Oh hi you lot It’s been a busy couple of months since I last sent this newsletter. A few people asked if I’d sent it and they’d missed it. You hadn’t! Here it is :)

Make sure to scan down for the first details for the next mixer event, quite possibly your first work engagement of 2026, on Friday 9th January. But first…

… the meetups in September and October were on-point.

The 5-minute talks have become as broad and as delicious as I could ever have hoped for. Across the two events we heard Alex Kempner’s thoughts on saying “no”, Joe Harbinson tackled the media universe as an infinite game, Susie Lochiel-Owen and Catriona Hastings explored the Architecture of Attention, and Ivy Malik challenged the room’s assumptions. Genuine mind-broadening stuff. All packed into little 5-minute parcels!

Our sponsors got in on the 5-minute talk game as well. Oliver Sharpe from LucidLink explored humility, whilst Kieron Garlic from Present Communications examined the changing definition and role of “quality” in media. Thank you both for footing the bar tabs, and for jumping fully into the heart of what makes the events tick.

It felt as if the end panels have really found their footing too. In September we discussed “words to work by”, exploring the mantra, mottos and phrases that we live by, love, or loathe. October’s attendees, meanwhile, unpacked their “unpopular opinions”: contentious truths, pet peeves and hot takes abounded.

Upcoming meetups

We have our last event of the year on 12th November. We’re looking forward to hearing 5-minute talks from Emily Barwise and Paul Doyle, and also the first change of format in over 18 events, with Zoe Jones and Joshua Ryan bringing two different and focused challenges to the table to be discussed and contributed to by the room.

It’s incredible to me that the format hasn’t changed in 18 meetups, and still seems to be running strong, but I’m an inherent tinkerer, and so I’m intrigued to see how the structure of the meetups might change in the coming year. And speaking of different formats…

Mixer #3 is happening, on Friday 9th January 2026!

The mixer sees 80+ of the good folk in this community gather in a private bar in central London, with a series of 5-minute talks looking forward to the year to come, and a chance to kick off 2026 with intention and good company. The good people of LucidLink are sponsoring, and so there'll be a free bar and some food for early arrivals.

Ticketing/guestlist info to follow… for now, save the date!

The meetups will continue also…

I’ll be back with more info on the mixer, and 2026’s run of meetups, in the next mailer, likely November/December. In the meantime…

…ttfn!

As ever, hit me up with any offers of coffee, sponsorship, conversation, or general “hi how are you”s :)

Kev x

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