Big Data in Cloud

**Agenda :** * 4.45 to 5.00 PM ET: Food and Networking * 5.00 to 5.50 PM ET: "Build Intelligent Agents with Work IQ, Foundry IQ, Fabric IQ, and Copilot Studio" Hello Everyone! Please join us for our May 12th edition of the AI-ML MeetUp. **Please note this is an in-person meeting and light refreshments/food will be provided. You will need a government-issued ID to enter the facility.** **Title:** Build Intelligent Agents with Work IQ, Foundry IQ, Fabric IQ, and Copilot Studio **Description:** What if your AI agents truly understood how your business works, had instant access to trusted enterprise data, and could take meaningful action from end to end? In this session, we’ll cover how to build enterprise-ready AI agents that understand business context, use trusted data, and take real action. In this fast-paced session, we’ll bring Work IQ, Foundry IQ, and Fabric IQ together with Copilot Studio through best practices and live demos. Key Takeaways: \*Work IQ: Ground agents in real work, roles, and business processes \*Foundry IQ: Design and orchestrate intelligent agent behavior \*Fabric IQ: Power agents with secure, enterprise-grade data \*Copilot Studio: Bring it all together into an end-to-end intelligent agent **Location:** The meeting will be hosted in the Applied Information Sciences ( AIS ) office in Reston, at 11440 Commerce Park Dr # 600 · Reston, VA. The location is also right off the Silver Line metro's Wiehle-Reston Metro Station. **Parking:** Parking is paid and can be validated at the AIS office reception. We will meet in Room Lake Anne. We hope to see you all there!!!!

If **CMMC** is on your radar (or keeping you up at night), this is the conversation you don’t want to miss! Join us on **Tuesday, May 12, 2026,** at **Honor Brewing Company** at **42604 Trade West Dr, Sterling, VA 20166**! Want a custom name tag to enhance your networking opportunities? Register here and yours will be ready at the door: https://share.hsforms.com/1YxovFyF9RzKCcq9EjAN8-wdwxz1 Join us for an “**Ask the CMMC Experts**” session with **Brian Gallagher and Carter Schoenberg of Koniag Cyber.** These two seasoned leaders have been deep in the trenches of cybersecurity, compliance, and national security! **Brian** brings 20+ years of experience leading cybersecurity services across **highly regulated industries** and a unique perspective as a former **U.S. Secret Service Technical Security Division** professional who has helped secure some of the nation’s most sensitive environments. **Carter** pairs 30+ years spanning cyber investigations, threat intelligence, and cyber law with hands-on CMMC leadership as a **Lead Certified Asessor**. He’s conducted 35+ independent CMMC assessments, supported 30+ Authorizations to Operate for **DHS and DoD**, and helped shape national conversations through work with **NIST, MITRE, and federal agencies.** Bring your questions, your challenges, and your curiosity on **May 12**, for this candid, practical conversation with **Brian Gallagher and Carter Schoenberg**, designed to help you move forward with confidence! **Agenda** 5:30 Social hour and networking begins 6:10 Welcome 6:15 Ask the CMMC Expert - **Brian Gallagher & Carter Schoenberg** 6:50 Q&A 7:00 Open Mic & Networking Continues 7:30 Adjourn

**Important Update** **We are no longer using Meetup for event RSVPs.** To RSVP for our next event, please visit: [https://the.cashflowbreakfastclub.com/Loudoun](https://the.cashflowbreakfastclub.com/Loudoun) Calling all Loudoun County and Northern VA Real Estate Investors, Agents and Professionals! Join the most unique real estate investor club, education, networking and mastermind event in the US! The Cash-Flow Breakfast Club is nationwide but was founded right here in your back yard! **This is a 12 part education series with new topics every month. This event is session 5 of 12!** **This event is free but has very limited seating and we are limited to the first 100 to RSVP! Join us and become a founding member of this amazing community!** *(it is ok to attend even if you missed previous sessions. Each session has stand alone topics. You can also attend other near by locations to get caught up on sessions that you have missed.)* **Very limited seating. In-person only.** **Make sure to RSVP today to reserve your spot.** **When: May 12, 2026 @ 5:45pm-9pm EST** **Where: 20116 Ashbrook Place Suite 200 Ashburn, VA 20147** The Cash-Flow Breakfast Club is NOT just a meet up. It’s the most unique Real Estate Investor Community of Mentors, Coaches & Masterminds. A community of growth oriented, abundance mindset, go-giver individuals with a BARE MINIMUM commitment to become financially free through real estate investing. We focus on providing education and building networks to help every member solve their cash-flow freedom equation, so they can have the time-freedom needed to follow their passions, make a lasting impact and even change the world! The unique format of this event, which consists of high-level education, gamified networking, mastermind breakout sessions, case studies, group deal analysis, market deep dives, and peer-to-peer coaching facilitation makes this the most impactful local real estate investor group a real estate investor can be a part of. The foundation of the group is built around the belief that everyone in the room has the potential to change the world… however most of us never have the time, energy or financial situation to even dare to dream big enough. Most of us have passions that will never be followed, amazing businesses or ideas that will never be pursued… unless we can solve the Cash-Flow Freedom Equation, which ultimately leads to Time-Freedom. Once that happens it is usually much easier for us to think bigger, dream bigger, be bigger. · Learn more about the Cash-Flow Breakfast Club [HERE](https://cashflowbreakfastclub.com/) · Get in the VIP List to be notified about the next event in your area [HERE](https://the.cashflowbreakfastclub.com/VIP) · Learn more about Launching your own Cash-Flow Breakfast Club Location [HERE](https://cashflowbreakfastclub.com/launch-your-own-club/) · Learn more about becoming an Affiliate-Sponsor at one of our club locations [HERE](https://cashflowbreakfastclub.com/affiliate-sponsors/) · View photos and videos of some of our recent events [HERE](https://cashflowbreakfastclub.com/about-the-cash-flow-breakfast-club/) · Looking to represent? Browse Cash-Flow Breakfast Club apparel and fly swag [HERE](https://cashflowbreakfastclub.com/shop/)

**Title**: Amplifying Engineering Skills with Claude Code In this session we will dive into how Claude Code can augment modern engineering practices, from rapid prototyping and refactoring to test generation and documentation. We’ll cover real-world use cases, integration patterns, and tips for getting the most out of AI in your development lifecycle. 6-6:30p.m. - food & drinks 6:30-7:30p.m. - Presentation 7:30-8:00p.m. - Q&A and Possible concept presentation for feedback

Join us for a special session of our study group. Instead of continuing our coverage and discussion of the book "Domain-Specific Small Language Models", in this session, members of the group will present AI projects they have been working on, relating to the recent discussions of the group including the utilization of Large and Small Language Models. Please find the agenda for our upcoming session below: \- 7:00 \- 7:05: Introductions \- 7:05 \- 7:20: Project 1: The Model Context Protocol \(MCP\) – Venky will discuss the protocol's functionality and demonstrate an MCP server he developed\. \- 7:25 \- 7:40: Project 2: Page \- A Virginia Legislative Session Chatbot – Ron will describe a RAG system he developed\, covering various implementation approaches and lessons learned\. \- 7:45 \- 8:00: Project 3: Menta \- A Small Language Model for Mental Health – Odysseas will present an SLM designed to assess mental health conditions using message text\. \- 8:05 \- 8:20: Project 4: Open Brain – Richard will discuss an open\-source\, distributed\, personal AI solution based on an idea by Nate B\. Jones\. \- 8:20 \- 8:30: Closing comments and conversation

Science and religious faith each play a profound role in shaping our cultural landscape. Too often, though, the relationship between them is framed as one of inevitable conflict, leaving casualties on both sides of the ideological divide and influencing everything from public policy to personal belief. Yet, a few voices throughout history have pointed toward a more integrated vision. As Albert Einstein famously observed, “Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.” Jennifer Secki Shields will join us to share her story and her work helping people of all ages bridge these two worlds through her Discovery & Faith organization. Bring your questions, your stories, and your openness as we explore the nexus where faith and science meet. Together, we’ll consider what thoughtful dialogue between these realms can look like. Jennifer serves with Discovery & Faith, a nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping churches and ministries with resources that help them engage science faithfully, confidently, and creatively.

Regular boba tea meetup for people to meet, make new friends, or enjoy general conversations. Great for those who are new in town or find new activities to do! We will meet inside Ben Gong’s, and afterwards, at 9 pm, we’ll go next door to Taco Chinoz for dinner. Those who attend can join us for dinner if they like.

We will be meeting at Starbucks to learn together. Come with an online class you're already going through or an interest and we will try to connect you with a course where you can learn it. Already have a skill you want to contribute to a Kaggle Datascience competition? We will work on these too! Laptop required :)

​Join Data Visualization DC for a meetup to learn about generative UI with Prefect's Jeremiah Lowin! Doors 5:30 Presentation starts 6:15 Please RSVP on luma ([https://luma.com/b4qfsjpl](https://luma.com/b4qfsjpl)) for building security. #=#=#=#=#=#=#=# Got Data Viz? Sign up for a viz and tell and share your work for a few minutes. All are welcome! [https://forms.gle/9a3ssbVbwQFjpWdY8](https://forms.gle/9a3ssbVbwQFjpWdY8) Data Viz DC is a member of Data Community DC, a nonprofit dedicated to data education in the nation's capital. Learn more at [www.dc2.org](http://www.dc2.org/)

## **1 Million Cups Loudoun – Business Presentation** **Featuring James Norris, Founder of Squeegee Samurai** **Wednesday\, May 13 \| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM** **Venture X Loudoun** Join us as we welcome **James Norris**, founder of **Squeegee Samurai**, to the 1 Million Cups Loudoun stage for a conversation on building a service-based business from the ground up. *** ## **About the Presenter** James Norris transitioned from a career in **cybersecurity compliance** into entrepreneurship, taking a hands-on approach to building a business from scratch. Initially exploring the acquisition of an existing company, he ultimately chose to **build his own window cleaning business** after recognizing the simplicity, consistency, and opportunity within the industry. His journey reflects a growing trend of entrepreneurs moving from corporate roles into tangible, service-based businesses with clear demand and scalable potential. *** ## **About the Business** Squeegee Samurai provides **professional window cleaning services for residential and commercial clients**, delivering immediate, visible results — what James calls *“clarity through pane.”* In an industry where the fundamentals haven’t changed, Squeegee Samurai focuses on **high-quality, traditional techniques** paired with strong customer experience and operational discipline. As a solo operator, James currently manages every aspect of the business — from marketing and pricing to service delivery, quality control, and operations — while laying the groundwork for future growth. *** ## **Who James Is Looking to Hear From** James would especially value feedback from: * Business owners who have scaled service-based businesses * Operators of route-based or recurring revenue businesses * Entrepreneurs who have transitioned from corporate roles to hands-on work * Founders who have built teams from a solo operation * Anyone with experience in pricing, local marketing, or service scaling *** ## **Current Business Focus & Challenge** James is in the **early growth stage**, focused on building a foundation for scale through recurring storefront contracts and refining his pricing model. He is seeking feedback on: * Pricing strategy in a competitive, price-sensitive market * Whether to display pricing publicly or use promotional strategies * When and how to invest in advertising (where, how much, and when) * Timing and approach to hiring and team building * Balancing market penetration with long-term profitability This is a critical stage where the right decisions can significantly impact long-term growth and scalability. *** ## **Why Attend?** * Gain insight into building a service business from the ground up * Provide feedback on pricing, marketing, and scaling strategy * Connect with entrepreneurs navigating similar growth stages * Be part of a practical, real-world business conversation *** ## **About 1 Million Cups** 1 Million Cups is a national program that brings entrepreneurs and communities together to learn, connect, and grow through presentations and discussion. Loudoun’s chapter meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays each month. Join us on **May 13** for coffee, connection, and a conversation around building, pricing, and scaling a service-based business. We look forward to seeing you there.

**Saturday • May 16 • 2–5 PM • Ashburn, VA** Many people say they want to write a book someday — **this session helps you start.** Your life experiences already contain stories, lessons, and insights that could become books. The real challenge is **how to organize those experiences and actually turn them into writing.** In this interactive session, I’ll share the approach I’m using to build a **multi-book journey based on lived experience.** So far I have: 📚 **3 books published on Amazon** 📖 **1 more books releasing this year** (end of the year) 📝 **16 additional books planned** — and likely many more. This session is not about writing **just one book**. We’ll explore how your experiences can evolve into **multiple books over time**, and how to **use AI the right way to speed up your writing while keeping your voice authentic.** *** ### What We’ll Explore • Turning life experience into book ideas • How one journey can become multiple books • Simple ways to structure stories and lessons • Using **AI to organize ideas and speed up writing** • Practical strategies to actually finish a book **Everyone will leave with the outline of their first book idea.** **You don’t need writing experience — just curiosity about how your life experiences might turn into ideas worth sharing.** *** ### Event Details 💵 **$25 RSVP — includes coffee + snacks** 📍 **Ashburn, VA** (exact address shared after RSVP) 🕑 **2:00 PM – 5:00 PM** 👥 **Max 10 people** for a small, interactive conversation. Most attendees are professionals, entrepreneurs, and people navigating reinvention or new chapters in life. *** # Background — Writing & Reinvention Journey Writing has been one of the most powerful tools in my own reinvention journey. What began as reflections during a difficult life transition gradually evolved into published books and a growing body of work focused on reinvention, personal growth, and life transitions. My goal is not just to write books — but to help others realize that their experiences may also hold stories worth sharing. *** # 🔗 Midlife Reinvention Ecosystem 🌐 Website [https://midlifereinvention.co](https://midlifereinvention.co) ▶ YouTube (400K+ views) [https://www.youtube.com/@midlife_mindfulness](https://www.youtube.com/@midlife_mindfulness) 💼 LinkedIn (4K+ followers) [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anju-debnath-0061524/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anju-debnath-0061524/) 🤝 Meetup Community (300+ Members) [https://www.meetup.com/ashburn-transition-meetup-group/](https://www.meetup.com/ashburn-transition-meetup-group/) 📚 Amazon Author Page [https://www.amazon.com/stores/Anju-Debnath/author/B0FFNBVZLQ](https://www.amazon.com/stores/Anju-Debnath/author/B0FFNBVZLQ)

## **1 Million Cups Loudoun – Business Presentation** **Featuring Aida Davalos, Founder of Argon Accounting** **Wednesday\, May 13 \| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM** **Venture X Loudoun** Join us as we welcome **Aida Davalos**, founder of **Argon Accounting**, to the 1 Million Cups Loudoun stage for a thoughtful conversation around financial clarity, intentional growth, and building a relationship-driven business. *** ## **About the Presenter** Aida is a **first-generation college graduate with a master’s degree** and an entrepreneur at heart, inspired by her family’s business roots in Ecuador. With a strong background in **corporate accounting, financial operations, tax strategy, and advisory**, her career has been focused on helping businesses make smarter financial decisions and build sustainable foundations for growth. Over the past seven years, Aida has been growing her own **boutique accounting and tax practice organically**, built on trust, relationships, and practical, real-world financial guidance. She is also actively involved with **George Mason University**, mentoring students and supporting the next generation of professionals. *** ## **About the Business** Argon Accounting provides **accounting, bookkeeping, financial advisory, and tax services** designed to help small business owners and individuals feel confident and informed about their finances. Aida’s approach focuses on making financial information **clear, approachable, and actionable**, so clients can understand what their numbers are telling them — and use that insight to make better decisions for long-term growth. *** ## **Who Aida Is Looking to Hear From** Aida would especially value feedback from: * Small business owners and founders * Service-based business operators * Marketing and brand strategy professionals * Entrepreneurs who have grown beyond referral-based business * Individuals passionate about supporting BIPOC entrepreneurs and professionals *** ## **Current Business Focus & Challenge** Aida is in the **early stages of intentional growth**, focused on building a sustainable and well-positioned business. Her biggest challenge is **gaining visibility and attracting a consistent client base**, and she is seeking feedback around: * Clearly communicating her value to small business owners * Marketing her services effectively without relying on paid advertising * Building trust and credibility as a growing business * Expanding beyond word-of-mouth while maintaining strong relationships *** ## **Why Attend?** * Gain insight into building a service-based business with intention * Provide valuable feedback on marketing, positioning, and growth strategy * Connect with entrepreneurs focused on sustainable, relationship-driven growth * Be part of a meaningful, solutions-focused conversation *** ## **About 1 Million Cups** 1 Million Cups is a national program that brings entrepreneurs and communities together to learn, connect, and grow through presentations and discussion. Loudoun’s chapter meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays each month. Join us on **May 13** for coffee, connection, and a conversation about building financial clarity and growing a business with purpose. We look forward to seeing you there.

Ready for a little ocean air and a break from the routine? Join Social Sips & Bites for a relaxed weekend visit to the Ocean City Beach , think sunshine, salty air, casual walks, great food, and even better company. This is an easygoing getaway where you can come for the beach, the conversations, or just the change of scenery. Whether you want to dip your toes in the water, enjoy a long walk along the shore, or hang out and unwind, this trip is all about enjoying the moment together. If you’re interested, let us know and we’ll share more details soon.

If you’re trying to grow in marketing right now, guessing isn’t a great strategy. This event gives you direct access to how marketing leaders actually think. Join DC Marketing Tech Talks on May 19th in Tysons for a live **CMO Ask Me Anything** — a candid, open conversation with experienced marketing leaders who have built teams, driven revenue, and led at the highest levels. This is your chance to ask: * What skills actually matter right now? * What gets someone promoted vs. passed over? * What does it take to become a CMO today? * How are marketing teams and roles changing? * How do you connect brand to real business growth? Just real answers from people who have done the work. Whether you’re looking to move up, switch roles, or sharpen your edge, you’ll leave with a clearer sense of what to focus on next. As always, this event is free and open to the public thanks to our sponsors, SalesIntel. Food, drinks, networking, and a room full of marketers who care about getting better at what they do. Come with questions. Leave with direction.

**ProductTank NoVA is back!** After a brief hiatus, we are relaunching the chapter with a format that cuts out the fluff and gets straight to the reality of building. Every product feed is flooded with AI hype right now, but what does it actually look like on the ground? Instead of a polished keynote, we are hosting **0 to 1 with AI: Real Product Talks**—a "Show & Tell" featuring 3–4 lightning talks focused on the intersection of AI and product. The framing for the talks is simple: *"Here is what I'm building, and here is what I'm stuck on."* We want to look at the messy, 0-to-1 reality of integrating AI into your workflows and products. *(Want to share what you are working on? Reach out! The bar is low-pressure, just 10–12 minutes to talk about a real AI problem you are trying to solve.)* **Agenda:** * **5:30 PM - 6:00 PM:** Doors open, networking, & name tags * **6:00 PM - 6:10 PM:** Welcome + Chapter Relaunch Intro * **6:10 PM - 7:30 PM:** Lightning Talks (Three 12-min talks + 5 mins Q&A each, with a 5-min stretch break) * **7:30 PM - 8:00 PM:** Open networking * **8:00 PM:** Soft close **Location & Logistics:** Herndon Fortnightly Library (Extended Hours Meeting Room) 768 Center St, Herndon, VA 20170 * **Parking:** We'll meet at the library, located just behind the Herndon Municipal Center. There is plenty of free public parking available around the municipal center. * **Metro & Bus:** Take the Silver Line to Herndon Metro Station, then connect via Fairfax Connector Route 921 or 950 to Historic Downtown Herndon. * **Driving (via VA-267/Dulles Toll Rd):** Take Exit 10 North (Centreville Rd, which becomes Elden St). Turn left onto Station St or Lynn St. * **Driving (via VA-286/Fairfax Co Pkwy):** Take the Elden St West exit. Turn right onto Lynn St. Looking forward to seeing everyone again and getting back to building!

NOVA Code and Coffee is an inclusive, informal, co-working session. People of all skill levels are invited. The concept is simple, bring a laptop and ideas, we'll provide the coffee and donuts! Here's how it works: 1. At 10:15 everyone introduces themselves and briefly describes what brought them to Code & Coffee today (project, homework, networking, etc) 2. For the rest of the day, folks work in the communal space on their projects providing one another help and conversation as needed. Oh and they usually drink coffee and tea too! That's it! Hope to see you there! **Location** Our hosts are the Fairfax City Economic Development Building: [10300 Eaton Pl, Fairfax, VA 22030](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=d7298231ca2df594df822003f9a93517c788fceefe1fcbb79c8976696e341bc6JmltdHM9MTc1MzIyODgwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=180d0745-3b7f-69a1-23a2-11433a7868e5&u=a1L21hcHM_Jm1lcGk9MTA5fn5Ub3BPZlBhZ2V-QWRkcmVzc19MaW5rJnR5PTE4JnE9RmFpcmZheCUyMENpdHklMjBFY29ub21pYyUyMERldmVsb3BtZW50JnNzPXlwaWQuWU44NzN4ODI4MTk2Mjg0NTk5MDM4MTU0MiZwcG9pcz0zOC44NjE0NDYzODA2MTUyMzRfLTc3LjMwMjE3NzQyOTE5OTIyX0ZhaXJmYXglMjBDaXR5JTIwRWNvbm9taWMlMjBEZXZlbG9wbWVudF9ZTjg3M3g4MjgxOTYyODQ1OTkwMzgxNTQyfiZjcD0zOC44NjE0NDZ-LTc3LjMwMjE3NyZ2PTImc1Y9MSZGT1JNPU1QU1JQTA&ntb=1) Conference Room A- Large, Floor 1 This is a new venue for us, so give us some time to get more details about it. Driving is the best option. There is plenty of free on-site parking. Otherwise, we are a 22 minute bus from the Vienna Metro Station. Bicycling from Vienna is possible but difficult, though once you are here, there's a bike rack in the garage behind the building, and there's also a Capital Bikeshare dock 15 min walk away. **Sponsored by:** Thank you [Fairfax City Economic Development](https://gofairfaxcity.com/) and [Mason Enterprise Center](https://enterprise.gmu.edu/) for making this event possible! **Thank you so much to our wonderful sponsors!** Organized by [DMV Petri Dish](https://www.dmvpetridish.com/) **[Code of Conduct](https://github.com/NoVACodeCoffee/admin/blob/master/code-of-conduct.md):** We value the participation of each member of the community and want all attendees to have an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. To make clear what is expected, all delegates/attendees, organizers, and volunteers at any Nova Code & Coffee events are required to conform to our [Code of Conduct](https://github.com/NoVACodeCoffee/admin/blob/master/code-of-conduct.md).

Most AI meetups end up as just networking. **We’re different.** At **AI Tool Explorers Night \| Connect & Make New Friends**, you’ll: ✨ Walk away with a *real learning nugget* (a tool, workflow, or strategy you can use immediately) ✨ Connect with people who share your curiosity for AI, productivity, and automation ✨ Enjoy a fun, casual setting where new ideas and friendships spark naturally 👉 **Our promise:** every session delivers structure, substance, and takeaways you can use when you get home. ### 📅 Event Flow * **6:00–6:15 PM** → Arrivals & intros * **6:15–6:45 PM** → AI demo / learning nugget * **6:45–7:00 PM** → Q&A and group discussion * **7:00–8:00 PM** → Networking & contact sharing ⚡ Please hold networking until after the presentation so we can all learn together. Plenty of time at the end to connect and exchange cards! **Let's explore AI Tools that actually *work* in our day-to-day life!** *** #ChatGPT #Claude #Grok #Gemini #Perplexity #DeepSeek #NotebookLM #Cursor #GitHubCopilot #Replit #Windsurf #v0dev #Lovable #Zapier #Makecom #n8n #Descript #OpusClip #Synthesia #Runway #Sora #Kling #Veo #PikaLabs #LTXStudio #AdobeFirefly #Vidu #Hailuo #LumaDreamMachine #Wisecut #Elaiio #Capsule #Filmora #Gling #Magisto #AdobePremierePro #ElevenLabs #Suno #Udio #Soundraw #Riffusion #Mubert #BeatovenAI #AIVA #Loudly #SplashPro #Soundful #MagentaStudio #WavTool #MakeBestMusic #BandLabSongStarter #TadAI #EcrettMusic #Midjourney #DALLE3 #CanvaMagicStudio #NotionAI #Gamma #Fathom #FirefliesAI #MLX

## **1 Million Cups Loudoun – Resource Presentation** **What You Really Need to Know from an HR Professional** **Presented by Donna Giarratana** **Wednesday\, May 27 \| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM** **Venture X Loudoun** Join us for a practical and insightful resource presentation designed to help small business owners navigate one of the most critical — and often overlooked — areas of growth: **Human Resources**. *** ## **About the Session** As your business grows, so do the complexities of managing people, processes, and compliance. Many entrepreneurs wait too long to think about HR — and by the time they do, they’re already reacting instead of planning. In this session, **Donna Giarratana** will break down what small business owners *really* need to know about HR — in a way that is clear, actionable, and relevant to your stage of growth. This conversation is designed to help you move from uncertainty to confidence when it comes to building and managing your team. *** ## **What You’ll Learn** * When it’s the right time to hire * How to set your business up for success before bringing on employees * Why HR matters — even for small businesses * Common pitfalls and how to avoid them * The foundational HR knowledge every business owner should have *** ## **Who Should Attend** * Entrepreneurs preparing to hire their first employee * Small business owners currently managing a team * Founders looking to strengthen operations and compliance * Anyone who wants to build a business with a strong, scalable foundation *** ## **Why Attend?** * Gain clarity on one of the most important aspects of business growth * Learn how to avoid costly mistakes before they happen * Ask questions and get real-world insight from an HR professional * Walk away with practical knowledge you can apply immediately *** ## **About 1 Million Cups** 1 Million Cups is a national program that brings entrepreneurs and communities together to learn, connect, and grow through presentations and discussion. Loudoun’s chapter meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays each month. Join us on **May 27** for coffee, connection, and a conversation that will help you build your business the right way from the inside out. We look forward to seeing you there.