Professional Speaking

**Toorak Toastmasters** was established via charter in Toorak, Victoria on May 22, 2015. We meet on the **2nd & 4th** Monday of each month. 6.50 pm for a 7.00 pm start. Please be on time for the meeting. Our meetings are held at Grattan Gardens Community Centre (GGCC), 40 Grattan St, Prahran. The atmosphere is informal allowing you to work on developing your speaking skills in a non-threatening environment. **What you will have a taste of:** * **Prepared Speeches**: Deliver speeches on topics you’re passionate about (Members only) * **Impromptu Speaking**: Practice thinking on your feet with quick, fun impromptu speaking for 1 - 2min. * **Constructive Feedback**: Receive valuable tips to help you improve, delivered in a positive, encouraging way. * **Leadership Roles**: Take turns leading the meeting, which helps you refine your organizational and leadership abilities. Come as a guest and get a feel of Toastmasters and our club TODAY! This is a safe and respectful space. We have a code of conduct, and harassment or inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated. We are looking forward to seeing you soon!

**Want to boost your confidence and master the art of public speaking — all while enjoying dinner with friends?** At **Silver Service Toastmasters**, we combine great food, genuine friendship, and personal growth in a relaxed, supportive atmosphere. We’re an inclusive club where everyone — from first-time speakers to seasoned storytellers — is encouraged to shine. Join us on the **second Monday of every month** for a fun, inspiring evening in a private dining room. You’ll share a meal, great conversation, and a few laughs while learning the skills that help you speak — and lead — with confidence. Come for the dinner, stay for the growth!

Come and learn about the International Language, Esperanto, from experienced speakers who have travelled the world, attended international conferences, and made friends with people from many different countries. Esperanto is simple to learn, regular, and a very powerful tool for international communication. Our Monday meetups are tailored to whoever shows up on the night, so feel free to drop in, no matter what your level (curious/interested/beginner/conversational/expert). We can offer one-on-one lessons or a range of group activities, conversation, and games. We meet at Enderby Esperanto Centre, suite 304, 343 Little Collins Street. Your first visit is free, and meetups are free for members, however if neither of these apply we ask for $5 to help cover venue costs. If you want to join our Discord server for Esperantists in Victoria, please visit [https://discord.gg/6cgKjQhkWa](https://discord.gg/6cgKjQhkWa "https://discord.gg/6cgKjQhkWa")

**Speakers:** Liam Byrne, currently working at the ACTU, a political historian and the author of the recently published: *[No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia](https://www.mup.com.au/books/no-power-greater/9780522879292).* **Topic:** Unions in Australia and across the world have been under sustained attack in recent decades. At the same time, we have seen growing inequality and social polarisation. But Unions are making a comeback. Labour disputes around the world have hit the headlines as unions act to challenge inequality. Join our discussion on what unionism means and ask, ‘what is the place of unions in a modern democracy like Australia?’ **Cost:** Fabians financial members - Free; Non members - $5 (pay at door) Please [RSVP at this link](https://www.fabians.org.au/unions_in_australia_20260209) or on this meetup as places are limited. **After Event Dinner & Drinks:** all attendees are welcome to join us at a nearby hotel, The Clyde, for dinner and/or drinks after the event. **Support the Fabians** We greatly appreciate the ongoing support of our members for all our events. Anyone who is not a member can support us by [joining up at this link.](https://www.fabians.org.au/become_a_member) Contributions are to help cover event and guest speaker costs etc.

Hi Radiant Ladies, Brunetti on Flinders Lane is always a favourite with our Radiant Ladies—and it’s easy to see why! The coffee is great, and the cakes are simply delicious. See you! Lyn 🌸

Ethan Hawke and Margaret Qualley in Richard Linklaters new film. “Directed by his longtime friend and collaborator Richard Linklater, Mr. Hawke makes the most of what might be the year’s most brilliant screenplay, by Robert Kaplow, by delivering a Hart full of mischief and wit, desperation and self-loathing. There has never been a great book written about Hart, but at last he has this movie to renew and restore his story.” Wall Street Journal. “Blue Moon, which plays out on the night of the premiere of Rogers and Hammerstein’s first hit, Oklahoma!, is a romantic, funny, moving, life-affirming chamber piece that is itself a great example of a three-way creative collaboration – between director Richard Linklater, writer Robert Kaplow and actor Ethan Hawke.” Screen Journal. We will meet in the Nova Bar from 6 p.m. onwards, please book your tickets early. Stefan - 0437777522

Join us at Speak Easy Melbourne for a fun and interactive language exchange meetup where we will be practicing both Japanese and English conversational skills. Whether you are a beginner or fluent speaker, this event is perfect for anyone looking to improve their language skills in a relaxed and informal setting. Come meet new friends, engage in conversations, and enhance your language learning journey. Our experienced language facilitators will guide you through various activities designed to help you practice English and Japanese in a supportive and welcoming environment. Don't miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in a culturally enriching experience while honing your language proficiency. Let's chat, learn, and have a great time together!

Smashing! Try something new Thursday - Meeting in Rainbow room Interactive groups and workshop Serious about improving your leadership - **Why mess, come to the best** Why is Smashing different to other speaking clubs? Passion!!! 1\. Fast\-paced\, energized and exciting meets 2\. We practice **confident** and **dynamic** leadership! 3. **Everyone talks** multiple times during super-interactive workshops anf groups every meet 4. **FAST LEARNING** **Free parking** close: O'Connell and Cobden streets **IMPORTANT: Be on time, as doors close** “Proudly Australian" – Free-flowing teamwork, greater good focus, all funds stay home Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth St (Opposite Queen Vic Market) Level 1, Rainbow room More to come...

**Would you like to improve at public speaking, in a fun, supportive environment?** Come along to Toastmasters to learn how to write and deliver speeches, and have fun doing it! Please visit [www.maccabitoastmasters.org.au](http://www.maccabitoastmasters.org.au/) and register your interest to attend in person via the **Contact Us** tab on the webpage. We kindly ask that you arrive on time to avoid any disruption to the meeting. **About Maccabi Toastmasters** Maccabi Toastmasters encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to overcome public speaking nerves and to become confident and accomplished speakers! * Would you like to improve your public speaking and presentation skills for work or school? * How about overcoming the anxiety and challenge of providing constructive feedback and performance evaluations at work? * Maybe you're looking to change jobs and would like to brush up on your communication skills and really impress the interviewer? * Are you feeling anxious about an up-and-coming speech you have to give at a special event? A Birthday, Wedding, Anniversary, Bar Mitzvah/Bat Mitzvah, Engagement Party or Corporate function? * Would you like to improve leadership skills? * Maybe you're just looking to have fun by sharing your thoughts and stories in a entertaining and friendly social environment? If you answered YES or MAYBE to any of the above, then you've found the right club! Join us at our next meeting and see how friendly and entertaining our club is. Just come along and have some fun! **What to know before attending a meeting** Please **visit www.maccabitoastmasters.org.au/directions.html** for meeting information and directions. Our website is a great starting place to find out more about the club and what to expect when attending your first meeting. To assist us in running the meetings smoothly, we kindly ask you register your interest at least one day before attending. Please note that video recording of the meeting or speaker is not allowed, with exception granted only by written permission from the club executive committee.

Toastmasters is a worldwide organisation which empowers its members to conquer their fear of public speaking and become better communicators. There is no need to formally register for the event, just RSVP to this meetup event if you can, then simply show up in person on the evening. If there is no one at the entrance, please message one of the organisers on this app For more information, check out the City Centre Toastmasters website [here](https://citycentretoastmastersmelbourne.toastmastersclubs.org/). What we'll do at the meeting: \- Impromptu speaking \(Table Topics\): Everyone can take part in this\! \- Prepared Speeches: Please note that only Toastmasters members can give prepared speeches\. \- Get friendly and constructive feedback on your speaking\. \- Get to know each other during the break\, before\, and after the meeting\. Important to know * Members of this Meetup are not automatically members of the club. Meetup refers to people who belong to the City Centre Toastmasters Meetup group as 'members,' but from a Toastmasters' point of view, people are only members if they've paid their club dues.

Hi Gophers! We’re kicking off the year with our first Go meetup in February, covering structured concurrency and anti-fragility with speakers Peter Delafosse, Max Collier, and Nick Spain. 🎤 Speakers **Go News** Peter Delafosse **Better Structured Concurrency for Go** Max Collier An introduction to [sourcegraph/conc](https://sourcegraph.com/blog/building-conc-better-structured-concurrency-for-go) a library improving concurrency handling in Go. Max will cover: * The problem `conc` is designed to solve * A walkthrough of its interface * Insights into its internals Based on the Sourcegraph blog “Building conc: Better Structured Concurrency for Go.” **Automating anti-fragility** Nick Spain, Head of Platform, Stile Education At Stile we have a bug zero policy. This encompasses actions items (for reducing toil and preventing future incidents) and test flake. This means we actively prioritise bugs all the time, they're not languishing in the backlog, action items are completed whilst people still have context, and we consistently work to reduce test flake. I will talk about: How this policy is implemented, what tooling we use to help us, and how we have automated this work using AI. 🗓️ Call for Speakers Interested in speaking at an upcoming event? Our format includes: * lighting talks: \~10 minutes * deep dives: 20–30 minutes If you’d like to share a project, or idea, reach out to Katie at katie@ntptalent.com.au 🏢 Venue Partner A huge thank you to Stile for hosting this event! See you soon! Leah & Katie

Come join us and practise public speaking! All levels are welcome. Take the first step to overcome your fears, build confidence and learn to speak with impact in a friendly, supportive and encouraging environment. Start you public speaking journey with us now to improve your communications skills and elevate all aspects of your life. Please arrive 10 minutes early so we can settle everyone in for a 5.30pm start. See you soon!

A deep dive into the People-first Leadership domain of the Business Agility model What leadership behaviours are necessary for your organisation to remain competitive in today's era of AI adoption — where technology is advancing faster than organisational leadership systems can adapt. In this interactive 60-minute session, you will deep dive into the People-first Leadership domain of the Business Agility Institute’s Business Agility Model, examining how leadership must evolve to enable effective, ethical, and sustainable AI adoption. AI doesn’t just change tools and processes — it reshapes decision-making, accountability, trust, learning, and power dynamics. This session explores how the leadership domain addresses those shifts through its underlying capabilities and observable behaviors, including: • Fostering authentic relationships in environments increasingly mediated by AI • Empowering with accountability when decisions are augmented (or automated) • Realising people’s potential as learning, judgment, and creativity become the human differentiators This is not a theory-heavy talk. The session is designed around dialogue, reflection, and shared experience, drawing on what participants are seeing firsthand as AI enters their organisations. What you’ll gain: • A clear leadership lens for navigating AI adoption beyond tools and frameworks • Insight into which leadership behaviors accelerate AI-enabled value • Practical takeaways and leadership experiments you can apply immediately The session will be facilitated by Leo Marando, leadership coach, experienced organisational design & transformation consultant, and co-organiser of MelBAM. Pizza and drinks will be provided, thanks to our sponsor, TeamForm 🍕🍻 — because the best learning happens through great conversations (and with a full stomach). Come ready to think, share, and rethink what leadership means in the age of AI.

**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)

The topic for February is "Transitions" Speak Easy: true stories, told live. The idea is simple: an audience, an open microphone, and great stories. Hilarious, gripping, poignant- it's up to you. Audiences are invited to come to listen or come to tell as folks from all corners of Columbus offer their stories live on stage! Held at Wild Goose Creative's warm, intimate space, this night of tales occurs on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Doors open at 6:30 pm, show starts at 7:00 pm. Please arrive early if you want to tell, as we generally only have room for a limited number of tellers, and the sign-up sheet has a tendency to fill up fast. Formed around the idea that people need stories--they're what hold and draw us together--SpeakEasy celebrates the strangeness and commonness of being human. And in a world of smartphones, Facebook, Twitter, and more . . . it gives people a real, breathing, in-person way to connect. The night is geared for true stories of all kinds, taking the best tales told around kitchen tables, in darkened pubs, on the street corner, and at late-night parties and giving them an audience. Speak Easy is also a great outlet for performers, writers, and artists looking to share their favorite stories and perfect their skills. We strongly encourage tellers to please tell the story rather than read it so we keep within the spirit of good storytelling and stay engaged with the audience. All are welcome. Hang around after the show for a drink and build community!

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.

**\*\*\*\* More details and sign up at: https://aifalliance.org/summit-2026/ \*\*\*\*** **What is AI Freedom Alliance?** AI Freedom Alliance promotes the responsible growth of AI guided by practical, commonsense ethics. Our nonprofit is built by professionals from a wide range of industries and is made up entirely of small- and mediumbusiness representatives—never large tech companies. We provide a counterbalance to big corporate influence, focusing instead on how AI can benefit businesses and the world at large. **What’s Happening?** ***The inaugural AI Freedom Alliance Summit.*** This full-day event will explore how we can ensure AI is adopted responsibly through shared ethical standards that empower humanity. The summit will feature interactive and educational sessions led by thought leaders, technologists, policymakers, and advocates who are passionate about making AI fair, transparent, and beneficial for everyone. **Why Attend?** Learn about the legal and technical challenges with implementing AI solutions within your organization. Build better solutions while protecting your organization from legal and compliance risks. And learn how to think strategically about AI as a differentiation tool for your business. This summit is highly recommended for C-Suite leaders to learn as well as interact with each other and our sponsors.

Optimistic Orators Toastmasters non-profit speech improvement group. No materials needed.

**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.*