Professional Development
Meet other local people interested in personal development: gather to share experiences, inspire and encourage each other!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out professional development events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the professional development events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find professional development events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Professional Development Events Near You
Connect with your local Professional Development community
Indianapolis Faceless Online Speed Dating Event
**🎊 Zoom Speed Dating for Indianapolis Locals from Home**
In each session, you'll move through private one-on-one video rounds with Indianapolis people in your age bracket who match your profile, with someone hosting live from start to finish.
When booking your spot, you take a quick personality and preferences survey — those results are used to match you with Indianapolis people who are actually compatible, so the format works harder than any dating app.
When it is all over, we send mutual match results — with privacy guaranteed for all non-mutual picks — and everything that follows is on your schedule.
**Age groups — click yours to register:**
- **Ages 18-32** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=476.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Indianapolis&groupurlname=collective-of-singles-planning-dinner-parties&ar=18-32&face_v=3.0)
- **Ages 30-46** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=476.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Indianapolis&groupurlname=collective-of-singles-planning-dinner-parties&ar=30-46&face_v=3.0)
- **Ages 40-58** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=476.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Indianapolis&groupurlname=collective-of-singles-planning-dinner-parties&ar=40-58&face_v=3.0)
- **Ages 55+** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=476.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Indianapolis&groupurlname=collective-of-singles-planning-dinner-parties&ar=55+&face_v=3.0)
**⚠️ RSVP is not enough:** Rsvping on meetup does not confirm your spot at the event, so follow the age group link above, register, and complete the personality quiz to lock in your spot — numbers are intentionally limited so register early, and only the combination of both confirms your attendance.
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**The breakdown**
1. **Register** – through the link corresponding to your age range, then complete the personality assessment, because registration closes once spots fill.
2. **Log on** – by opening the session link at the right time, works on any device without requiring a download, and from there a live host guides everything.
3. **Start the rounds** – brief timed one-on-one chats with Indianapolis singles curated for you by age and personality, as the host signals each transition calmly and clearly, knowing the matching already happened before you got on Zoom.
4. **Discover your matches** – mutual selections are shared privately once the evening wraps, with contact info only shared when both of you said yes, and from there you call every shot.
**Ideal if you are:**
- Someone near Indianapolis who have had enough of apps that waste evenings for no return and are ready for something that feels natural.
- Professionals from the Indianapolis area moving on from dating apps that go nowhere and want actual face-to-face conversation.
- Someone in the Indianapolis area moving beyond apps that waste evenings for no return and are ready for a genuine first impression.
- Members calling Indianapolis home who have given up on profiles instead of real people and are looking for real connection.
- Daters from around Indianapolis moving beyond shallow connections that never lead anywhere and want to talk to real people tonight.
**The Basics**
- **Format:** Real-time via a live video call centred on focused one-on-one video dates, age and personality sorted before the event begins.
- **Where:** Fully remote — on whatever device you prefer, no special equipment — just a device with a camera and internet, and wherever you feel at ease is effectively your venue.
- **Host:** A professional host handles everything so you just show up and enjoy, meaning you never have to think about the format — every transition and every call to move on is handled.
- **Vibe:** Welcoming private Zoom chats with real people from Indianapolis not filtered profiles, and the format itself removes most of the pressure.
- **Duration:** Total time is around 75 minutes or so across all rounds, and you will barely notice the time.
đź’ˇ **Tip:** clear your background or find a tidy corner, so the rounds feel natural from the very start, since small prep leads to a noticeably better experience.
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✨ One Zoom call, real conversations, real matches — grab your spot above and the evening takes care of itself tonight. Can not wait to see you there. 🕊️ ✨
Building Momentum: From Ambiguity to Execution
**Building a great product is one thing—building momentum behind it is another.**
Join **Senior Product Manager Adam Solaiman** and **User Experience Manager Tyson Smith** for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to turn complex ideas into scalable products inside large organizations.
In this session, they’ll share how teams move from ambiguity to execution—navigating organizational complexity, aligning stakeholders, and continuously evolving products after launch.
You’ll walk away with insights on how to:
* Build and sustain momentum across teams
* Adapt to changing priorities without losing direction
* Scale products thoughtfully in complex environments
Whether you're driving a new initiative or growing an existing product, this conversation will give you practical strategies to keep things moving forward.
Come connect, learn, and swap stories with fellow product professionals.
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Food and drinks will be provided by Switchbox, our generous host.
Free parking will be available at the front and back sides of the Switchbox Office.
Game Dev Meetup (@Improving In-Person)
PLEASE NOTE!!!
This event will be In-Person for our very 1st Improving collab! If you know the [Columbus Unity group](https://www.meetup.com/columbus-unity-user-group/) location, we'll be at the same place. This is our 1st event and are doing a soft launch with limited attendance. 1st come 1st serve. If you want to be there and we fill up, please email me at [info@thecogg.com](mailto:info@thecogg.com) and I'll be in touch.
All street parking is free on Sundays but you can also pay to park in any of the local garages. See image of [parking map here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mr9_LFIggbs-0_Zd3AJTGNqEhgMf2TzQ/view?usp=sharing).
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On the last Sunday of the month, we're having our usual end-of-the-month social gathering with our GameDev Meetup meeting. There will be announcements and presentations followed by some social networking Let's continue the conversations with good vibes and friends.
All are welcomed from all ages and backgrounds to this public event. If we can, we'll be streaming or uploading the video later via our COGG YouTube channel here:
[https://www.youtube.com/@TheCOGG/streams](https://www.youtube.com/@TheCOGG/streams)
(Also please do subscribe if you have not done so!)
No game development experience required!
If you are interested in doing a 20 minute game development related presentation, please fill out our form online here:
[https://goo.gl/forms/lVdTJZiNJewlPJuj1](https://goo.gl/forms/lVdTJZiNJewlPJuj1)
Or e-mail us at info@thecogg.com
with the following:
Your Name, Company/Affiliation, Name of Your Game/Topic, Description, Tech Needs, and Your Contact.
Be sure to check out our Discord for real time news updates:
[https://discord.gg/NrBhuNQ](https://discord.gg/NrBhuNQ)
Data & Analytics Wednesday - Mapping and Dashboards
**Total Eclipse of the Chart: School Redistricting Dashboards**
In this presentation, we will explore the utilization of maps, sets, and SQL within a Tableau dashboard to help provide “what-if” analyses generated through the use of a mapped dashboard, providing different scenarios and the potential implications of these.
While in this use case we are focused on a large school district, the concepts of utilizing existing data to explore the future impacts of modifying different geographic boundaries can be useful to many industries, balancing the mix of maps with visual analytics.
**About Our Speaker**
Robert Kramer is the Data Systems and State Reporting Coordinator at South Western City Schools in Grove City. He has worked there for 17 years, serving previously in the roles of Data Analyst, Programmer, and Operations Coordinator. Prior to working at South Western, he worked as a Systems Engineer at Pinnacle Data Systems in Groveport. He graduated in 2005 from The University of Toledo with his Bachelor’s in Computer Science and Engineering, and a minor in Mathematics. Robert resides in Obetz with his wife, and their 15 and 12 year-old daughters. He was also just elected to his 3rd four-year term on the Obetz City Council.
Thanks to our 2026 sponsors:
[Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro)
More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)
Site Building with Etch (Class 02 of 10) (FEE BASED)
**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTES:**
1. The dates for this series are simply placeholders at the moment. We are working on our 2026 schedule, and adjustments are forthcoming.
2. Each class in this series has an attendance fee.
3. Each class, from BOTH a sign-up and fee perspective, is a separate entity.
4. As the Etch toolset evolves, so too will the class outline below.
**Introduction:**
Our Site Building with Etch class provides detailed instructions on the philosophy of the Etch development framework, as well as in-depth, hands-on instruction on using the Etch environment and associated tools. Anyone familiar with Kevin Geary and the Digital Gravy set of products will tell you that they offer ground-breaking approaches to professional WordPress site development.
As we write this, the Etch toolset and environment are rapidly taking shape, with weekly quantum leaps forward in WordPress development methodologies. As early investors in the Etch product offering and its development process, we are actively testing and evaluating the toolset as it takes shape. We are beyond excited to see how WordPress site development is being modernized, and can't wait to bring this course set to you. It will be a paradigm shift in page and site development within WordPress, as well as moving your development mindset light-years forward.
Join us as we explore Etch and dive deep into development approaches that will genuinely elevate your craft as a website developer and agency provider. Scalable, responsive, compliant websites are now within easy reach, and Etch provides both the platform and toolset to take you there.
**The breakdown of the 10-class series is as follows:**
* Class 01 - TBD
* Class 02 - TBD
* Class 03 - TBD
* Class 04 - TBD
* Class 05 - TBD
* Class 06 - TBD
* Class 07 - TBD
* Class 08 - TBD
* Class 09 - TBD
* Class 10 - TBD
Throughout the class sessions listed above, we cover the following key areas of web development with Etch:
* **Introduction to Etch Interface:**
* Familiarization with the toolset's layout and understanding how to navigate and interact with its various components.
* **Visual Site Building:**
* Techniques for creating layouts using Etch's interface, incorporating sections, divs, containers, and elements to build semantically correct page structures.
* **Styling and Design:**
* Utilizing Etch's styling approach to customize elements, apply global CSS classes for consistent design, and leverage features like Flexbox and CSS Grid for responsive layouts.
* **Dynamic Content and Custom Fields:**
* Integrating dynamic content from custom post types and custom field plugins (like ACF, Meta Box, and even built-in fields) to build data-driven websites.
* **Component Building:**
* Creating and managing reusable components for headers, footers, post type layouts, and other site-wide elements.
* **Performance Optimization:**
* Understanding how Etch contributes to fast-loading websites and implementing performance best practices.
* **Advanced Features:**
* Depending on the class level, it might delve into advanced topics such as conditional logic, interactions, and custom code integration to enable more complex functionality.
The series aims to equip participants with the skills to efficiently build, customize, and maintain WordPress websites using Etch, catering to both beginners and experienced web developers alike.
Quarterly Community Gathering
Join the Columbus AI community for our quarterly gathering — a casual, community-focused evening where everyone has a chance to share, learn, and connect. These open mic–style events give anyone in the community up to **5 minutes** to present a project, share a tool, pose a question, or offer a perspective on the evolving AI space.
No slides required — just a welcoming space to exchange ideas and keep the local AI conversation moving.
If you’d like to take the stage, message \*\*Chris (the organizer)\*\*with a **title and short description** of what you’d like to share.
Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus.
Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.linkedin.com/company/transformlabs/)
Sign up also accessible via [Transform Labs Luma](https://luma.com/transformlabshq)
Building a Voice Over Business
Join Voice Over Pros Of Ohio for an exciting morning of networking, and exploring opportunities in the world of voice acting. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, this event is perfect for expanding your network, learning how to start a VO business, and for honing your skills. Connect with fellow voice actors and VO experts, that will help you succeed in your voice over business.
This event will feature discussions on professional development, entrepreneurship in the voice over industry, with tips for navigating the world of voice acting. Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn from others, collaborate with like-minded individuals, and take your voice over career to the next level. Join us Saturday, May 30, from 10am - 12pm and learn how to start or grow your voice over business. Let your voice be heard! The $10 fee covers refreshments and door prizes.











