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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out customer experience events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the customer experience events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
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Customer Experience Events Today
Join in-person Customer Experience events happening right now
Profs & Pints DC: Empathy 101
[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Empathy 101,”** a research-based examination of our ability to understand others and how to improve it, with Jamie Keaton Jones, instructor in the Child and Family Social Work Fellowship Program at Walter Reed Military Hospital, adjunct professor at Fordham University, and founder of The Psychotherapy Studio PLLC in Washington D.C.
[Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/dc-empathy-101](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/dc-empathy-101) .]
In these uncertain and divided times, empathy for others—and for ourselves—might be just what we need to reduce our anxiety and constructively work together. Yet many of us lack much of an understanding of our capacity for understanding and how we can nurture it.
Take a deep dive into the subject of empathy with Dr. Jamie Keaton Jones, a therapist and university instructor who studies empathy and teaches empathetic skills to students.
Drawing on insights from social psychology, neuroscience, and social work, she’ll discuss what exactly empathy is and why it’s necessary for survival. She’ll also dispel common empathy-related myths and review specific ways to practice empathic responses.
She’ll talk about mirror neurons—which fire in both someone taking an action and another observing that action—and the important role they play in empathy. She’ll offer guidance on how to assess one’s own level of empathy, and she’ll discuss “empathy deficit disorder” and what it’s like to be excessively empathetic.
We’ll discuss how we can best show empathy to a friend or family member in crisis and how can we use empathy to connect when we disagree.
Among the questions Dr. Jones will tackle: Can empathy be taught? Can it be captured by Artificial Intelligence? What might the world look like if empathy suddenly ceased to exist?
All Profs and Pints talks seek to make people smarter, but this one might help you become kinder as well. (Door: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.)
Image by Canva.
Why Conversations Break Down — and How to Fix Them in Real Life
Most people work hard on self-improvement, but communication is often treated as something you either “have” or you don’t.
In reality, people skills improve when you understand what causes conversations to work (or quietly fall apart) and learn how to correct that in real time.
This live, in-person workshop focuses on the *foundations* of people skills: presence, understanding and comfort in interaction rather than tricks or surface-level advice.
### **You’ll likely relate if:**
* You replay conversations later and think, *“That’s not what I meant.”*
* You hesitate or overthink when it’s time to speak up.
* Conversations drift into tension even when everyone has good intentions.
* You want to connect better—but don’t want scripts or fake confidence.
If any of that sounds familiar, this session will feel immediately relevant.
### **What makes this worth showing up for**
This is **not a lecture** and not a networking event.
It’s a **guided, interactive workshop** where you’ll:
* Learn why conversations break down in the first place
* Experience what actually restores understanding
* Practice being more present and composed in real time
* Leave feeling more comfortable in conversations—without forcing anything
Most people notice a difference **during the session itself**, not weeks later.Workshops like this are rare because they:
* Stay small on purpose
* Focus on fundamentals instead of trends
* Require live participation to be effective
If communication has ever felt like a bottleneck in your life—
skipping this tends to feel obvious *after* the fact.
### **Who this is especially good for**
* Thoughtful, introspective, or introverted people
* Professionals who want clearer communication at work
* Anyone navigating relationships, boundaries, or confidence
* People tired of tips that don’t translate into real life
You don’t need to be outgoing.
You don’t need experience.
You just need curiosity.
Evolutions of AI-Enabled Software Development with Sean Hoar
HYBRID EVENT, VIRTUAL SPEAKER
In this talk, Sean Hoar will explore the transformative journey of AI’s role in modern software engineering, from rapid prototyping (“Vibe Coding”) to strategic AI integration by skilled practitioners. It clarifies the distinctions between AI-assisted, AI-enabled, and practitioner-led approaches, offering insights into how developers can effectively adapt to and harness AI tools. The presentation also highlights recent advancements and practical strategies for leveraging AI in daily workflows and long-term development.
How to Pick a Market and Analyze Properties
**What makes one market a goldmine and another a money pit?**
Success in real estate starts long before you make an offer. Choosing the right market and knowing how to analyze a deal are what separate confident investors from expensive mistakes.
At this month’s meeting, we’ll talk about how to evaluate markets, spot demand drivers, and understand local fundamentals.
We’ll also walk through how to analyze properties, run the numbers, and determine whether a deal actually makes sense before you move forward.
Come for the training, stay for the networking!
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**Did you miss it?**
[Watch all GRID Reston event playback on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOTh5kxLLJI1G3VH6Pqhlhu0uTA8yrdpi)
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**Join the GRID Facebook Community**
[Join the online GRID community here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/gridinvestor) to post deals, ask questions, and connect with other investors across the globe.
Compass Coffee - Falls Church
I enjoy visiting the Fairfax location, so this week we’ll venture further east into Falls Church. There’s free parking and plenty of seating. Grab a drink and a pastry with me and we can talk about the weather, indoors and out.
(No discussions on politics, religion or potentially controversial topics. We're here to relax and have fun. Just be respectful and we'll be alright. Pay your own way, and enjoy!)
Customer Experience Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Meaningful Conversation and Morning Coffee - Northside Social Falls Church
**Join us in Falls Church for conversations that go beyond small talk.**
Higher Grounds – Falls Church is where this growing network of gatherings began: a space for thoughtful, authentic dialogue about what matters most. Whether we’re exploring the nature of happiness, the challenges and possibilities of midlife, spirituality, culture, capitalism, parenting, or the role of art and travel in a meaningful life, every conversation is shaped by the people in the room.
There’s no set leader or rigid agenda—just a shared commitment to listen as much as we speak. We start with brief introductions focused on what makes you *you* (not your LinkedIn bio), then dive straight into whatever is on people’s minds. The direction of each meetup emerges organically, making every event unique.
MANDATORY: PLEASE REVIEW OUR COMMUNITY GUIDELINES IN THE GROUP DESCRIPTION. Everyone is expected to engage in respectful conversations and listen deeply as well as share. We have a zero tolerance policy of sexual harassment and hate speech.
Come ready to share, reflect, and connect with others in Falls Church who are also seeking deeper conversations.
**Suggested Questions: Life Stages & Transitions**
1. What did you think you'd have figured out by now that you're still completely winging?
2. When did you realize your parents' advice was for a world that no longer exists?
3. What are you finally old enough to stop pretending to care about?
**Suggested Questions: Identity After the Roles**
1. Who are you when nobody needs anything from you?
2. What dream keeps resurfacing even though the "practical" time has passed?
3. How do you handle having the freedom you always said you wanted?
**Suggested Questions: AI & Being Human**
1. What human experiences will AI never truly understand?
2. If machines handled all your have-to's, what would you actually do?
3. What becomes more precious as everything becomes automated?
**Suggested Questions: Belief & Meaning**
1. What certainties have you given up, and what rushed in to fill that space?
2. How has knowing someone who died changed how you live?
3. What do you believe now that would shock your younger self?
**Suggested Questions: The Modern Psyche**
1. What anxiety do you carry that previous generations didn't have?
2. Which of your survival strategies are you ready to retire?
3. What uncomfortable truth about happiness did it take you years to accept?
**Suggested Questions: Work & Purpose**
1. When did you stop believing that your job would complete you?
2. What would you do for work if money and status weren't factors?
3. How has your definition of "making it" changed over the years?
**Suggested Questions: Relationships & Connection**
1. What relationship dynamic do you keep recreating, and why?
2. When did you realize your parents were just people trying their best?
3. What kind of loneliness doesn't go away even when you're with others?
**Suggested Questions: Time & Mortality**
1. What are you running out of time to say or do?
2. How differently do you spend your time knowing it's finite?
3. What will you regret not trying, even if you fail?
**Suggested Questions: Society & Culture**
1. What social convention do you follow even though it makes no sense?
2. Which generation do you understand least, and what might you be missing?
3. What aspect of how we live now will seem insane in 20 years?
**Suggested Questions: Personal Philosophy**
1. What rule for life did you create after learning something the hard way?
2. When did you stop believing that everyone else had it figured out
3. What paradox about life have you learned to live with?
Sunday Brunch Social: Meet New Friends
⚠️ **IMPORTANT: You must sign up and buy a ticket here to attend:**
[https://groupvibe.com/](https://groupvibe.com/)
**This is a curated, small-group meetup make new friends in Washington.**
Each meetup brings together 4–6 like-minded people for casual conversations over brunch. We use the Groupvibe platform to organize and ensure everyone’s a good fit.
👉 **To attend, you’ll need to complete registration via this link:**
[https://groupvibe.com](https://groupvibe.com)
Once you register, and **buy a ticket or become a Groupvibe member**, we’ll share the exact location and match you with your group.
**Why this works:**
\* Smaller groups make real conversations easier
\* Matching helps avoid awkward dynamics
**Note:**
RSVPs here on Meetup don’t reflect total attendance. Many attendees register directly via our website.
This meetup is organized by **Groupvibe**, a small team passionate about helping people form meaningful friendships offline.
How Past Lives, Dreams, and Soul Travel Help You Find God
Seekers of timeless truths and spiritual meaning often turn to the records and whisperings of ancient times. But there is a more personal and direct way to learn about ourselves as divine, immortal Soul – and it can be explored here and now. This study can help you understand your true nature as a child of the Divine, identify your strongest spiritual gifts, and tap your limitless creativity of Soul. Using these practices, you can create a happier and more fulfilling life for yourself now as you prepare for an eternity of spiritual unfoldment and service to Creation. Are you ready to take your next spiritual step using the God knowledge that is already within your heart? You’re welcome to join us on February 8th as we discuss: • How the Voice of God speaks to us today. • Understanding your profound experiences. • Experiencing your true beingness of Soul, an infinite spiritual being.
All attendees will receive a free copy of “Ancient Wisdom for Today” while supplies last.
We really look forward to seeing you there! 3 A flyer for this event is available for you at: https://eck-va.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Poster-for-February-8th-2026 Eckankar-AWFT-Topic-Rev-2.pdf
Wednesday Night Open Shop DIY Hours
This is an opportunity for volunteers to support a professional mechanic as he guides customers working on their own bikes. If you know how to do some basic repairs, that's a plus, but even if you don't, you can greet customers and manage who gets helped next. Feel free to attend for only a portion of the time if you can't be there the whole three hours.
Please note that this event is not usually an opportunity to learn about bicycle repair, since the mechanic tends to be very busy helping customers, especially during the warmer months. But it's a great way to contribute to Velocity, since almost all the funding for the volunteer program comes from the work done at the shops.
🌇 Golden Hour: A Curated Singles Night (Ages 42–56)
## 🌇 Golden Hour: A Curated Singles Night (Ages 42–56)
**Part of the *Cuffed by Cupid* Match Series** 💘
A winter singles series leading up to Valentine’s Day.
🗓 **Saturday, November 22**
⏰ **8:00 – 10:00 PM**
📍 **Eighteenth Street Lounge — Washington, DC (Indoor Lounge)**
**Tickets**: https://matchandmeet-goldenhour-february.eventbrite.com
***
At this stage in life, you know what matters — and you value your time.
**Golden Hour** is a curated singles night for adults ages 42–56 who want meaningful conversation, thoughtful connection, and a relaxed, stylish night out. Whether you’re new to the DMV, re-entering the dating scene, or simply open to meeting like-minded people, this event is designed to feel comfortable, intentional, and genuinely enjoyable.
This is not speed dating and not a loud mixer where you’re left on your own. It’s structured just enough to help connections happen naturally — and relaxed enough to feel like a great evening out.
***
### 🎟️ IMPORTANT: Tickets Required
RSVPing “Yes” on Meetup does **not** guarantee entry.
All attendees must purchase a ticket on Eventbrite to attend.
(The ticket link will be shared in the event comments and confirmation message.)
**Tickets**: https://matchandmeet-goldenhour-february.eventbrite.com
***
### 💫 How It Works
• Arrive, check in, and enjoy a drink
• Complete a short compatibility questionnaire on your phone
• Our Matchbox system uses values, goals, and personality to curate up to **3 matches**
• Matches are revealed in relaxed rounds throughout the evening
• Plenty of time to mingle with the full group before and after
No pressure. No awkward games. Just real conversation in a welcoming space.
***
### ⏰ Event Schedule
**8:00 PM** – Arrival, check-in, drinks at the bar
**8:15 PM** – Compatibility questionnaire opens
**8:45 PM** – Match groups revealed
**9:00 PM** – Match #1
**9:20 PM** – Match #2
**9:40 PM** – Match #3
**10:00 PM** – Guests welcome to continue mingling
👉 Please arrive by **8:30 PM** to be included in matchmaking.
***
### 🌟 Who It’s For
Singles ages **42–56** who value meaningful conversation, emotional intelligence, and intentional connection.
Guests within **±2 years** of the age range are welcome (e.g., 40 or 58).
***
### 👔 Dress Code
Polished and date-night ready.
Business casual, smart casual, or semi-formal attire encouraged. Sweaters, blazers, cocktail dresses, and fall layers are all welcome — just come comfortable and confident.
***
### 📋 What You’ll Need
• A smartphone with internet access
• Arrival by 8:30 PM for matchmaking
• An open mindset — we’ll guide the rest
***
### 🛡️ Safety, Access & Policies
• Event is held on a **second-floor indoor lounge (stairs only; limited accessibility)**
• This is a **safe, respectful, and inclusive space**
• Harassment or disruptive behavior will result in removal without refund
• Photos and video may be taken for community promotion
• Refunds available up to **4 days before the event** (Eventbrite policy applies)
***
### 💬 Why Golden Hour Works
This is for people who want real conversation, shared perspective, and connection that fits where they are in life — without rushing or pressure.
📸 Follow along: **@dmv.experiences**
Fine Dining & Sustainability at Shia Korean Restaurant!
Join us to enjoy an exclusive 5-course tasting menu ($100/pp) at Chef Edward Lee's groundbreaking restaurant - **Shia** \- in the Union Market District\!
Note from SHIA: Due to our committment to sustainability and preventing food waste, we prepare specific ingredients for each guest daily. A charge of $85 per guest will be applied to any cancellations within 48 hours of the booking.
$85 Event Registration fee will be applied to each guests's bill. Event registration fee is only refundable if the seat is filled by another guest prior to the dinner. Thank you for your understanding.
\*\*Note from Shia re:Dietary Restrictions:\*\*
Due to the inclusion of ingredients integral to Korean culture and cuisine, we ***cannot*** accommodate the following dietary restrictions: celiac, soy, legume, nightshade vegetable, or allium. We ***can*** accommodate vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, seafood allergies, shellfish allergies, and nut allergies. The adjusted dishes our chefs have created for these dietary restrictions will be vegetarian, as we do not have the ability to substitute proteins. Individuals with aversions to seafood may not fully enjoy the experience, as a large portion of our menu is seafood-based at this time. Please note that our kitchen operates on a minimal-waste, sustainability-driven model. This means we do not stock additional ingredients for last-minute changes. If we receive notice less than 48 hours before your reservation, we may need to omit elements of dishes rather than substitute additional ingredients. Please let us know right away so we can prepare with care.
**The Washington Post** (Sietsema)
Over my decades-long watch, few restaurant genres have witnessed more changes in and around Washington than Korean.
Back in 2000, the majority of sources were in the Virginia suburbs, where the menus mostly revolved around tried-and-true mandu, bulgogi, seafood pancakes and barbecue. Before the rise of social media, restaurants that specialized in certain dishes **—** say, Tosokjip in Annandale, known for its grilled fish and stews **—** existed under the radar, supported primarily by the Korean community, recalls restaurateur Danny Lee, one of the agents for change on the D.C. scene.
Over the years, practitioners started cooking outside the lines and experimenting with fusion. The arrival of Lee’s Chiko and Anju in the District saw chefs feeding us Korean fused with Chinese American ideas and serving upscale homestyle cooking. Service (and alcohol beyond beer and soju) became a priority at restaurants including Ingle Korean Steakhouse in Vienna, and Korean chefs, following the lead of the trailblazing Atomix in New York, hopped on the fine-dining bandwagon with tasting menus. I miss the short-lived Incheon in Annandale but welcome the youthful Onggi in Dupont Circle.
Since November, chef and cookbook author Edward Lee is pushing the envelope even more, with a gem called Shia — “seed” in Korean — tucked in the Union Market District. It’s a slip of a place with a dozen seats in the front bar and nearly double that number in a narrow dining room behind a slatted maple door. What distinguishes Shia from the pack is that it’s part of the chef’s nonprofit, the LEE Initiative, originally introduced as a mentoring program. Further, Shia is experimenting with all manner of limited-waste and sustainable practices, which is why some drinks arrive sans garnishes, and there’s no gas and zero plastic. After the kitchen turns them into pulp, used cocktail napkins and printer tickets enjoy afterlives as postcards and coasters.
No one preaches here, by the way; they just quietly set good examples. Lee wants his clientele to experience Shia as a restaurant vs. a lecture hall.
“This is how we say hello,” says a server as he places a little cup in front of us, trailed by a snack: a hot oyster and scallop bundled in jin, or seaweed. The dish, which you eat with your hands, marries hot seafood, cool Asian pear and spicy ssamjang, an exquisite bite that’s gone as fast as you can read this sentence. The contents of the cup, a tea made with soju and dried omija berries, are refreshingly sweet-tart.
Guests seated at the bar are offered a five-course menu; those seated in the dining room, host to the open kitchen, receive seven courses. Shia remains enough of a tough reservation that I’ve been able to secure a seat only in the lounge, a serene space with gold lights, a concave ceiling and wallpaper that depicts clouds mingling with mountains.
Scrolls of amberjack arranged on thin red rings of fermented fish paste and lemon juice are topped with little balls of foam that taste like kimchi “air.” (The finishing touch demonstrates Shia’s no-waste goal; the cloud is excess liquid from making kimchi, passed through an aerator.) The lovely fish dish is a spin on the refreshing Korean summer dish mul hwe, to which a delicate, fresh-tasting green chip is added. (The fillip turns out to be hand-harvested gamtae, the rarest of seaweeds in Korea.) We miss the small plate when it’s gone, but only until the pork belly replaces it. Finger lengths of the braised meat share a canvas with abalone and clams scattered on a soothing porridge of barley, buckwheat, millet and three kinds of rice infused with dashi. “Try to get a bite in each bite,” a server coaches my party. Rising from the center is a little tower of fierce white kimchi, which the server says to save for last, “but you do you.”
Some nights look like an evening out in Seoul. My visits found different generations of Koreans sharing Lee’s handiwork, a reality the chef addresses with menus printed in Korean as well as English. The owner sees adventure-seeking younger Koreans come in to check the place out, then return with their parents to share the novelty. The Korean menu is meant to make older customers “feel at home.”
Surely the saengseon contributes to the sentiment. A square of seared braised sea bass — line-caught, of course — lounges in a liquid salad of crisp greens and broth and practically demands my return engagement. The intoxicating flavor of the soup springs from what Max Chuvalas, who shares the executive-chef title with Chaelin Lee, calls a “fish tea,” an elixir coaxed from fish scraps and white kimchi juice.
I also admire the duck, glazed with Korean mustard and presented so the sliced meat alternates with same-sized pieces of gently crisp mountain yam. The accompanying steamed rice, offered in a raised wooden bowl and bulked up with ginkgo nuts, aster, shepherd’s weed and thistle, nearly steals the show. The greens are another salute to sustainability: “Where Americans might see weeds, Koreans see edible flora,” says Chuvalas, who comes to Shia from Dirty Habit but has worked in fine-dining restaurants before. Those who opt for five courses choose between the fish and the duck. The seven-course plan includes both indulgences. My strategy at the bar with a companion has been to order one of each and share tastes.
When I first started as The Washington Post’s critic, Asian desserts were mostly predictable. Green tea ice cream was almost always involved. Shia demonstrates how far the scene has come, with endings including bruleed bananas staged with banana chips, same-flavored ice cream and soy chocolate sauce, a fruit salad that changes with the season but always looks like a brilliant orchard, and a honey tuile hovering over apricot foam. The longer script in the dining room embraces extra sweets — caramels and what tastes like a pecan pie from Korea (pine nuts and dates are involved) — revealed in a handsome mirrored box.
In recent years, chefs of all stripes have gotten better about offering tasting menu portions that are neither too tiny nor too filling. No one feels compelled to go to the Golden Arches after a meal at Shia, nor will they feel the need to let out their belt. “I’m 53,” says Lee. “As I get older, I don’t have the patience for 20 courses and three hours” of sitting and eating. The chef feels that seven courses, the max here, honors “efficiency and variety.”
Hear! Hear! And go! Go!
Looking forward to sharing this experience with you!
***Menus change seasonally***. Please see latest menu and information on new dishes on menu on OpenTable[ here](https://www.opentable.com/r/shia-restaurant-washington) and [Instagram page](https://www.instagram.com/shia_dc/).
We ask that ALL folks honor their RSVP. If you are unable to attend after sending in a YES, please update your status so that others may join. In the event our group incurs a fee for no-shows / late cancellations, your ability to RSVP for future events will be restricted. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
**WAITLIST:**
Meetup does not allow a waitlist for paid events. If this event fills and you are interested in adding your name to the waitlist, please send host a message through the app.
In the future, we will vary the days of the week and the types of restaurants so that we can attract many different types of diners. Feel free to make suggestions for future meet locations. All diners will pay their own tab. before departing the event.
If you are unable to join us in February we hope you'll stay interested and join us for a meal in the future. Looking forward to catching up with you for a fantastic dinner at Shia!
Customer Experience Events Near You
Connect with your local Customer Experience community
IxDA Chat n Pancakes
Join members of the local UX and Digital Design community for a casual monthly breakfast. There _might_ be a little snow, but there _will_ be effectively infinite serve-yourself coffee, so it evens out if you ask me.
Just a reminder, while the other locations are great too, we’re at the Lane Ave one this time.
Data & Analytics Wednesday - Compensation Data
**People Analytics 101: Making Sense of Compensation Data**
Compensation data is one of the most widely used and widely misunderstood forms of people analytics.
The session will cover where compensation data comes from, including market pricing data, internal payroll data, and benchmarking sources, and how companies think about structuring and analyzing that information. We will explore how compensation data is leveraged to set salary ranges, manage internal equity, support hiring and retention, and align pay with business strategy. A portion of the session will address common data challenges and limitations, such as market noise, inconsistent job matching, and incomplete datasets, while keeping the primary focus on practical use rather than technical depth.
The session will also look ahead at where the space is going, including the growing impact of pay transparency laws, expanding pay equity requirements, and emerging regulations in the US and Europe that require organizations to report on gender and pay gaps. The goal is to give attendees a clear mental model for how compensation analytics works today and why getting it right is becoming increasingly critical.
(note: we are back at Rev1 this month!)
**About Our Speaker**
[Alex Moore](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexscottmoore/) is the founder of [Moore Cooperative](https://moorecooperative.com/), where he advises organizations on compensation strategy, pay equity, and people analytics. His work focuses on helping organizations like the Ohio Supreme Court design, analyze, and communicate compensation systems that are data-informed, defensible, and aligned with organizational goals. Alex lives in Granville, Ohio and has three little kiddos.
More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)
LGBT Reads: In-Person Book Discussion
Join us for our February Book Club gathering where we will come together to discuss *A Master of Djinn* by P. Djèlí Clark in a safe and welcoming environment. Make new friends who share your passion for books and connect with fellow LGBTQ book enthusiasts.
🍸 Interactive Bombay Gin Cocktail Class & Social Hour
Join us for an interactive Bombay Gin Cocktail Class at TownHall — a fun, social experience designed to bring people together over great drinks, great food, and great conversation.
During the class, you’ll learn how to craft several different Bombay Gin cocktails, guided by a master mixologist in a relaxed, high-energy setting. This isn’t a lecture — it’s hands-on, engaging, and built to spark connection, laughter, and good vibes.
Whether you come solo or with friends, this experience makes it easy to meet people, enjoy expertly crafted cocktails, and unwind mid-week.
✨ What’s Included (A Ton 😁)
• Multiple Bombay Gin cocktails
• Interactive cocktail instruction
• Food & appetizers sponsored by TownHall
• A lively, social atmosphere
🍸 Sponsored by Bombay Gin
🍽 Food & appetizers sponsored by TownHall
Must be 21+ to attend
$20 fee per person 
Turning Rentals Into Income: How Investors Pay Off Properties Faster
#### Turning Rentals Into Income: How Investors Pay Off Properties Faster
#### **Featuring Guest Speaker: John Blackburn**
**👉 Get your FREE TICKET [HERE](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/turning-rentals-into-income-how-investors-pay-off-properties-faster-tickets-1980492192461?aff=cicmeetupapp)**
####
A lot of people get into real estate because they want freedom.
Then they buy a rental…and realize most of the rent goes straight to the bank.
They technically own property, but the mortgage controls the income. And waiting 30 years for properties to be paid off doesn’t feel realistic.
This meetup is about understanding a different way to think about rental properties… one that focuses on paying them off sooner so the income is actually usable.
**Featured Guest Speaker: John Blackburn**
We’re excited to welcome John Blackburn as our guest speaker for this event.
John has been actively investing in real estate since 2006 and has:
* Been involved in **5,000+ real estate transactions**
* Helped investors **acquire over $150 million in rental property**
* **Raised more than $100 million** in private capital
John didn’t start with family money or shortcuts. He built his portfolio by focusing on clear systems, real numbers, and long-term strategy.
For this meetup, John will walk through how investors shift their focus from simply owning rentals to building properties that eventually pay them…without a mortgage attached.
**What You’ll Learn**
John will break down, in simple terms:
* Why most rental properties don’t produce much usable income early on
* Why buying more rentals isn’t always the answer
* How investors structure their properties to pay off mortgages in a fraction of the time
* How properties can work together to eliminate debt faster
* What changes once rentals become free and clear
This approach is often referred to as an accelerated paydown strategy — using rental income intentionally to reduce debt sooner, rather than waiting decades for mortgages to run their course.
John will also share a simple calculator you can use to see how this works with real numbers and realistic scenarios.
**The Core Idea**
When a rental has a mortgage, the rent has one job: **pay the bank.**
When a rental is paid off, the rent has a different job: **pay you.**
Most people only see one timeline…30 years.
This session shows how investors shorten that timeline and gradually increase their income as properties become free and clear.
**Who This Event Is For**
This event is for people who want more than just “owning rentals” on paper.
* Rental owners who are tired of most of the rent going to the bank and want a clearer path to real, usable income
* New investors who want to understand how rental properties actually build wealth over time before jumping in
* People with capital who want to invest in real estate with intention and a long-term plan
* Anyone serious about freedom and curious how rental properties transition from debt-heavy assets into income-producing ones
**Event Details**
**Location:** Ohio Brewing Company - 421 E 2nd Ave, Columbus, OH 43201
**Date & Time:** January 25th, 6–8 PM (Doors open at 5:30)
**Cost:** Free (Seats are limited - RSVP required)
**👉 Get your FREE TICKET [HERE](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/turning-rentals-into-income-how-investors-pay-off-properties-faster-tickets-1980492192461?aff=cicmeetupapp)**
If you’ve ever wondered how rental properties actually turn into freedom —this is the room to be in.
CBusData - Ok I Want to Get Data into Fabric - Now What?
I love my job and one of the main things I do is help customers get going with any of the data technologies at Microsoft. Right now there are a lot of my customers asking about Microsoft Fabric. It's hard to weave across all the shiny new options across the Fabric landscape, let alone figure out where it fits into your organization. In this session we'll focus on answering one question - how can I get data into Fabric? We'll talk through the "it depends" options and see some of the options in live demos.
Free In-Person Meeting: Get Over Losses & Betrayals, Build Lasting Relationships
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.



























