Business Skills for Artists & Creative Types

Small business Owners who do business through referrals and community. Come visit our chapter to see how help each other expand our business and maximize our time. Our group has over 30 members from different backgrounds! We meet every Wednesday morning, network, and share great ideas! We are looking for a few more like-minded business professionals to grow our group! Come visit our chapter and see if we are fit! Breakfast and drinks are provided at $30. Location: Seva Spaces Tysons 1604 Spring Hill Rd 2nd floor, Vienna, VA 22182

Founder Institute is teaming up with AI Collective and Cognition — the AI software development platform behind Windsurf, Devin, and DeepWiki — for a hands-on evening of building, demos, and community. One platform that understands, writes, and ships code. Join us to experience it all in action and start building.​ ❯ **Guest Speakers include:** * Guc Ozenci (Program Director, FI Washington DC) * Catherine Mc Millan (Founding Director, AI Collective) ❯❯ **Learn more about this great event at [https://luma.com/openbuild-dc](https://luma.com/openbuild-dc)** **Please REGISTER as there is limited space for this hands-on workshop event.** You can also attend virtually. ❯ **Agenda - Washington DC TimeZone:** ​5:30 PM: Doors open, grab food & drinks; FI & AI Collective Welcome 6:00 PM: Cognition Platform Demo (see what's possible) 6:20 PM: DevRel Deep Dive (tips, tricks, and power moves) 6:50 PM: Open Build (build whatever calls to you) 8:15 PM: Code & Tell (show off what you made — or didn't) 8:30 PM: Wrap-up ❯❯ **Learn more about this great event at [https://luma.com/openbuild-dc](https://luma.com/openbuild-dc)** **Please REGISTER as there is limited space for this hands-on workshop event.**

Do you like having a reason to get up and get out the door in the morning? How about regular events to make part of your routine? If that's you, join us on Wednesday mornings! Drop in for as long as you like during the session, just leave a comment in the event here if you plan to arrive more than an hour after the start time. And please update your RSVP if you can no longer attend.

The BNI Capital Business Alliance is a business and professional networking organization for all industry leaders. We are one of the top BNI groups in the region, focused on building business relationships and friendships that lead to growing each others business. We meet every Wednesday morning to build relationships, showcase our services, and meet new people! We welcome all visitors who are looking to expand their referral networks and grow their business. There is no fee for visiting our lite fare breakfast meeting and if your business category is open in our chapter you can learn more about how to become a member and join us every week! We are very active outside of our Wednesday morning meetings as well! We host member-only events regularly and are always out and about networking at other events. Due to COVID-19 circumstances our meetings are currently being held virtually through a Virtual Zoom Meeting from 7:30 - 9:00 am. A link to the meeting will be sent to you once you register as Attending on Meetup. We can't wait to meet you! Be prepared to tell us all about your business!

**Tired of surface-level conversations?** Join us for *Ditch the Small Talk*—an evening of deep, real connection with strangers who are down to go there. We’ll meet at the church (we are a secular group), break into small groups, and draw questions from a deck of cards designed to spark vulnerable, honest conversations. ***Rules:*** 1. Don't debate politics. 2. Keep what is shared in the group within the group. 3. If you need to use your phone, step away from your group first. \*\*If you show up late, please hop into a group and don't interrupt the speaker. Just sit down in a group of your choice, and they'll bring you up to speed when whoever is talking finishes. Community of Christ church: 3526 Massachusetts Ave.

http://toastedbyproxy.toastmastersclubs.org/ Toasted By Proxy Toastmasters Club #899228 is a unique group dedicated to achieving individual professional and personal communication and leadership goals. We are an open club and welcomes all to join us! Every LUNCH MEETING IS AN OPEN HOUSE! Updates: We meet regularly from 12:00 to 1:00 PM on the 2nd and4th Wednesday of the month at the Universities at Shady Grove, Building III, Room 4203, 9636 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD 20850. See our "Meeting Information / Directions" page for a detailed map. (http://toastedbyproxy.toastmastersclubs.org/directions.html)

It's our time to pray together to fellowship and trust God for what he will do in the future and the present.

Join us on **Thursday, March 5th** for SPD’s first ever Kickback & Connect in **Washington, D.C.** From magazines to murals and from newsrooms to nonprofits, if you make things in D.C., you’re invited. This is a low-key happy hour bringing together designers and creatives across disciplines in the DMV to kickback, connect, and share ideas—no panels, no pitches, no pressure. We hope to see you there! **Music by: Friends on Mars** Hosted by Good People DC and **[SPD](https://www.spd.org/)**, a nonprofit design community rooted in publishing and creative excellence. No cover charge = no excuse not to come Must be 21 to enter. Please drink responsibly.

A weekly networking meeting where we have a lot of fun and of course, meet other busy professionals!

Serving our community by teaching financial literacy is paramount towards long term success. You will learn three main concepts towards building generational wealth. The five engines of revenu that will forever impact your. Lastly, be introduced a path to entrepreneurship that can transform your life and exceed expectations beyond your imagination Come and acquire this free education and walk out with a new drive! Dress code: Business Casual

Business Oriented Toastmasters (BOTM) is an exceptionally strong Toastmasters club in Rockville, MD. Our club has earned President's Distinguished Club status for the last thirteen years in a row. We are dedicated to helping each of our members achieve their personal public speaking and leadership goals in a friendly, supportive environment. We pride ourselves on having organized, professional meetings with strong evaluations, while having fun at the same time. Guests are always welcome and no notice is necessary. Just show up and plan to have fun. See how BOTM can help you achieve your goals. We are a diverse club with both seasoned and new Toastmasters, and all ethnic and professional backgrounds. For more information, please visit our website at botm.toastmastersclubs.org or contact us at contact-2279@toastmastersclubs.org Meeting locations 1st Wednesday of every month in person at Faith United Methodist Church, 6810 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD 3rd Wednesday of every month via Zoom

**Vest of Many Colors - the Artistic Artifact Design (2 day class)** Friday, March 6 & Saturday, March 7, 2026 10:30 am – 4:30 pm, ½ hour lunch break each session Artistic Artifacts will host Fit for Art Patterns three times this year: you can end 2026 with amazing custom, perfectly fit garments! In this first class, create an artistic vest using their Tabula Rasa jacket pattern. Vests are a great way to use a special fabric in a terrific way, so let’s get started. Fit for Art’s Rae and Carrie designed a vest using the **[Tabula Rasa Jacket pattern](https://artisticartifacts.com/products/tabula-rasa-jacket-pattern-by-fit-for-art)**, using some of the beautiful Cotton Ikat Artistic Artifacts imports from India, Judy and her team loved it, and now it’s your turn to make your own version! As always, this class will begin with fit, bring a TRJ Mockup and pattern pieces, or have a sizing and stitch up a sample on day one to assure your vest will be just your size! Visit our website for complete details, to view your student supply list and to register for this exciting class: **[https://artisticartifacts.com/products/vest-of-many-colors-with-fit-for-art](https://artisticartifacts.com/products/vest-of-many-colors-with-fit-for-art)**

Artistic Artifacts hosts **Open Stitch sessions EVERY Thursday evenings** from 5:30 - 7:30 pm — join us! This is a drop-in, bring your own hand stitching project and the necessary supplies (or you can knit, crochet... whatever needle arts you like). There’s no fee to attend, no instruction nor agenda — just a time to spend with other creatives! Visit our website for all our class & event information: **[https://artisticartifacts.com/collections/wk](https://artisticartifacts.com/collections/wk)**

Welcome to the Art School - 20's & 30's artists Meetup group! This is a community for young artists who are passionate about exploring different mediums and techniques in the world of art. Whether you're a painter, sculptor, photographer, or mixed media artist, this group is the perfect place to connect with like-minded individuals, have a space to work on your craft, and showcase your work. Let's inspire and support each other on our artistic journeys! Whether you're a novice or a seasoned artist, all skill levels are welcome. Join us and unleash your creativity! This month we will be discussing Andrew Thompson, an artist known for vibrant colors and a unique style. Whose, worked on pieces for **Bioware**, **Lucasfilm**, **Bethesda Games**,, **Sony**, **Variety Magazine**, **Bojack Horseman**, **Marvel**, and **Wizards of the Coast.** [https://schmandrewart.com/hello](https://schmandrewart.com/hello) Afterwards, we will have time to work on our individual art projects, hang out and if anyone is interested in feedback on their work there will be time for that as well.

**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.*

Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!

Is your business taking more of your time than you would like? [Rob Young](https://www.linkedin.com/in/cinci-robyoung/) principal at [Stage 3 Group](https://www.linkedin.com/company/stage-3-group/), hosts this workshop series and is the author of Stage 3 Success. * Provides a framework and a playbook for leaders of emerging businesses * Reviews business management tools and techniques for scaling and maturing a business * How to recognize and leverage stories hidden in financial statements * How to implement financial and operational controls and use leading indicators to spot trouble before it occurs * How to manage your time for maximum effect * How to deal with nonperforming employees * How to create standard operating procedures throughout your organization Four sessions will include two hours of content and an optional 90-minute hands-on lab. Reserve your spot via this link: https://clintonvilleba.com/calendar/#!event/2026/3/20/chaos-to-clarity-to-control ($200 for non-CABA members.)

NFT's are here to stay folks! This is a group for like minded people interested in understanding, leveraging, using, creating for, profiting from, trading too i suppose, NFT's.. everything around them, complexity, fear and exploits, best practices and more. **PLUS** This group will talk AI ART tools, techniques, artists, video, audio, prototypes and more in the AI assisted production space- ART specifically, but we can get into any aspect of some of the cooler things happening in AI in general.

At Evolve Synergy Sessions, you'll be part of a supportive mastermind where we share challenges, brainstorm solutions, and inspire one another to take bold steps in our businesses. Grow your network, gain fresh perspectives, and build meaningful relationships with like-minded women who are committed to success. Whether you’re looking to move the needle in your business or simply need a space to connect and recharge, this is the perfect place to fuel your entrepreneurial journey. [Add Event to Calendar](https://evolvecolumbus.eventcalendarapp.com/) \*\* Please note, we will be arriving around 8:15a for open networking! Get there early and get connected! Contact Alexis Morley at [alexis.morley@edwardjones.com](mailto:alexis.morley@edwardjones.com) or Terri Lawson at [terri.lawson@e-merge.com](mailto:terri.lawson@e-merge.com) for more information.