Leadership

**ESMT Insight Hour with Paul M. Achleitner** **Schedule:** 5:30 p.m. - Registration opens 6:00 p.m. - Welcome from host, ESMT Berlin 6:05 p.m. - Talk of Paul M. Achleitner 6:30 p.m. - Discussion and Q&A 7:00 p.m. - Networking, drinks and nibbles will be provided 8:30 p.m. - Close Experience used to accumulate slowly. Today, decisions travel instantly, legitimacy can evaporate overnight, and leaders operate under permanent public scrutiny. So how do you lead and stay legitimate in a world that no longer feels stable? In this ESMT Insight Hour, **[Paul M. Achleitner](https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-achleitner/)** joins us for a moderated conversation on leadership, corporate legitimacy, and performance in times of geopolitical disruption, digital transparency, and shifting societal expectations. Drawing on more than four decades across Goldman Sachs, Allianz, Deutsche Bank, and multiple supervisory boards, and reflecting the themes of his recent book, *Accelerate Your Experience: Principles for Success in a Fluid World*, Achleitner proposes three interconnected dimensions of modern management: * **Legitimacy** – why companies must earn their place in society beyond financial performance * **Performance** – how sustained value creation requires focus, discipline, and strategic clarity * **Leadership** – what integrity, intellectual humility, and judgment mean in an era of permanent visibility Rather than offering prescriptions, he distills experience into principles on stakeholder dynamics, public attention, geopolitical disruption, AI, crisis management, and the realities of “muddling through.” The conversation will explore: * Why legitimacy has become the decisive constraint for corporations * How leaders balance long-term value creation with short-term scrutiny * What performance really means when underperformance becomes normalized * The evolving role of boards in turbulent environments * Whether experience can, in fact, be “accelerated” Join us for an hour of reflection on leadership under pressure and on what it takes to remain effective, credible, and resilient. Moderated by **[Jörg Rocholl](https://esmt.berlin/person/jorg-rocholl)**[,](https://esmt.berlin/person/jorg-rocholl) President, ESMT Berlin. **About the speaker** **[Paul M. Achleitner](https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-achleitner/)**[ ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-achleitner/)is an investor, advisor, and corporate director with more than four decades of experience in global finance and European corporate governance. He began his career at Bain & Company before joining Goldman Sachs in 1988, where he worked in New York, London, and Frankfurt and became a partner in 1994. In 2000, he joined Allianz SE as CFO, serving on the board of management until 2012. From 2012 to 2022, he served as chair of the supervisory board of Deutsche Bank. He has been a member of the supervisory board of Bayer AG since 2002 and has served on supervisory boards across financial services, pharmaceuticals, and industry. He continues to advise leading academic, policy, and business institutions in Europe and the US. He holds a doctorate from the University of St. Gallen and has longstanding ties to Harvard Business School and WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, where he is professor emeritus. **About the moderator** **[Jörg Rocholl](https://esmt.berlin/person/jorg-rocholl)** is president of ESMT Berlin and Deutsche Bank professor in sustainable finance. He is chair of the advisory board of the German Federal Ministry of Finance and chair of the steering committee of the Global Network for Advanced Management (GNAM). Furthermore, he is a member of the supervisory board at RWE AG, a member of the board of the Schmalenbach Society, a member of acatech (German Academy of Science and Engineering), a research fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) and a research member of the European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI).

An inspiring, high-energy meeting of public speaking, connection, and personal growth in the heart of Berlin. **Mercury Toastmasters Berlin** invites you to our weekly meeting at our new home at **Das Center, Potsdamer Platz**, in the stunning **Historic Imperial Breakfast Hall**. *Experience the **power of prepared speeches** loaded with bold ideas, participate in our **dynamic Impromptu Session**, and **gain valuable insights** during our feedback segment.* *Leave with practical tools, fresh ideas, and renewed inspiration.* *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) **Schedule** (times may vary) ⏰ 19:15 - Doors open & networking 🎙️ 19:30 - Prepared Speeches 🏓 20:35 - Impromptu Session (Guest welcome to join) ↩️ 21:00 - Constructive feedback 💬 21:30 - Food, drinks & relaxed socializing **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/)

🌟 Join us for **"Don't Eat Alone"** – an event designed to transform your lunch break into a social feast! **Tired of solitary meals in front of the computer?** **Thriving to meet some new people and curious what it may bring to your life?** Just come, check and enjoy a delicious meal with friendly faces. Connect with like-minded individuals, engage in conversations, and make your lunchtime a memorable social experience. Mark your calendar, bring your appetite, and let's build connections, one meal at a time! 🍽️🤝✨ PAYMENTS: the meetup is free, but everyone pays for their meals. Here you can pay by card easily.

This session is part of the Berlin Cybersecurity Social community’s monthly meetup, where security professionals, leaders, and enthusiasts come together to share knowledge and connect. So are you a cybersecurity professional looking to connect with like-minded professionals, share experiences, and make friends? Look no further! **Transforming Classical Encryption to Post-Quantum Encryption for Financial Services** Quantum computing is set to break today’s encryption, creating urgent risks for financial institutions. This session explores how organizations can transition from classical cryptography to post-quantum security using hybrid approaches, improved cryptographic visibility, and emerging compliance frameworks. Revan cover practical steps to become quantum-ready without disrupting existing systems, with a focus on balancing security, compliance, and operational continuity. **What you’ll learn:** • Why the quantum threat is already relevant today, not just in the future • How classical encryption (RSA, ECC) will be impacted • Why hybrid post-quantum cryptography is the safest transition path • The role of cryptographic visibility (CBOM) in managing risk • How regulations like DORA and NIS2 are accelerating adoption • How early adoption can strengthen security and create competitive advantage **About the Speaker: Revan Ande** is a security researcher and founder of RivicQ, a startup focused on advancing next-generation cryptographic solutions. With a strong interest in post-quantum security and its impact on financial systems, he works on bridging the gap between classical encryption methods and quantum-resilient technologies. He actively shares insights on emerging security challenges and innovations, with a focus on making post-quantum concepts practical and actionable for modern organizations. **About Berlin Cybersecurity Social:** This meetup is open to cybersecurity professionals of all levels, from beginners to experts. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting your journey in the field, this event is the perfect opportunity to connect with others who share your passion for cybersecurity.

*Please note, this event is free but please sign up here so we can inform the venue of your attendance: [https://uxdx.com/community/community-berlin-2026-04-22/](https://uxdx.com/community/community-berlin-2026-04-22/)* **What's On** **📋 6:00pm:** Registration and Networking **🎤 6:30 pm:** Keynote: *"More Than a Matter of Principle: How design gets us beyond theoretical AI Ethics"* with **[Noah Fraenkel](https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-fraenkel-4b17ba262/)**, GovTech Consultant at Possible Drawing on his work at the intersection of government, technology, and public trust, Noah will challenge how we think about AI's role in systems that affect real people's lives. **💬 7:00 pm:** Panel Discussion: The keynote ignites the conversation, the panel takes it forward. Moderated by **[Wiebke Steffen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/wiebke-steffen/)**, Senior UX Researcher at GetYourGuide, our panelists bring perspectives from across the product spectrum: **Noah Fraenkel** \- GovTech Consultant @ Possible **[Ziyong Lin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziyong-lin-55714b25/)** \- Lead UX Researcher @ GetYourGuide **[Jake Mongaya](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakemongaya/)** \- Engineering Manager @ SumUp **[Maxim Romanovsky](https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxim-romanovsky/)** \- VP \- Head of AI & Product Engineering @ Deutsche Bank Expect honest takes, productive tension, and the kind of dialogue that actually moves the needle. **🤝7:45 pm:** Networking \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* **Everyone is racing to build with AI. But who is building it responsibly?** There's a gold rush happening in tech right now and almost everyone is caught up in the excitement. AI features are being shipped at a rapid speed, products are being "enhanced" with machine intelligence overnight, and the pressure to move fast has never been higher. But in the rush to innovate, some critical questions are getting buried: *Who's accountable when AI gets it wrong? How much should we hand over to automation and what do we silently lose when we do? And what are the risks we're not even seeing yet?* These aren't hypothetical concerns. They're live, urgent, and sitting inside the products we're building right now. **It's time to have the conversation that some teams are avoiding.** UXDX Berlin is back! Join us at the GetYourGuide office in Prenzlauer Berg, where we will tackle the theme that every designer, researcher, and engineer needs to reckon with: **"Designing Responsible AI: Trust, Autonomy & Hidden Risk"** **Why This Event Matters** The tools are powerful. The timelines are short. The consequences for users, for society, for trust in technology are long. If you're building products with AI, this isn't an optional conversation. It's the one you need to be in the room for. **Come ready to think. Come ready to question. Come ready to build better.** Thank you [GetYourGuide](https://www.getyourguide.com/) for supporting the event!

**Important! Please register on [Luma Page](https://luma.com/8d2zd6a6)** 🎤 **Calling everyone who wants to get better at presenting, thinking on the spot, and communicating ideas clearly.** Most of us have prepared presentations. But real life doesn’t always give you that luxury. Being able to **structure your thoughts quickly, explain ideas clearly, and stay confident in unpredictable situations** is a different skill. At this session, we’ll practice exactly that — in a format that’s structured, practical, and a bit chaotic (in the best way). If you want to get more comfortable presenting without overthinking, this event is for you. ## **We’ll work on:** * how to structure ideas clearly and quickly * how to present without a script * how to stay confident when you don’t fully know what’s coming * how to communicate in a way people actually follow **What to expect** We’ll start with a **simple, practical framework** for building clear and engaging presentations. Then we’ll break into smaller groups to **think, discuss, and prepare ideas together**. And then — **presentation karaoke**. You’ll get slides you’ve never seen before and present them on the spot. No preparation, no perfect script — just real-time thinking and communication. **Agenda** 18:00-18:30 — Arrivals & introduction 18:30-19:15 — Workshop & group work 19:15-20:30 — Presentation karaoke 20:30-21:00 — Networking **Who is this event for?** Anyone who wants to: * get better at presenting ideas * feel more confident speaking in front of others * practice thinking and communicating under pressure **Where & When?** 📍 **[SPICED Academy]()**, Ritterstraße 12-14, 10969 Berlin 📅 April 22, 2026 🕕 18:00 – 21:00 Spots are limited, so make sure to RSVP. **Important! Please register on [Luma Page](https://luma.com/8d2zd6a6)** **Who are we?** This event is organized by **Projector Global Community ambassadors in Berlin**. [Projector Global Community](https://luma.com/prjctrglobalcommunity) by [Projector Institute](https://prjctr.com/en/about?utm_source=luma) is a global network for designers, developers, marketers, and product thinkers — focused on learning, connection, and turning ideas into real projects. **📸 Photos & Video** Please note that photos will be taken during the event. By attending, you agree to being photographed and allow the organizers to use this content for communication and marketing purposes.

Are you a creative professional wondering how your skills translate into the world of tech? ✨ The demand for designers who understand AI is growing fast — and your creative background is already a huge advantage. What you need is a structured way to apply it. **Register for our Event Here:** [https://3vgdb.share.hsforms.com/2QKa2PiXaTYOqv3aKMLQ6Ig](https://3vgdb.share.hsforms.com/2QKa2PiXaTYOqv3aKMLQ6Ig) Join us at WBS CODING SCHOOL for a hands-on rapid prototyping workshop where you'll design a real booking experience that balances human control with AI assistance. **What you'll learn:** * Human + AI Design Frameworks: Explore when automation helps users — and when it doesn't. * Rapid Prototyping Skills: Learn to validate ideas quickly using simple, low-fidelity methods. * UX in the Age of AI: Understand how the role of UX design is evolving right now. * Your Creative Edge: Discover exactly where your creative skills fit into modern product design. This session is perfect for creative professionals and re-skillers looking to break into UX/UI design. Food and drinks will be provided. 🤝 **What to bring:** Pen & paper, or a laptop if you'd like to use FigJam. **Event Details:** * Date: Wednesday, April 22 * Time: 18:00 – 20:00 * Location: Cuvrystraße 1, 10997 Berlin \-\-\- **About WBS CODING SCHOOL** Empowering ambitious minds to conquer the tech world. Since 2019, we’ve been breaking barriers to make tech careers accessible to everyone. From AI, Data, UX/UI to AI Software Development, our expert-led courses teach skills that matter. But we’re more than just a school – we’re a thriving community where passion meets opportunity. Ready to launch your future? Join us and build the career you deserve.

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).

📚 **What’s the event?** A peaceful hour of silent reading in a beautiful library space, surrounded by fellow book lovers. 🧘‍♀️ **Perfect for you if you:** * Need an hour of focused, quiet reading * Are studying and want calm company * Want to meet new people without small talk pressure * Just love the vibe of libraries and stories *** ### **Reading Hour at Heinrich-Schulz-Bibliothek** **Need an hour of quiet, focused reading in a beautiful setting?** Studying for an exam and looking for some calm company? Want to meet new people while still getting your reading done on a weekend morning? If you answered yes to any of those questions, come join us at the beautiful Heinrich-Schulz-Bibliothek for a low-key, silent reading hour with fellow book lovers. Just bring your current read and enjoy the shared calm of collective reading. **Agenda:** * **10:00–10:30** – Arrivals & light socializing * **10:30–11:30** – The Venerable Silent Reading Hour (just you, your book, and the soft rustle of pages) * **11:30–12:00** – Optional social time: chat about your book, meet others, or just keep reading *** ### 📦 **What to Bring:** * **The book you're currently reading** (or studying) * **Yourself — just as you are** Come comfy, come curious — no sign-ups, no pressure, just a shared hour of peace. 🍽️ Afterward, we’ll head out for lunch nearby—come for the reading, stay for the company! **PS:** **Hi everyone!** Just a quick note ahead of our event at the **Heinrich-Schulz Library**: 🚪 Since we’re meeting **before the library officially opens**, the main doors might be locked. To avoid anyone being locked out, 📌 **Please arrive on time** — we’ll start settling in at **10:00 AM**. 📱 If you arrive and can’t get in, either knock on a window where the lights are on or push the button sitting on top of the metal pole where the door opener is. I'll come out and let you in. Looking forward to a calm, cozy morning of books and good company. See you soon! — Aneel

Join us for an afternoon of cultural exchange and German conversation practice at our Berlin Conversation Meetup Group event — complete with interesting chats and a beer or two at our local bar BrewDog Berlin Mitte. Connect with like-minded individuals who are passionate about language learning, culture, and community. Share your experiences, learn about different cultures, and engage in meaningful discussions across German language levels. From beginners to advanced levels, all learners and speakers of German are welcome! Whether you're a local resident or a curious traveler, this event promises to be a blend of fun, learning, and connecting with others who value the richness of cultural diversity and language learning. This event is hosted by the online language school lalia-berlin.com, helping German learners to overcome communication barriers and grow into confident speakers of German. Join us for this fun afternoon of practice and renew your motivation to break through to the next level in German! We use a [WhatsApp group](https://chat.whatsapp.com/CumRuFFzUWGF6jToK3GHIA?mode=wwt) where we share updates like the exact location and any last-minute info on the day of the event. **Feel free to join if you’d like to stay in the loop**: https://lalia-berlin.com/offline-events

**Zwischen Klarheit und Empathie: Die Kunst der Bewertungsrede** Feedback geben – das passiert nicht nur auf der Bühne. Im Job, im Team, im Alltag: Wer klar und einfühlsam kommunizieren kann, hinterlässt Eindruck. Aber wie kritisiert man, ohne zu verletzen – und lobt, ohne zu schmeicheln? In diesem praxisnahen Workshop zeigt uns **Gabi Brähler**, langjährige Meisterrednerin, wie konstruktives Feedback wirklich funktioniert. Kommt mit euren Fragen, macht euch Notizen – und geht mit konkreten Werkzeugen nach Hause, die ihr sofort einsetzen könnt. ✍️ 📍 **Wo und wann?** Im Clubraum in der Trinitatis Gemeinde (1. OG Hinterhaus – durch den Hof). Unsere Treffen folgen einem klaren, motivierenden Ablauf, der dir Sicherheit und Raum zum Ausprobieren gibt. 📌 **Neugierig geworden?** Dann schau vorbei – wir freuen uns auf dich! Mehr Infos findest du in unserem Linktree (https://linktr.ee/meisterredner)

A small NEXUS gathering built around movement and natural conversation. **Important!** We’re moving our full event schedule to our website. 👉 For all upcoming events and details, visit: [https://nexuswerkstatt.com](https://nexuswerkstatt.com)

Dear data-loving community, we’re excited to invite you to our next Meetup! This time in collaboration with [Spiced Academy](https://www.spiced-academy.com/en), who will be hosting us at their space. Join us on April 23 in Berlin and bring all your questions! :) **Tom Kaltofen: *"Building Deterministic Context Layers for AI Agents"*** [Tom Kaltofen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomkaltofen/) is an Engineer at [DHL Data & AI](https://www.linkedin.com/company/dhl-data-ai/) and a Creator at [mloda.ai.](http://mloda.ai.) About his keynote: "Data access and reuse are still unsolved, and AI agents are making it worse. This talk goes deeper into that problem: AI agents depend on reliable context (data, features, intermediate state) to make correct decisions. In practice, this context is tied to specific pipelines or infrastructure, leading to brittle systems when moving from prototype to production. I'll show how a plugin-based approach lets teams build deterministic context layers: separating what you compute from how you compute it, so the same feature definitions work on a laptop and in production. The talk includes a live demo where an AI agent discovers and queries data features programmatically. " **Behnaz Derakhshani: *"What If I Started Today? Rethinking Career Switching in the AI Era"*** [Behnaz Derakhshani](https://www.linkedin.com/in/behnaz-derakhshani-63342775/) works as a Data Engineer at [Diconium](https://diconium.com). She shares her personal career shift from finance to data engineering, including the unfiltered challenges and lessons along the way. About her keynote: "Eight years ago, there was no AI to debug my logic, just documentation and Stack Overflow. Now as a Data Engineer, I’m breaking down the lessons learned from my finance to tech transition and why AI makes this the most exciting (and accessible) time to pivot." ✧ ✧ ✧ **What to expect:** * Two expert talks and Q&A * A welcoming atmosphere with networking opportunities * Some snacks & drinks to fuel your thoughts :) ✧ ✧ ✧ **Timetable:** * 18:30 - Event admission * 18:50 - Welcome & Introduction * 19:00 - Tom Kaltofen: *"Building Deterministic Context Layers for AI Agents"* * 19:30 - 5 minutes break * 19:35 - Behnaz Derakhshani: *"What If I Started Today? Rethinking Career Switching in the AI Era"* * 20:05 - Snacks, Drinks & Networking * 21:30 - End ✧ ✧ ✧ More on the **-> [applydata data engineering meetup page](https://applydata.io/data-engineering-meetup/)**. **Our goal is to form a local data-loving community, so join us and let's talk data together!** ✧ ✧ ✧ *At the event, sound, image and video recordings are created and published for documentation purposes as well as for the presentation of the event in publicly accessible media, on websites and blogs and for presentation on social media. By participating the event, the participant implicitly consents to the aforementioned photo and/or video recordings. Find [more information on data protection here](https://applydata.io/events/information-on-data-protection/).*

**A Transformative Half-Day Event** Welcome to Confidence Lab, the ultimate experience designed to help you step into your most confident self. This half-day event is packed with actionable strategies, inspiring sessions, and opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals who are ready to invest in their personal and professional growth. Whether you’re looking to advance in your career, deepen your self-belief, or simply embrace new challenges, Confidence Lab is your starting point. **What You’ll Experience** **Your Confidence Lab ticket includes:** * **Engaging Speaker Sessions**: Learn from experts about harnessing confidence in your career, relationships, and everyday life. * **Interactive Experiences:** Participate in dynamic activities designed to help you step into your most confident self. * **In-Depth Audience Q&A:** Get direct insights from speakers as they answer your most pressing questions about building confidence and stepping into leadership. * **Networking Opportunities**: Connect with a supportive community of professionals and confidence enthusiasts. **2026 Speaker Sessions:** * **Seeing Clearly** Understand how you show up - and what’s been getting in the way. * **Confidence in Relationship** Communicate, navigate conflict, and build trust more effectively. * **Sustainable Agency** Learn how to lead without burning out. Your energy is part of the strategy. * **Confidence in Service** Align how you show up with the impact you actually want to have. **This Is For You If…** * You’re ready to take up more space in your work or life * You want to communicate with clarity and confidence * You’re stepping into (or preparing for) leadership * You’re done second-guessing yourself **Our Speakers** **Lachandra Baker** Founder of LBB Edutainment and the kind of person who makes you realize you’ve been confusing confidence with performance your whole life. Lachandra blends psychology, research, and radical humanity to help individuals and teams stop code-switching their way through the day and start showing up as someone they actually recognize. Expect to be challenged, affirmed, and genuinely seen - sometimes all in the same breath. **Annette Santiago Reyes** Annette has a rare talent: she makes the way you communicate feel like a discovery, not a critique. A connection catalyst and culture strategist, she helps people understand why they show up the way they do, and how to bridge the gap between intention and impact. Whether you're navigating change, life’s challenges, or simply trying to better understand yourself and others. Annette gives you the language and the lens to get there. **Elizabeth Wangugi** Creator of The Nap Concert and the RESTOR™ framework, Elizabeth is here to tell you that rest is not a reward - it’s a strategy. Rooted in neuroscience and restorative practice, her work helps high-achievers stop running on fumes and start leading from a place of actual capacity. If your calendar is full and your tank is empty, Elizabeth might be the most important person you hear from at Confidence Lab. **Stephanie Andrews** Founder of Social Black Butterfly Training & Consulting, Stephanie knows what it takes to lead through complexity because she’s done it across social services, healthcare, and operations. She specializes in succession strategy and leadership development, equipping leaders to build trust, navigate the hard moments, and leave something worth inheriting. Stephanie doesn’t just develop leaders. She develops the kind of leaders people actually want to follow. **Lillian Morales-Laster** SVP Human Resources Director at United Midwest Savings Bank and Executive Director of the Empowering Latinas Leadership Academy (ELLA). Lillian has spent her career combining her passion for equity and inclusion with her experience in human resources to lead teams and organizations in the development of supportive work environments. She leads with a vision of ensuring Latinas' voices are included in crucial decision-making processes, because for Lillian, ELLA is more than just a program. It's a vibrant community of hermanas supporting and uplifting each other as they navigate their paths to leadership. A Columbus Business First Community Champion and Distinguished Hispanic Ohioan, her commitment to empowering others shows up everywhere she goes. **Rachyl Kershaw** Founder of Greater Columbus Consulting and the architect behind the Confidence Lab Annual Summit, Rachyl has a gift for cutting through the noise, helping high-achievers stop performing success and start living it. She asks the questions most people are afraid to, creates space for honest reckoning, and somehow makes the hard work feel energizing. If you’ve ever wondered why doing everything right still feels like something’s missing, you’re in exactly the right room. **Why Confidence Lab?** Confidence is the foundation for success in every area of life. Whether you’re navigating a career change, launching a business, or striving for personal growth, building your confidence is the key to unlocking your higher purpose. This is your chance to invest in yourself and start living boldly. **Join Us on May 4** Confidence Lab is more than just an event - it’s a movement. Step into your power, embrace your potential, and make this the year you thrive. Secure your spot today and take the first step toward a more confident YOU. Cost should never be a barrier to growth. If you'd like to request a complimentary community ticket, reach out to us at [hello@confidencelab.org](hello@confidencelab.org), no explanation needed. Read more and see additional ticketing options at [https://confidencelab.org/](https://confidencelab.org/)

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.

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 ***NOTE:*** Pre-registration is required for this event. **Please arrive 10 minutes early** to check in at the security desk.

**💓 Springfield Zoom Speed Dating – Personality & Age Matched** This online speed dating format leans into the human side: strong hosting, repeat attendees, and a sense that the event is part of a growing community. Ditch the apps. Meet Springfield singles face-to-face on Zoom tonight. Quick, hosted rounds on Zoom with Springfield singles paired to your age group and personality. No awkward pauses — just natural conversation. **Pick your age group and sign up:** - **Ages 18-32** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=464.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Springfield&groupurlname=spark-new-gay-friendships-every-night&ar=18-32&face_v=15.0) - 🌍 **Ages 30-46** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=464.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Springfield&groupurlname=spark-new-gay-friendships-every-night&ar=30-46&face_v=15.0) - 🔥 **Ages 40-58** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=464.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Springfield&groupurlname=spark-new-gay-friendships-every-night&ar=40-58&face_v=15.0) **⚠️ RSVP alone won't secure your spot.** You need to register through your age group link below and complete the personality quiz. Places are limited. --- 🎯 **Great fit for:** - 🚀 Singles in Springfield who want to meet people from home - ✨ Anyone who likes connecting online before meeting face-to-face - 🎉 Introverts who shine in one-on-one conversations 📍 **Event snapshot** - **Format:** Zoom video session – short timed rounds - **Location:** Online from home – no need to go anywhere - 🔥 **Host:** Experienced host steering the session **How the event unfolds** 1. **Pick your age group** – Register through your link above. 2. **Complete the quiz** – Short personality quiz so we can match you well. 3. **Hop on Zoom** – Join the call and your host will walk you through it. 4. **Speed date** – One-on-one rounds with personality-matched Springfield locals. **Frequently Asked Questions** **Do I need anything besides Zoom?** Just Zoom, a webcam, and Wi-Fi. That's it. **Is my info private?** **What happens after?** --- ✨ Meet Springfield singles from home. Sign up and we'll take care of the rest. � ✨ Compressed version with the essentials only. Concise by design so people can decide quickly. 🤝 **Community angle** - Repeat attendees help create familiarity and momentum - The structure is designed to help people settle in quickly - The community matters as much as the session itself The long-term goal is a room people want to come back to, not a one-off event people forget about.

Attend a free seminar on how to have successful and lasting relationships. At this seminar you will learn: How to spot and handle negative and toxic relationships. How to get through the "rough patches" in a relationship. How to choose the right people to work with. The three things that make or break any relationship. How to make a good relationship great. All are welcome. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. Hosted by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

A WiA Collective Wisdom Exchange At the start of this year, we gathered to look back, set intentions, and imagine the next chapter. This is the follow-up. Not a check-in. Not a progress report. A small, facilitated circle to reconnect with what you said mattered — and honestly explore what’s actually happening now. Together, we’ll explore: • What you intended at the start of this year - and what that looks like three months in • What’s surprised you, supported you, or shifted • What the next chapter needs now that you know what you know If you were at our January gathering, bring whatever you made or wrote — your word, your artifact, your intention. We’ll look at it with fresh eyes. If this is your first time, you belong here too. You’ll start where we all started: with what’s true right now. Optional art materials will be available for anyone who wants to reflect creatively alongside conversation. If you brought something home from January, you’re warmly invited to bring it back. The intention is the same as always: everyone leaves feeling more clear, more connected, and a little lighter. Space is intentionally limited to keep the experience intimate. What to Expect • A small, welcoming circle (not a large meetup) • Structured conversation so everyone has space to speak • Reflection, listening, and lived experience — not advice-giving • Optional creative reflection alongside conversation • A calm, supportive environment Who This Is For Women and underrepresented folks working in or around agile, product, technology, leadership, or organizational change — especially those looking for honest conversation and community beyond frameworks and buzzwords. Good to Know • No preparation required • If you attended in January, we invite you to bring anything you created or wrote (or something that represents your intention at the start of the year) - it’s optional but invited • Participation is invitational; listening is always welcome • Creative activities are optional