Startup Businesses

## Is your cybersecurity about "fixing tech," or about protecting the reputation you’ve spent years building? Cybersecurity isn't just a technical expense or a concern for giant corporations—it’s the foundation of your clients' trust. If you want to move from feeling vulnerable to being digitally resilient today, not just "someday," this training is for you. Join us for **Cybersecurity: Protecting your business and your clients!** with Arian Mohammadi. **What you will learn:** * How to decode modern digital threats and identify your business's hidden vulnerabilities. * Practical, high-impact strategies to secure sensitive data and client information. * The essential steps to build a "protected environment" so you can focus on growth, not risks. Stop worrying about the "what ifs." Start building digital resilience. [\[](https://bnicentralmaryland.com/en-US/eventdetails?eventId=PBeOOx2GfolDaJlkw%2BhgTQ%3D%3D)**[Click Here to Register](https://bnicentralmaryland.com/en-US/eventdetails?eventId=PBeOOx2GfolDaJlkw%2BhgTQ%3D%3D)**[\]](https://bnicentralmaryland.com/en-US/eventdetails?eventId=PBeOOx2GfolDaJlkw%2BhgTQ%3D%3D)

On https://blackecon101.podbean.com/ Thursdays at 6 pm. discussing the economy...and Black people.

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

Happy hour at The Saloon on U Street. Come and go as your schedule allows.

Adam Sandman will be showing how you can use Kiro together with an MCP server to pull software requirements, designs and tasks from a project management repository (Spira) using an MCP server. From there we can use the power of agentic AI to create an MVP app, deploy and test it.

Network with an average of 60+ business professionals, all attendees get an opportunity to give a 30 second elevator pitch, enjoy a light breakfast, 10 minute educational presentation on topics that change weekly, and enjoy networking before and after the meet up.

• What we'll do Economist William Michael Cunningham on Podbeam Thursdays at 6 pm. https://www.podbean.com/

🚀 **Tech Fluent: Build with AI — Hands-On, No Experience Required** 📅 April 10 \| 📍 Washington\, DC \(National Union Building\) If you've been *AI-curious* but haven’t actually built anything yet, this event is for you. This is **not** another sit-and-listen conference. It’s a **hands-on, interactive workshop** designed for professionals (legal, business, consulting, etc.) who want to *actually learn by doing*. 👉 **What to expect:** * AI 101, software basics, and how things actually work (no jargon overload) * Guided, hands-on building session — you’ll create something real * Practical sessions on design, workflows, and the future of work * A mix of professionals across industries (law, finance, architecture, small business, and more) * Wrap-up happy hour to network and show what you built 💡 This is ideal if you: * Use ChatGPT but know you’re only scratching the surface * Want to build simple tools, websites, or workflows * Are *not* a developer (this is specifically designed for you) ⚠️ If you’re already deeply technical, this may be too basic — this is focused on upskilling non-technical professionals. *** 🎟️ **Registration & Details:** [https://varia.law/techfluent](https://varia.law/techfluent) 👉 **Important:** Make sure to note '**DC Legaltech**' in your application form in order to get a $25 discount code. *** 🍻 **Bonus:** Join us afterward for a casual happy hour to connect with others in the DC legal tech + AI community. *** Spots are intentionally limited (roughly 25–40 people), so if you're interested, don’t wait. See you there.

**Pitch your startup directly to leading venture capital investors and** **Join Primewise Founders Club's exclusive networking session where visionary entrepreneurs connect, collaborate and create magic together.** **Primewise Founders Club**, in collaboration with **a leading Venture Capital Firm**, presents an exclusive VC Connect Session – a high-impact opportunity for early-stage founders to pitch directly to active venture capital investors. This closed-door virtual event brings together selected founders and investors in a focused setting designed to foster meaningful connections, investor feedback, and potential funding opportunities across USA. If you’re building a scalable technology venture or an innovative business model, this is your chance to showcase your vision to leading investors and industry experts. Register Now: [https://thepfclub.com/neusa/] [Filling the form is a must. If you are looking to apply for investor connect, click "Raise Investment" on the "what are you hoping to gain from the event" and our team will reach out to you.] **What Makes This Special:** * Pitch directly to VC: Pitch your startup directly to VC and investors * Strategic partnerships: Collaborate with fellow founders on new ventures. * Scaling discussions: Exchange ideas on growth and market expansion. * Investment opportunities: Be the first to discover promising startups. * Expand your influence while contributing to the startup ecosystem. * A supportive community: Celebrate wins and overcome challenges together. **Networking event:** **Date**: 11th April, 2026 **Time**: 12:00 PM (EDT) **Format**: Online **VC event:** Invite-only access - details will be shared for shortlisted founders **Join Our Ecosystem:** 1\. Register for the event 2\. Join our LinkedIn community 3\. Get access to our exclusive WhatsApp group 4\. Connect with fellow members 5\. Start growing together\! Contact Us: Website: [[https://thepfclub.com/](https://thepfclub.com/)] Email: [[event@thepfclub.com](http://event@thepfclub.com/)] LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/company/primewise-founders-club/] To your entrepreneurial success, Primewise Founders Club Team

**Welcome to Flourish Collective meetup!** Join us for a time of **inspiration, connection, and empowerment** with Christian businesswomen who are ready to grow in both their faith and their businesses. We’ll start with a brief introduction and **icebreaker activities** to help you connect with others in the group. Then, we’ll dive into a **motivational session** on **combining faith with business**—how to lead with purpose, integrity, and impact in today’s world. Whether you’re just starting your business journey or are a seasoned entrepreneur, you’ll leave feeling encouraged and equipped to take your next steps! We'll also spend time in **prayer** and discussing how we can support each other’s businesses and walk together in faith. *** ### **Agenda:** * **10:00 AM - 10:30 AM** – Welcome & Introductions * **10:30 AM - 11:00 AM** – Icebreaker Activities (get to know each other) * **11:00 AM - 11:30 AM** – **Inspiring Talk** on Integrating Faith and Business * **11:30 AM - 12:00 PM** – Prayer & Business Support Circle (share your challenges & successes) *** ### **Why You Should Attend:** * **Connect** with like-minded Christian businesswomen who share your passion for success and purpose. * **Learn** how to integrate your faith into your business for greater impact and fulfillment. * **Grow** spiritually and professionally as we build a supportive community together. *** ### **What to Bring:** * An **open heart** and willingness to connect. * Your **business ideas, questions, or challenges** you want to discuss with the group. * A **positive attitude** ready to grow and inspire others! ### **Blessings!** **Helen Ogbu, CPA**

🚀 **Tech Fluent: Build with AI — Hands-On, No Experience Required** 📅 April 10 \| 📍 Washington\, DC \(National Union Building\) If you’ve been *AI-curious* but haven’t actually built anything yet, this is exactly the kind of experience we’ve been talking about in **AI in Practice**. This is **not** another theory-heavy session. It’s a **hands-on, interactive workshop** where you’ll actually *build something* — alongside other professionals exploring how to apply AI in real-world workflows. 👉 **What to expect:** * AI 101 + how these tools actually work (beyond the hype) * Guided, hands-on build session — you’ll create something real * Practical sessions on design, workflows, and the future of work * A cross-industry group (legal, finance, architecture, small business, etc.) * Wrap-up happy hour to connect and share what you built 💡 **Great fit for AI in Practice members if you:** * Are actively exploring how to apply AI in your work * Use tools like ChatGPT but want to go *deeper and more practical* * Want to move from *ideas → actual implementation* * Are not a developer (this is designed for you) ⚠️ If you’re already highly technical (building complex systems, deep dev work), this may feel introductory — the focus is on *practical upskilling for non-technical professionals.* *** 🎟️ **Registration & Details:** [https://varia.law/techfluent](https://varia.law/techfluent) 👉 **Important:** When you sign up, note **“AI in Practice”** in the application to receive a **$25 discount code** *** 🍻 **Bonus:** We’ll also have a casual **post-event happy hour** — great chance to connect with others actually *doing* AI, not just talking about it. *** Spots are intentionally limited (≈25–40 people), so if you’re interested, don’t wait. See you there.

🍻 **Post-Event Happy Hour — Tech Fluent** 📅 April 10 \| 🕠 5:30 PM 📍 Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza After a full day of building, learning, and experimenting with AI, join us for a **casual happy hour** to unwind, connect, and keep the conversations going. This is open to: * Tech Fluent attendees * DC Legal Tech Meetup members * AI-curious professionals who just want to join for drinks + conversation No agenda — just good people, good pizza, and a chance to meet others exploring AI across legal, business, and beyond. *** 💡 **Why come?** * Meet others who are actually *doing* something with AI * Continue conversations from the workshop in a relaxed setting * Join even if you couldn’t attend the full event *** RSVP appreciated for the happy hour.

## **Stop losing revenue to avoidable marketing errors! Join us to discover 3 critical mistakes that cost small businesses customers and how to fix them fast.** Does your enterprise need more clients? Many business owners make simple errors that keep their best prospects from ever finding them. Join the Effective Management Association on Saturday, April 11th, as award-winning businessman Hans Hillestad (Co-Owner of Xpress Promotion Inc.) pulls back the curtain on the **marketing 'dos and don’ts' he used to help a dental practice grow into a $6-million business.** His company has since helped hundreds of other practices grow and is currently listed as an Inc. 5000 company.

**Meet David Blanchard, Blanchard's Coffee Company** David Blanchard is the founder and president of Blanchard’s Coffee Company, a specialty coffee company based in Richmond, Virginia. He graduated from the University of Richmond in 2002, where he studied business and competed on the track team. Shortly after graduating, David and his wife, Kelly, started Blanchard’s with a small roaster and a big belief in building something meaningful from the ground up. Over the past two decades, Blanchard’s has grown from a home-roasting operation into a multi-location café and wholesale business, while staying rooted in hospitality, community, and values-driven leadership. David remains deeply interested in entrepreneurship, culture, and the long view of building businesses that last. **The Discussion.** This series of hybrid events is perfect for budding entrepreneurs, experienced executive mentors cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset, early-stage investors, and students exploring innovative product design. At each session, business founders serve as guest speakers share about their career, their firm's business model, as well as the successes and challenges in the product development process. Participants learn from the speakers’ experiences, discuss valuable insights, and connect with other entrepreneurs, students, faculty, and investors. **Logistics.** A light lunch is served, as entrepreneurs connect with one another, learn from peers, and contribute to the conversation: * Friday, April 10, 2026 * 11:30am EST - Coffee & Connection * 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST - Presentation & Discussion No pre-registration is required. Join us: Robins School of Business 102 UR Drive, iLab Room 123 University of Richmond, VA 23173 **Parking.** Free parking is available in the U5 and U6 lots immediately adjacent to the Robins School. Please enter the main foyer, turn to the left and proceed to room 123 (EY Innovation Lab) on the ground floor. Please note that visitors have a two-hour parking window. Please sign in when you enter the room, providing your license plate number. **On Zoom Webinar:** https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89608419334?pwd=am0F9r85xPfh7aBaxtdUDILYsvNAwJ.1

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, March 28, 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.

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

**Confidence & Connection: Using Your Authentic Truth to Find Your People** Confidence isn’t just about believing in yourself, it’s about knowing where you belong and who you can grow alongside. In this April Confidence Lab Happy Hour, we’ll explore how living in your authentic truth helps you find your people, build meaningful collaborations, and create spaces where vulnerability is met with respect rather than risk. Together, we’ll reflect on what it looks like to advocate for yourself with clarity and care, and how confidence deepens when it’s rooted in connection rather than comparison. Featured speaker **Lachandra Baker**, founder of **[LBB Edutainment](https://www.lbbedutainment.com/)** and author of *Your Own Biggest Cheerleader*, will share reflections on authenticity, psychological safety, and the power of community over individual achievement. Drawing from personal stories—including the significance of turning 53—Lachandra will invite us into a conversation about showing up fully, being seen, and choosing relationships that support who you truly are. Expect a warm, welcoming atmosphere with space for reflection, shared insight, and intentional connection—plus drinks, light bites, and the kind of conversations that remind you you’re not meant to do this alone. Come as you are. Leave feeling clearer about your voice, your people, and the confidence that grows when both are aligned. **What is Confidence Lab?** Confidence Lab is a monthly community experience for bold, thoughtful leaders building confidence from the inside out. Whether you’re launching a business, leading a team, navigating change, or simply striving to show up more fully—you belong here. Our work demands clarity, courage, and conviction—but the pace of daily life can erode our sense of self. Confidence Lab creates space to reflect, reconnect, and grow with others doing purpose-driven work. It’s designed for entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, creatives, corporate professionals, activists, and anyone ready to lead with authenticity and impact. ***Please note:*** *All are welcome! If cost is a concern, please use promo code PUBLIC to access a free ticket—we want you to join us.*

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

We're bringing the community together for a casual happy hour with ServiceNow-themed trivia, food and drinks, and great conversation. Details coming soon - for now, save the date and plan to join us for connection and fun.

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.