It’s basically the end of 2025, and Christmas party season is upon us. And I’m here to get you to make plans for 2026! Because…

… the mixer is back, on Friday 9th Jan 2026

This is #3, and so I have the illusion of knowing what I’m doing now. I’ll be hosting 80+ of you good people in a private bar (near Oxford Circus), with 5x 5-minute talks looking forward to the year to come, and kicking off 2026 with good intentions and great company.

Admittance is free of charge, and because the good people of LucidLink are sponsoring, there'll be a free bar and some food for early arrivals. It is, however, guestlist only, and about 30% of the spots for the night are spoken for already, so please do hit me up if you’d like to come along.

Speakers will be announced in the coming weeks via the event invitations… we’ve got some brilliant names lined up. There will also be some light guided topics to kindle conversations, be it with strangers, or for acquaintances that might lack the facility for conversation so early in the new year, and otherwise it’s just a chance to start 2026 with energy, focus, and good craic.

HMU here to snag yourself a spot. It “sold out” (can you sell out of a free thing?) last time, so do please jump in before that happens again.

Thank you for 2025

I ran 12 events this year: 10 meetups, and 2 mixers. There were 36 unique 5-minute talks. Dozens of new connections made and relationships forged. And hundreds of good people who ventured their evenings in search of inspiration, conversation, and connection.

Running these things started as a thought experiment. Could I make everyone sit in a circle and talk about something interesting? Could I get the great people I know to talk about the things that they’re passionate about, on the hunch that it’d be brilliant? And it turns out I could - and so we’re here: two years in, and I get to waffle on a bit in an email. And more importantly, we all get to know each other better.

And that’s the main thing I’ve noticed and felt from running these things for 2 years: a growing sense of a community. It’s not the local pub, or the school gate, or the office watercooler - it’s something a little more intentional (you have to choose to come along to the meetups) and looser (you don’t know who’s going to be there). And it’s brilliant to both observe and be a part of. Whenever a new collaboration or friendship happens I feel like Cilla Black. And every time a 5-minute talk stumps me or inspires me I’m reminded how broad and just thoroughly interesting the world we get to work in is.

So thanks to you lot for coming out and making the meetups and mixers happen. Especially the speakers. Especially the sponsors. Especially the attendees. You’re all especial. The meetups are my favourite nights of any given month, and I’m chuffed that they seem to be the same for a lot of you too…

The meetups will continue also…

At risk of TMI for a single newsletter, we’ll be kicking back off the monthly meetups in late January, with the first happening on the 27th January, and dates plotted out and soon TBA thereafter.

I’m yet to seek a sponsor for the 2026 run, and so if you know anyone who’d like to buy us all some food and drink in the new year, or if you’re an existing or wannabe sponsor who’d like to pick back up in the new year, do drop me a line :)

…ttfn!

And that’s it! I’m open for offers of coffee, beer, wine, donuts or zoom calls - and I offer you all festive greetings and best wishes… and hope to see a good bunch of you on the 9th!

Kev x

NB - I’d appreciate it if you didn’t forward this message. There is no “subscribe” button for this newsletter, nor for the LinkedIn group. These are closed groups for past attendees of the events. But please do unsubscribe at any time using the link below.