Network Engineering

**LeadDev London meetup** 🎟 Please **RSVP BELOW!** 🎟 Join us for our next LeadDev meet-up on June 18th and enjoy an evening of networking and talks. **Date:** Thursday, 18th June **Time:** 6 - 9pm **Location:** Softwire, 315, Highgate Studios, 53-79 Highgate Rd, London NW5 1TL Spaces are limited - you must RSVP to attend. We hope to see you there! ⏰ **SCHEDULE** ⏰ 18:00 - Arrival, networking and refreshments 18:30 - Welcome from our host 18:40 - **Unchartered territory: From Engineering Manager to Head of Engineering - Natalie Parker, Head Of Engineering at ENSEK** 19:00 - **Extreme Curiosity: The solution to all of AI's challenges - Andy Huang, Technical Lead at Softwire** 19:10 - Break 19:40 - **Certainty is an illusion - Mary Gudman, Senior Engineering Manager at ENSEK** 20.00 - Networking 21.00 - Close **🎤 SPEAKERS 🎤** **Unchartered territory: From Engineering Manager to Head of Engineering - Natalie Parker, Head Of Engineering at ENSEK** Making the leap from engineering manager to head of engineering is one of the least-documented transitions in a technical career. There's no shortage of advice for moving from senior engineer to tech lead or engineering manager, yet the step up to senior leadership remains rarely documented. It's also the point when your day to day will likely change most significantly from previous roles. This talk is the resource I wish I'd had. I'll walk through the five biggest shifts you'll encounter when moving from managing a single team to leading multiple teams and workstreams: where intentional time management becomes non-negotiable, why "disagree and commit" hits differently at this level, how organisational politics become unavoidable, why you'll need a crash course in product, marketing and finance, and why getting your team right is the foundation for everything else. For each area I'll share practical tips from my own experience, followed by honest advice on how to assess whether this transition is right for you — and how to prepare when the time comes. Whether you're actively considering a move into senior leadership or simply curious about what could lie ahead, this talk will give you an honest, grounded picture of what the role actually demands. **Extreme Curiosity: The solution to all of AI's challenges - Andy Huang, Technical Lead at Softwire** The impact that agentic AI tooling has had on the industry is undeniable, destroying barriers-to-entry and producing immeasurable levels of output. Working applications can be created by non-coders in a matter of minutes in a chat window, and unmanageable numbers of pull requests, issues, and vulnerabilities are demanding the attention of engineers. How does the unrelenting drive to explore digressive questions help us thrive where AI would otherwise threaten our very existence? **Certainty is an illusion - Mary Gudman, Senior Engineering Manager at ENSEK** Most engineering leaders have been here: the company is restructuring, the strategy is shifting, and your team is looking to you for answers you don't have. The instinct is either to project confidence you don't feel, or to be radically transparent in a way that destabilises everyone around you. Neither works. Leading through uncertainty when you're uncertain too is a skill. It can be learned. This is what learning it looked like for me. 🔹 **CODE OF CONDUCT** 🔹 As with our conferences, LeadDev Meetups are a safe and inclusive event for all. By attending, you agree to our **[code of conduct](https://leaddev.com/code-conduct)**. 🔸 **SLACK COMMUNITY** 🔸 You can also join our **[Slack workspace](https://theleaddeveloper.slack.com/)** to keep up with everything in our London community. Join the channel #leaddev-london or #london. 🙏🏻 **THANK YOU** 🙏🏻 Thank you to our London meet-up partner **[Softwire](https://www.softwire.com/)**.

**Looking for a business networking event in London for property investors, landlords, agents, and developers?** Join us in **Covent Garden** for a quality networking evening hosted by a digital business card app GMax Card. **What to Expect** * **Connect with property professionals, investors, landlords, and developers** in a relaxed but purposeful setting - where conversations turn into deals, partnerships, and opportunities across the full property ecosystem: assets, acquisitions, the rental market, development, and beyond. * **Build valuable business relationships** across the property and business ecosystem, exchange ideas, spot market trends, and uncover opportunities. * A **lightly structured event** \- not a formal\, overcrowded conference\, nor a random pub mingle\. * An **atmosphere that feels high-quality yet relaxed**, with space for real professional conversations. * Hosts are there from the start to **help with introductions**. **Who You'll Meet** * Property developers, investors, and asset managers * Residential and commercial landlords * Estate agents, letting agents, and block managers * Architects, interior designers, and fit-out specialists * Surveyors, mortgage brokers, and bridging lenders * Solicitors, conveyancers, and planning consultants * PropTech founders and digital service providers * Business owners with property interests Please note: our events are theme-led rather than closed-sector events, so you may also meet relevant professionals from adjacent areas such as finance, investment, business services, technology and entrepreneurship. **How the Evening Flows** 18:30 - Arrival 19:00 - Short introductions 19:30 - Open networking 21:30 - Close Hosts are there from the start to help with introductions. **Venue - Sycamore Bar at Middle Eight Hotel** A stylish, design-led bar inside the 5-star Middle Eight Hotel in central London. Located in the Covent Garden/Holborn area, just a short walk from Holborn, Covent Garden and Tottenham Court Road stations, it offers a relaxed and refined setting for business and property networking. **Entry & GMax Cards** * Free RSVP: Event access only * Paid ticket (when available): Includes a contactless GMax Card (ask host to claim; not distributed automatically) **Dress Code** Business / smart **Hosted by:** [GMax Card - a digital business card](http://www.gmaxcard.com/) platform designed for modern networking and professional connections beyond LinkedIn. Share all your contact details through one simple link. **Important Info** * 18+ (ID may be required) * Photos/video by [CineEye Audiovisual Production Studio](http://www.cineeye.co.uk/) (inform us if you prefer not to appear) * Attendance is at your own risk. Organisers and the venue are not liable for any injury, loss, or damage. **Limited spots - register early!** Join our [WA Business Community](https://chat.whatsapp.com/FJdEP809H5U8WQ4y4BLLS5?mode=hqctcli) to stay connected between events, and follow us on [LinkedIn](http://linkedin.com/company/gmax-card) for upcoming dates.

Our next event is a hands-on hack night in collaboration with Elastic, where you can build out your own working AIOps incident response prototype using Elastic, AI agents and MCP. The best solutions have a chance to win prizes. So come along with your laptop! **📅Date and Time:** Thursday, 18th June 2026 Doors open: 6PM **📍Location:** Davidson Building Address: 1st floor, 5 Southampton St, London WC2E 7HA Note: please use Exeter St entrance as the main entrance is closed after 6pm Facilitators: **[Carly Richmond, Developer Advocate Lead @ Elastic](https://www.linkedin.com/in/carly-richmond/)** **[Steven Wade, Founder, Platform Fix](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevendavidwade/)** **Agenda:** 6:00pm – 6:30pm — Networking on arrival, with food and drinks provided by Elastic 6:30pm – 6:50pm — Challenge and tools demo 6:50pm – 8:30pm — Hacking time 8:30pm – 9:30pm — 5-minute lightning demos 9:30pm— Close and networking at a nearby pub Timings may vary. **You will be using (but not limited to) the following tools:** * [Elasticsearch](https://www.elastic.co/observability) * Elastic Agent Builder * MCP servers and apps, including the new [Elastic Observability MCP App](https://github.com/elastic/example-mcp-app-observability)**.** As always, expect a relaxed evening of technical learning, discussion, and networking with fellow engineers from across the London tech community. Register individually below to secure your spot. Spaces are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. **\*\*\*** **Prerequisites:** **Whether you’re deep into DevOps or just getting started, there’s something here for everyone.** **🛠️ You will need** 1. **Your laptop!** 2. The following software installed on your laptop: 1. [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/get-started/get-docker/) 2. [Docker Compose](https://docs.docker.com/compose/install/) 3. [Claude Code](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/desktop) 4. kubectl and minikube as per the[ Kubernetes install tools guide](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/tools/) **The full setup instructions for the hack night are available [here](https://github.com/carlyrichmond/devops-society-elastic-hack-night).** [Our slack community](https://join.slack.com/t/devopssociety/shared_invite/zt-3mswuylw7-MhJg1IZ70rX_GpJTluG2Cw) \- join in and introduce yourself\! [Our Youtube Channel ](https://www.youtube.com/@DevOpsSociety)for regular podcasts with DevOps professionals + more DevOps content. [Website](https://thedevopsociety.com/) [To partner with us](https://thedevopsociety.com/partnerships) Elastic website - [https://www.elastic.co/](https://www.elastic.co/) Please RSVP to book your place! Thanks! From the DevOps Society team [Ben](https://www.linkedin.com/in/benwhitmarsh/) and [Vytas](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vytasdevops/)

We're back to our usual format of 3 speakers + Q&A followed by networking. 18:30: Doors open 19:00 Welcome by Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino (organiser since 2011) 19:10 **Music Thing Workshop System: Design for Community & Collaboration**, [Tom Whitwell](https://www.musicthing.co.uk/) 19:30 [Ben Beavers](https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbeavers/) ([Smarty Plants](https://www.smartyplants.co.uk/products/smartyplants-plant-monitor-green)) 19:50 [Omar Bakhshi](https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarbakhshi/) ([Tether](https://www.fastcompany.com/90693521/this-light-projects-a-buffer-zone-around-your-bike-and-maps-the-safest-roads)) 20:10 Networking 21:00 End of event and move to a nearby pub There will be drinks (including non-alcoholic) and nibbles. **About our sponsors:** [Green Custard](https://www.green-custard.com/) is an award-winning AWS IoT specialist consultancy that helps organisations design, build, and scale secure cloud-connected products and solutions. With deep expertise across IoT architectures, data lakes, ML and agentic AI our IoT expertise spans from product innovation to smart factory innovation. We have full stack capability from embedded & mobile to cloud-native development. Green Custard partners with clients to deliver on their business outcomes whether modernising legacy devices, unlocking new value from existing data, or accelerating the delivery of production-ready solutions. Customers trust Green Custard for its technical excellence, pragmatic delivery, and we are proud of our customer success. [Aqua Libra](https://aqualibra.com/pages/flavour-tap) is redefining sustainable hydration through innovative, low-impact dispensing technology. Beyond its zero-sugar infused drinks, the brand has pioneered solutions such as the Aqua Libra Flavour Tap, a digitally controlled dispensing system that delivers chilled, filtered water with natural flavours on demand. By removing the need for single-use bottles and reducing transport emissions, the Flavour Tap enables offices, venues, and public spaces to offer great-tasting drinks with a dramatically smaller environmental footprint. Aqua Libra’s approach blends sustainability, smart technology, and convenience to meet the growing demand for healthier, greener beverage options.

PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST book and pay for your ticket in advance at https://www.londonfamilyoffice.co.uk/ The London Family Office & Private Equity committee would like to extend you an invitation to our June 2026 Networking Breakfast to be held in the private lounge of the famous Polo Bar In The City of London - and hope you can join us for a delcious pre-work breakfast and productive networking to make new contacts and ideas for 2026+. We now have over 8000 diverse and relevant London members so it’s the perfect opportunity for making new third sector connections. See photos from our latest events at https://www.instagram.com/london.family.office/ PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST book and pay for your ticket in advance at https://www.londonfamilyoffice.co.uk/ ALSO PLEASE NOTE we take most of our event bookings through our website and EventBrite so the numbers booked is much larger than displayed on this Meetup page (normally about 30-50 guests for our breakfast events).

The discotheque gets disco-technical at **Rock The Docs**! This double headline bill sees **[Marco Spinello](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-spinello/)**, Technical Writer at [Booking.com](http://booking.com/) showing us how music theory can be applied to documentation, using examples from both his professional and creative life. Following this act, **[Jerry Bartlett](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-bartlett-content-pro-tech/)**, founder and principal at [Content Pro Tech](https://www.contentprotech.com/) will demonstrate how the fundamentals of technical writing can be applied to gathering and organising metadata for digital music libraries. These presentations will cover: *Why Git is like a metronome - Why managing stakeholders is not unlike managing band members *Why recording an album is not unlike delivering an MVP - How metadata underpins the algorithms of streaming services *How curating metadata is a key aspect of technical writing work - The difference between descriptive metadata and management metadata **Marco Spinello** tells the story of a disco band that shrank from eight members to a power trio, not unlike a company reorganisation with a built-in product pivot. Music and technical writing have more in common than meets the eye; music theory maps the territory like information architecture, a metronome enforces discipline like git, and song dynamics prevent the "wall of text" effect of very long, very dense docs. **Jerry Bartlett** discusses how uploading his music collection to a NAS drive found him drawing on skills honed during his day job as a technical communicator, and working on striking a balance between the right level of granularity, while making sure to not have ‘too much’ metadata. This event is kindly hosted by [Wise](https://wise.com/). **📅Agenda** **When:** Thursday, 18 June, from 6:30pm **Where:** Wise, 65 Clifton Street, London EC2A 4JE **What:** **18:30 - 19:00** Arrival **19:00 - 19:15** Welcome & Housekeeping **19:15 - 19:20** Short introduction to Wise **19:30 - 20:00** Rocks the Docs by Marco Spinello **20:00 - 20:30** Jerry's presentation **20:30 - 21:00** Networking **📍How to find us**: Please head to Wise, 65 Clifton Street, London EC2A 4JE, from 6:30pm onwards -- one of the friendly Write The Docs London team will be checking guests in. 🌎 **Google Maps**: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/r6zdmeDKhyAbLbaf7](https://maps.app.goo.gl/r6zdmeDKhyAbLbaf7) 📜 **What3Words**: [///lift.send.curiosity](https://what3words.com/lift.send.curiosity) 📷 **Photos:** Please note that the organisers may take some photos for the WTD group.

**Looking for a business networking event in London with focus on business owners, agencies, service providers?** Join us in **Covent Garden** for a quality business networking hosted by digital business card app GMax Card and web/eCom agency **Getshop Today**. **What to Expect** * **Meet business owners and B2B decision-makers** across industries in a relaxed, purposeful environment. **Build partnerships, generate referrals, and connect with potential clients, suppliers, and service providers.** * Exchange ideas, spot market trends, and uncover new opportunities. * A **lightly structured event** \- not a formal conference\, nor a random pub mingle\. * An **atmosphere that feels high-quality yet relaxed,** with space for real business conversations. * Hosts are there from the start to **help with introductions.** **Who You'll Meet** * **Business owners and founders from startups to established SMEs** * **B2B service providers** and agencies looking to grow their client base * **Business decision-makers** actively seeking partnerships, referrals, and new opportunities * Local businesses and London-based professionals across industries * Business professionals visiting London looking to expand their commercial network Please note: our events are theme-led rather than closed-sector events, so you may also meet relevant professionals from adjacent areas such as finance, property, tech, and business services. **How the Evening Flows** 18:30 - Arrival 19:00 - Short introductions 19:30 - Open networking 21:30 - Close Hosts are there from the start to **help with introductions.** **Venue - Sycamore Bar at Middle Eight Hotel** A stylish, design-led bar inside the 5-star Middle Eight Hotel in central London. Located in the Covent Garden/Holborn area, just a short walk from Holborn, Covent Garden and Tottenham Court Road stations, it offers a relaxed and refined setting for business networking. **Entry & GMax Cards** * Free RSVP: Event access only * Paid ticket (when available): Includes a contactless GMax Card (ask host to claim; not distributed automatically) **Dress Code** Business / smart casual **Hosted by:** [GMax Card - a digital business card](http://www.gmaxcard.com/) platform designed for modern networking and professional connections beyond LinkedIn. Share **all** your contact details through one simple link. **Important Info** * 18+ (ID may be required) * Photos/video by [CineEye Audiovisual Production Studio](http://www.cineeye.co.uk/) (inform us if you prefer not to appear) * Attendance is at your own risk. Organisers and the venue are not liable for any injury, loss, or damage. **Limited spots - register early!** Join our [WA Business Community](https://chat.whatsapp.com/FJdEP809H5U8WQ4y4BLLS5?mode=hqctcli) to stay connected between events, and follow us on [LinkedIn](http://linkedin.com/company/gmax-card) for upcoming dates.

**Join us for an exciting AI agent engineering meetup where developers, architects, and AI enthusiasts come together to connect and learn from industry experts.** **We’re thrilled to welcome guest speakers from Snowflake.** **Jenny Zhou and Ioannis Doukas,** **experienced solution engineers who will share insights on Cortex AI and discuss practical approaches to building AI agents efficiently across different industries.** **The session will include:** * **Introducing AI and Cortex features in Snowflake** * **Agent use cases across different industries** * **Interactive discussion**

You do not need to be deep in MLOps to attend. If you are a founder building with AI, a recruiter trying to understand what good AI engineering talent looks like, a fractional CTO/advisor, or a newer builder wondering what happens after a demo works, this event is about the real-world jump from prototype to something people can rely on. MLOps London is moving into its next chapter. The group has a strong history of practical talks and production-focused conversations. This first event under the new cadence is deliberately simple: a signal night for introductions, production-AI pain points, hiring/fractional CTO needs, and topics people want the community to cover next. The theme for the next few months is production AI: * agent systems after the demo * observability and evaluation * deployment and rollback * governance and ownership * what teams are learning the hard way No slides. No formal talks. No vendor pitches. The lightweight format: * builders mark what they know: agents, evals, observability, infra, deployment, governance, cost, rollback * founders/recruiters mark what they need: fractional CTO input, hiring signal, architecture review, speaker/topic suggestions * everyone leaves with a Production AI Bench Card: one useful intro target, one topic/failure mode for the June talk night, and one clear ask or offer Ram will give a short welcome around 7pm and outline the plan for the June talk night: "AI Agents in Production: What Actually Breaks After the Demo." Come if you build, deploy, evaluate, operate, hire for, advise on, or lead production AI systems. Free to attend. Please RSVP with enough detail for us to understand who is in the room. You should leave with a clearer sense of what breaks first when AI meets real users, what skills matter, what questions founders and recruiters should ask, and who in the room can help.

**PLEASE RSVP with first and last name as we** **will need to register you with Building security!** **Timings** Arrival from 18:00 Food from 18:15 Talks from 18:45 **Details** It's been a few months since our last event, but we're back in 2026 for our first organised event. Join us at our new home on the 31st floor of the Walkie Talkie building. We have some amazing speakers with a backdrop of incredible views across the city for a great evening of networking and socialising with fellow tech enthusiasts. It’s the perfect way to celebrate a great start to the year that I hope many of you have had— all in the company of great people who share your passion for data and technology. **Link for Remote** *[Click Me](https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/ap/t-59584e83/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fteams.microsoft.com%2Fmeet%2F37682317939650%3Fp%3DprkmJPImctvAaXPd1g&data=05%7C02%7CJamie.Pullinger%40telefonicatech.uk%7C1d20cda965824d59056208decd2d724f%7C5765d92345c944bf9b119650213bdc84%7C0%7C0%7C639173792239555205%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=RvH6miPolL%2BZSeor75KRlcxp636MLWyV5PYFo7GPaqs%3D&reserved=0)* **Speakers** 🗣️[Jack Tracey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacktracey93/) is the Senior Product Manager for AVM (Azure Verified Modules) on the Azure Deployments team in Azure Core. He has worked at Microsoft for over 6 years and continues to directly shape the direction of the Microsoft Catalog, including AVM but previous ALZ and Subscription Vending. Join us as Jack takes us through an interactive deep dive into the evolution of AVM, where we’ll bridge the gap between product management and engineering through AI-driven workflows and practical spec-kit implementation. This session explores how modern engineering shifts are shaping our frameworks and invites you to help shape the future of the upcoming AVM module updates in real-time. 🗓️ Save the date and be part of the first SLM event of 2026 where innovation meets inspiration! Connect with fellow tech enthusiasts, expand your network, and stay ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving tech landscape. **Why Attend?** * Hear from experts and leaders in the industry * Network to help yourself grow and help others grow * Free food and drinks * Free spectacular views of the city Everyone is welcome, whether you're a beginner just starting out with Azure or you've been in and around Azure since 2010 we hope getting likeminded people together will help build connections and grow knowledge.

Register: [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ljc-unconference-2026-tickets-1989306131189](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ljc-unconference-2026-tickets-1989306131189) LJC Unconference 2026 is a chill, in-person meet-up where Java lovers share ideas and hack together. **About the event:** The LJC is delighted to announce our 20th Unconference! Join us for a full day of discussions, knowledge sharing, learning, and networking with other developers in the industry. There will be an opening keynote session followed by breakout discussion groups on the topics which are important to you. Catering is of course included, with a steady stream of coffee as well as breakfast on arrival, lunch and even afternoon tea.

**Looking for a business networking event in London with a more social, founder-led atmosphere, and on a Saturday?** Join us for a Business Networking & Founder Mixer in Covent Garden. Hosted by London tech startups GMax Card, Ciitab, and Getshop Today. **What to Expect** Quality **conversations**, relaxed socialising/**networking**, and **a live DJ throughout the evening** \- a business crowd in a social setting\. Meet new people\, exchange ideas\, build **partnerships**, and **grow your network** in a relaxed but professional atmosphere. Our hosts will help introduce guests early in the evening, before the event naturally flows into open networking, drinks, and **DJ music**. **Who You’ll Meet** • **Founders** and **entrepreneurs** • **Business owners** and **decision makers** • **Finance**, **FinTech, banking**, and **investment professionals** • **Tech**, **startup, AI, digital, and product professionals** • International **business professionals visiting London** **How the Evening Flows** 18:30 - Arrival & welcome 19:00 - Short guest introductions 19:30 - Open socialising/networking with live DJ 21:30 - Close **Venue - Sycamore Bar, Middle Eight Hotel** A refined cocktail bar inside the 5-star Middle Eight Hotel in Covent Garden, just a short walk from Covent Garden, Holborn and Tottenham Court Road stations. **Dress Code** Business or smart attire. Think polished Saturday evening out with a professional touch. **Tickets & GMax Cards** * Free RSVP tickets include only the access to the event. * Selected paid tickets include a premium contactless GMax Card and 1 drink. **Hosted by founder-built tech startups:** • [GMax Card – digital & contactless business cards](www.gmaxcard,com) • [Ciitab – AI-powered LinkedIn networking](www.ciitab.com) • [Getshop Today – UK ecommerce platform](www.getshop.today) **Important Details** • 18+ event. ID may be required at the bar. • Photography and filming may take place for promotional use by [Cine Eye (Audiovisual Production).](www.cineeye.co.uk) • Attendance is at your own risk. Organisers and venue accept no liability for loss, damage, or injury. **Spaces are limited and early booking is recommended.**

**👉 Registration for this event is available in the MoTaverse! Not on Meetup.** **Register here: [https://www.ministryoftesting.com/chapters/mot-london/events/mot-london-180626](https://www.ministryoftesting.com/chapters/mot-london/events/mot-london-180626)** The London chapter meets again for an evening of discussions, conversations, demos and stories. We have a very exciting evening planned for you with sessions from Scale Factory (formerly Ten10), Madhuri Mittal, Adam Davis, and finishing off with an interactive Lean Coffee session! **What to expect** * **Panel discussion: Silos at scale: How local AI efficiency gains are breaking the quality feedback loops** \- with Mike Mead\, Tulasi Marupudi and Bharath Acharya * **Version 2.0: The tester I became after a career break** \- with Madhuri Mittal * **Building vision systems with AI in the real world** \- with Adam Davis * **Lean coffee** \- with all of you\! Thanks to Scale Factory (formerly Ten10) for sponsoring this event! **And whilst you're here**... Have you registered yet for **[Leading with AI](https://www.ministryoftesting.com/events/leading-with-ai)**, happening the following day in London? *If you have insights or stories you want to share at a future chapter event, just submit them via the [Contribute page](https://www.ministryoftesting.com/contribute).* **👉 Registration for this event is available in the MoTaverse! Not on Meetup.** **Register here: [https://www.ministryoftesting.com/chapters/mot-london/events/mot-london-180626](https://www.ministryoftesting.com/chapters/mot-london/events/mot-london-180626)**

Free monthly networking for Columbus business owners. Real conversations, real connections, no forced formats. Space is limited. RSVP now. Most owners leave networking events with a stack of business cards and no plan. The best leads quietly slip through the cracks. Networking Night is a monthly meetup for Columbus business owners who want to build real local relationships, not just trade contact info. Every kind of local business welcome. No pitch round, no pressure, no awkward speed-networking. **This month** We are focused on referral relationships. Walk in with a clear idea of who refers people like you. Walk out having met a few owners whose work fits next to yours. **What to expect** Doors open at 6 PM. You get real conversation with other local owners, time to actually connect, and a short marketing lesson woven in. The room is reserved through 7:30 PM. **Who this is for** Any local business owner who wants to grow through relationships, not just paid ads. Service businesses, retail, home services, professional services, online owners building local presence, anyone serious about being part of the Columbus business community. **Not the right fit if** You are here to pitch the room or recruit for an MLM. **Details** * Last Thursday of every month * 6:00 to 7:30 PM * COhatch Easton * Free to attend, RSVP required, space is limited **About the host** Rita Suzanne is a local marketing strategist and the founder of Local Marketing Method. She runs Visibility is Profitability, the membership where local owners build the system that keeps their phone ringing, including tracking the referral relationships built in rooms like this one. Learn more at learnlocalmarketing.com. Register here: [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/local-marketing-networking-night-tickets-1988510112275](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/local-marketing-networking-night-tickets-1988510112275)

Most people still use AI like a search box: type one question, get one answer, repeat. But the next step is AI agents: systems that can take a goal, break it into steps, use tools, remember context, and produce useful work for a human to review. In this beginner-friendly session, we’ll demystify what AI agents actually are — without hype or jargon. We’ll walk through practical examples of how agents can help with research, planning, writing, coding, operations, and personal productivity. We’ll cover: * What makes an AI “agent” instead of just a chatbot * How agents break tasks into steps * Where agents are genuinely useful today * Where they fail, hallucinate, or need human review * How to design simple AI workflows for your own work * A live demo of an AI agent-style workflow from start to finish No coding experience required. This is for anyone who wants to understand where AI tools are going and how to use them more effectively right now. LOGISTICS AND PARKING: The talk starts at 7:00 PM. The first half hour is reserved for everyone to get set up and mingle. Free pizza and drinks! The cheapest parking option is to find street parking, which will only cost you a few bucks. Otherwise, park in the nearby veteran's museum lot for $8. It's highly recommended you avoid the nearby $15 garage parking.

**PLEASE BUY TICKETS THROUGH EVENTBRITE. RSVP THROUGH MEETUP IS NOT A TICKET PURCHASE CONFIRMATION.** Strive welcomes you to 'General Business Networking', Columbus' hottest networking event! We are set in the perfect central location in Downtown for all to join. Are you interested in business? Want to elevate your career? Meet Consultants, Analysts of all types, Bankers, Software Engineers, Entrepreneurs, and more who are active in the space or are eager to get started. **\*\*This will be a multi-vertical event\*\*** **There will be professionals with backgrounds in the arts, finance, tech, real estate, healthcare, and more. Come with an open mind, and leave with connections that wouldn't be possible otherwise!** Pack some business cards and come with an open mind! Meet your future business partners, employers, coworkers, investors, and friends. You don't want to miss this opportunity to expand your network and create a brighter future. We will have a space for our event to check-in. The event will go from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (feel free to come at any point in this timeframe). Name tags will be provided. Business casual dress code. Job fair attire. **Remember, it's not who you know, it's who you meet tomorrow!** We look forward to meeting you at the event! Sincerely, Strive Networking Team *Refund requests are permitted up to 24 hours after purchase, so long as we are not within 48 hours before the event start time. Refunds will be made in full and repaid to your method of payment. Note that we are unable to reimburse PayPal fees.* *Disclaimer: By attending Strive Networking events you agree to photos/videos taken during the event being used to promote future events.*

BMS-CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind & AmSpirit Towne Centre FIFA World Cup Social from 2pm to 7pm at Jimmy V's in Westerville. Please feel free to stop by for a drink, some food, networking and the US vs Australia FIFA World Cup Group D match. FREE to attend, drinks and food available for purchase. Bring business cards and a friend. 1 S State Street in Westerville.

We are bringing Microsoft Build sessions to Columbus Ohio! The Central Ohio Azure Meetup and Central Ohio .NET Developer's Group (CONDG) are coming together to bring some of the labs and breakouts from Microsoft Build to your backyard. In this free, 1 day event, you are going to Build stuff with us! And yes, there will be free food. Please RSVP via [Microsoft Build //localhost:columbus | Microsoft Reactor](https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/reactor/events/27247/).

## 🤝 Host Information A co-hosted event by ProductTank Columbus & Women in Product Columbus 💡 About the Workshop AI adoption is stalling across organizations — not because of a lack of motivation or tools, but because it's fundamentally a behavior design challenge. This hands-on workshop applies proven Behavior Design models and methods to help you move from a vague organizational wish to boost AI adoption to 3-5 concrete, testable interventions you can act on starting tomorrow. Whether you're a product manager, on a product team, or just someone trying to get AI to actually stick at work, you'll leave with a clear picture of what's worth focusing on, what to ignore, and how to drive real, sustained adoption — no guesswork required. 🛠️ What to Bring Laptop: Fully charged and ready to go. AI Assistant: Have your favorite AI assistant pulled up. (Dom will be using Claude, but feel free to use whichever assistant you prefer!) 🍕 Logistics & Perks Food & Drink: Pizza and drinks provided! Parking: Plenty of free spaces available on-site. ###