrap up the quarter, it’s a great time to pause and reflect. What’s on track? What needs adjustment? Where could a small shift create bigger impact? Join fellow product professionals for a focused, interactive conversation designed to help you recalibrate for the next quarter. You’ll have the opportunity to share where you are, hear how others are thinking through similar challenges, and gain fresh perspective you can bring back to your team and organization. We’ll gather at 8:00AM, with discussion starting promptly at 8:15AM. 📍 First Watch - 7227 N High St Located in: The Shops at Worthington Ample parking is available. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Start your morning with clarity and connection — we hope to see you there! ☀️