Four Ugly Talk alumni. Each with a you-cannot-make-this-up story that changed the way they build. The miss. The mess. The call that looked right until it absolutely was not. These are the stories that come out after the third drink. The ones with enough detail to be true and enough embarrassment to be useful.
​You sit back. You laugh. Maybe even wince. Then you catch yourself nodding, and you don’t even know when you started.
​Somewhere in between, the strangers stopped being strangers. By the time the mixer starts, your go-to networking dance doesn’t work here anymore. You’re just catching up with old friends.
​🎯 Why You Should Attend
​Hear the version founders do not post, polish, or save for the panel circuit.
​Get the lesson without paying full tuition for the mistake.
​Feel the room loosen up in real time. Once one person tells the truth, everybody else can stop auditioning.
​Stay for a mixer that actually works, because the small talk is already dead by then.
​🙋 Who's Getting In This Room
​Founders who are actively building. Not circling the idea. Not talking about someday.
​People at an inflection point. Ready to make a move, make a decision, or change something real.
​Builders who believe collaboration still matters, and that the best shortcut is someone telling the truth.
​Founders who are open-handed with what they have learned and curious enough to learn from someone else
​
​📋 Run of Show
​30 minutes, Check-in
​Arrive, grab a drink, and settle into the room
​45 minutes, Ugly Talk Solo
​Four alumni stories, 7 minutes each
​Short audience Q&A between stories
​15 minutes, Transition
​Let the room reset before the mixer kicks in
​60 minutes, Mixer
​The real conversations start once the stories land
​
​Host:
​
Jesse Multani
 - Founder
​Jesse Multani is a founder based in NYC building to support creators.
​
​Who's Backing This
​
Brooklyn Art Haus
​Brooklyn Art Haus (BAH), is an arts organization that premiers new and innovative productions. For our artistic community, our mission is to serve as an incubator, social environment, and performance space built for the longevity and success of artists and companies that maintain high standards and take risks with their projects. Audiences will experience the best of Brooklyn art, as well as the beauty of our international community of artists and production companies. From inspiring artistic experiences, to delicious food and drink, to events and devising space, we invite you to make Brooklyn Art Haus your new home for the arts in New York City!
​
​
GREY Journal
 – Media partner spotlighting modern entrepreneurs (featured on Apple News + Google News).
​
​​⭐ About Ugly Talk:
​Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough “aha!” moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons and insights.
​With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, we’ve built a vibrant community of thousands of founders and industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.
​Official Website: 
UglyTalk.com


discover GREY

Business

Director

Four Ugly Talk alumni. Each with a you-cannot-make-this-up story that changed the way they build. The miss. The mess. The call that looked right until it absolutely was not. These are the stories that come out after the third drink. The ones with enough detail to be true and enough embarrassment to be useful.​You sit back. You laugh. Maybe even wince. Then you catch yourself nodding, and you don’t even know when you started.​Somewhere in between, the strangers stopped being strangers. By the time the mixer starts, your go-to networking dance doesn’t work here anymore. You’re just catching up with old friends.<h5>​🎯 Why You Should Attend</h5><ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Hear the version founders do not post, polish, or save for the panel circuit.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Get the lesson without paying full tuition for the mistake.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Feel the room loosen up in real time. Once one person tells the truth, everybody else can stop auditioning.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Stay for a mixer that actually works, because the small talk is already dead by then.</li></ul><h5>​🙋 Who's Getting In This Room</h5><ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Founders who are actively building. Not circling the idea. Not talking about someday.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​People at an inflection point. Ready to make a move, make a decision, or change something real.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Builders who believe collaboration still matters, and that the best shortcut is someone telling the truth.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Founders who are open-handed with what they have learned and curious enough to learn from someone else</li></ul>​<h5>​📋 Run of Show</h5><ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​30 minutes, Check-in</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;" class="ql-indent-1">​Arrive, grab a drink, and settle into the room</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​45 minutes, Ugly Talk Solo</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;" class="ql-indent-1">​Four alumni stories, 7 minutes each</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;" class="ql-indent-1">​Short audience Q&amp;A between stories</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​15 minutes, Transition</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;" class="ql-indent-1">​Let the room reset before the mixer kicks in</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​60 minutes, Mixer</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;" class="ql-indent-1">​The real conversations start once the stories land</li></ul>​​Host:​<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessemultani?utm_source=share_via&amp;utm_content=profile&amp;utm_medium=member_ios" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 148, 209);">Jesse Multani</a> - Founder​Jesse Multani is a founder based in NYC building to support creators.​<h5>​Who's Backing This</h5>​<a href="https://www.bkarthaus.com/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 148, 209);">Brooklyn Art Haus</a>​Brooklyn Art Haus (BAH), is an arts organization that premiers new and innovative productions. For our artistic community, our mission is to serve as an incubator, social environment, and performance space built for the longevity and success of artists and companies that maintain high standards and take risks with their projects. Audiences will experience the best of Brooklyn art, as well as the beauty of our international community of artists and production companies. From inspiring artistic experiences, to delicious food and drink, to events and devising space, we invite you to make Brooklyn Art Haus your new home for the arts in New York City!​​<a href="https://greyjournal.net/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 148, 209);">GREY Journal</a> – Media partner spotlighting modern entrepreneurs (featured on Apple News + Google News).​<h5>​​⭐ About Ugly Talk:</h5>​Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough “aha!” moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons and insights.​With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, we’ve built a vibrant community of thousands of founders and industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.​Official Website: <a href="https://uglytalk.com/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 148, 209);">UglyTalk.com</a><img src="https://images.lumacdn.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,fit=cover,dpr=2,quality=75,width=800,height=420/uploads/z7/27d34f2d-bd06-488e-a043-ecec7b3fcd34.jpg" alt="User Uploaded Image" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: block;">

General Admission

Creators and Brands Open Mic & Mixer

To be shared on approval

Behind every creator brand, content engine, and social commerce win that looks inevitable are bad bets, stalled launches, broken assumptions, and pivots that never made it into a LinkedIn post.
​Everyone talks about growth. Almost nobody talks about the experiments that bled money and went nowhere.
​This Ugly Talk is for the decisions that did not work. The tests that failed. The lessons that actually moved the business forward.
​🎯 Why You Should Attend
​Learn from founders building in content commerce, social commerce, and the creator economy right now.
​Hear what failed, what pivoted, and what finally worked.
​Walk away with practical moves for growth, content, community, and commerce.
​Get an honest conversation with no highlight reel.
​Meet builders dealing with the same messy problems you are.
​🙋 Who's Getting In This Room
​Founders building content, creator economy, and commerce businesses.
​Operators running growth, content, and acquisition.
​Creators turning audiences into real revenue.
​Investors, advisors, and ecosystem partners close to early-stage work.
​🎤 Who’s Taking the Stage
​
Harley Sutton 
- Founder & CEO
 of 
Thanks! Naturals
​Harley Sutton is the Founder & CEO of Thanks! Naturals, an all-natural beauty and wellness brand built around spreading gratitude, and Founder of H&H Studios, a creative agency helping brands grow through content and live stream selling. A third-generation wellness entrepreneur and attorney, Harley traded the courtroom for wellness and live selling, launching Thanks! Naturals during the final year of her JD/MBA at USC. She documents her founder journey daily on TikTok and Instagram, sharing unfiltered behind-the-scenes looks at everything from product development to live stream selling – building in public and bringing her audience along for every win.

​
Shea Daspin
 - Affiliate Marketing Supervisor at Miracle Miles Group Inc.
​Social commerce expert with a proven record of turning content, creators, and community into measurable revenue. Experienced in developing integrated strategies specialized in TikTok Shop and livestreaming. Builds high-performing creator partnerships, that leads to increased brand awareness, conversion, and customer loyalty. Combines cultural insight, trend fluency, and compelling storytelling with rigorous performance analysis to optimize and scale growth. Skilled in influencer recruitment, content development, merchandising, community engagement, attribution, and platform management, with a customer-first approach to creating seamless, engaging shopping experiences that consistently deliver sustainable commercial impact and long-term brand value.

​
Alda Karen Hjaltalin Lopez
 - Founder
 of 
Skinergy
​Alda Karen is a serial entrepreneur with two successful exits, she is the founder of Skinergy the first skincare focused energy drink matching Collagen with Caffeine. After closing $1M pre-seed round she’s now preparing a nationwide retail launch and opening a seed round.


Moderator:

​
Ethan Ma
 - Founder & CEO of AFM Agency
​Ethan is the Founder and CEO of AFM Agency, a leading AI-driven full-service marketing agency and social commerce partner headquartered in Times Square. Under his leadership, AFM has helped brands accelerate growth across TikTok Shop, creator marketing, live commerce, paid media, and offline activations. He has built a global team operating across six centers, developed a network of more than 10,000 U.S. creators, and scaled the agency to manage over $20 million in monthly GMV. In 2026, Ethan led AFM to become the only agency recognized with two TikTok Partner of the Year awards in the U.S. and Cross-Border categories.
​
​💬 What We Do Not Sugarcoat
​The failures nobody posts about What experiments, launches, and growth bets did not deliver.
​The pivot point How founders knew it was time to change direction.
​Content, commerce, and community What is actually driving attention, trust, and growth today.
​Content commerce in practice Where content is generating revenue and where it falls short.
​What worked in the end The lessons, systems, and decisions founders would make again.
​
​Who's Backing This
​
AFM Agency
​AFM Agency is a New York–based full-service marketing agency and social commerce growth partner headquartered in Times Square, with six global operating centers connecting brands, creators, commerce, and culture.
​Driven by proprietary AI technology, AFM delivers end-to-end marketing solutions across strategy, creator marketing, livestreaming, social commerce, content production, paid media, PR, experiential events, and nationwide offline execution.
​As an official top-tier TikTok Shop certified service provider, AFM manages over 10,000 directly collaborated creators across the U.S. and more than $20 million in monthly GMV.
​Its livestreaming team ranked No.1 on TikTok, while its creator video business ranked No.2 through a network of L4+ high-converting creators.
​
​With a 20,000 sqft venue in Times Square and strong nationwide campaign execution capabilities, AFM helps brands turn cultural moments into measurable business growth — online, offline, and across every touchpoint.
​
​
GREY Journal
 – Media partner spotlighting modern entrepreneurs (featured on Apple News + Google News).
​
​⭐ About Ugly Talk:
​Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough “aha!” moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons and insights.
​With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, we’ve built a vibrant community of thousands of founders and industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.
​Official Website: 
UglyTalk.com

Behind every creator brand, content engine, and social commerce win that looks inevitable are bad bets, stalled launches, broken assumptions, and pivots that never made it into a LinkedIn post.​Everyone talks about growth. Almost nobody talks about the experiments that bled money and went nowhere.​This Ugly Talk is for the decisions that did not work. The tests that failed. The lessons that actually moved the business forward.<h5>​🎯 Why You Should Attend</h5><ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Learn from founders building in content commerce, social commerce, and the creator economy right now.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Hear what failed, what pivoted, and what finally worked.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Walk away with practical moves for growth, content, community, and commerce.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Get an honest conversation with no highlight reel.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Meet builders dealing with the same messy problems you are.</li></ul><h5>​🙋 Who's Getting In This Room</h5><ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Founders building content, creator economy, and commerce businesses.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Operators running growth, content, and acquisition.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Creators turning audiences into real revenue.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Investors, advisors, and ecosystem partners close to early-stage work.</li></ul><h5>​🎤 Who’s Taking the Stage</h5>​<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/harley-sutton-660a52271/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(81, 151, 197);">Harley Sutton </a>- Founder &amp; CEO of Thanks! Naturals​Harley Sutton is the Founder &amp; CEO of Thanks! Naturals, an all-natural beauty and wellness brand built around spreading gratitude, and Founder of H&amp;H Studios, a creative agency helping brands grow through content and live stream selling. A third-generation wellness entrepreneur and attorney, Harley traded the courtroom for wellness and live selling, launching Thanks! Naturals during the final year of her JD/MBA at USC. She documents her founder journey daily on TikTok and Instagram, sharing unfiltered behind-the-scenes looks at everything from product development to live stream selling – building in public and bringing her audience along for every win. ​<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheadaspin/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(104, 148, 189);">Shea Daspin</a> - Affiliate Marketing Supervisor at Miracle Miles Group Inc.​Social commerce expert with a proven record of turning content, creators, and community into measurable revenue. Experienced in developing integrated strategies specialized in TikTok Shop and livestreaming. Builds high-performing creator partnerships, that leads to increased brand awareness, conversion, and customer loyalty. Combines cultural insight, trend fluency, and compelling storytelling with rigorous performance analysis to optimize and scale growth. Skilled in influencer recruitment, content development, merchandising, community engagement, attribution, and platform management, with a customer-first approach to creating seamless, engaging shopping experiences that consistently deliver sustainable commercial impact and long-term brand value. ​<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/aldakarenh/?skipRedirect=true&amp;utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(98, 149, 190);">Alda Karen Hjaltalin Lopez</a> - Founder of Skinergy​Alda Karen is a serial entrepreneur with two successful exits, she is the founder of Skinergy the first skincare focused energy drink matching Collagen with Caffeine. After closing $1M pre-seed round she’s now preparing a nationwide retail launch and opening a seed round. Moderator: ​<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-ma-afmagency?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(104, 148, 189);">Ethan Ma</a> - Founder &amp; CEO of AFM Agency​Ethan is the Founder and CEO of AFM Agency, a leading AI-driven full-service marketing agency and social commerce partner headquartered in Times Square. Under his leadership, AFM has helped brands accelerate growth across TikTok Shop, creator marketing, live commerce, paid media, and offline activations. He has built a global team operating across six centers, developed a network of more than 10,000 U.S. creators, and scaled the agency to manage over $20 million in monthly GMV. In 2026, Ethan led AFM to become the only agency recognized with two TikTok Partner of the Year awards in the U.S. and Cross-Border categories.​<h5>​💬 What We Do Not Sugarcoat</h5><ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​The failures nobody posts about What experiments, launches, and growth bets did not deliver.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​The pivot point How founders knew it was time to change direction.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Content, commerce, and community What is actually driving attention, trust, and growth today.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Content commerce in practice Where content is generating revenue and where it falls short.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​What worked in the end The lessons, systems, and decisions founders would make again.</li></ul>​<h5>​Who's Backing This</h5>​<a href="https://afmagency.net/contact/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(81, 151, 197);">AFM Agency</a>​AFM Agency is a New York–based full-service marketing agency and social commerce growth partner headquartered in Times Square, with six global operating centers connecting brands, creators, commerce, and culture.​Driven by proprietary AI technology, AFM delivers end-to-end marketing solutions across strategy, creator marketing, livestreaming, social commerce, content production, paid media, PR, experiential events, and nationwide offline execution.​As an official top-tier TikTok Shop certified service provider, AFM manages over 10,000 directly collaborated creators across the U.S. and more than $20 million in monthly GMV.​Its livestreaming team ranked No.1 on TikTok, while its creator video business ranked No.2 through a network of L4+ high-converting creators.​​With a 20,000 sqft venue in Times Square and strong nationwide campaign execution capabilities, AFM helps brands turn cultural moments into measurable business growth — online, offline, and across every touchpoint.​​<a href="https://greyjournal.net/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(81, 151, 197);">GREY Journal</a> – Media partner spotlighting modern entrepreneurs (featured on Apple News + Google News).​<h5>​⭐ About Ugly Talk:</h5>​Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough “aha!” moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons and insights.​With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, we’ve built a vibrant community of thousands of founders and industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.​Official Website: <a href="https://uglytalk.com/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(81, 151, 197);">UglyTalk.com</a><img src="https://images.lumacdn.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,fit=cover,dpr=2,quality=75,width=800,height=420/uploads/z7/27d34f2d-bd06-488e-a043-ecec7b3fcd34.jpg" alt="User Uploaded Image" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: block;">

Ugly Talk: Winners & Wipeouts in Social Commerce

Join Tech Gather NYC for our Women in Tech mixer!

This is an awesome opportunity to connect and vibe with women from all corners of the tech universe, whether you’re a developer, founder, product or anything in between, you belong in our [she, her, they] array.

Sign up now to meet like-minded women, share stories, and spark new collaborations.

techgathernyc.com

Founder

Join Tech Gather NYC for our Women in Tech mixer! This is an awesome opportunity to connect and vibe with women from all corners of the tech universe, whether you’re a developer, founder, product or anything in between, you belong in our [she, her, they] array. Sign up now to meet like-minded women, share stories, and spark new collaborations.

Women In Tech Gather Mixer

The Dynamo Room

NYC Venture Capital Internship Program: A Day in the Life of an Investor

We're bringing our 2026 cohort from the NYC VC Internship Program (in partnership with NYCEDC, Everywhere Ventures, CUNY IAR, and Kauffman Fellows) together for 
A Day in the Life of an Investor
, an insider session with 
Brandon Corts, VP of Startup Pipeline, Product & Ventures at Newlab
.

This is the final professional development event of the 2026 program. After a summer working alongside investors across NYC's top VC firms, our cohort will hear what the job looks like a few years further down the path.

Newlab is a venture platform that helps critical technology startups commercialize faster by aligning infrastructure, pilots, and capital. Brandon sits at the front of that funnel, evaluating the companies Newlab backs with first checks through Series A. He will dig into what the work actually looks like day to day, how he assesses founders and technology, and what he wishes he had known earlier in his own path into venture. After the conversation, we will open the room up for an AMA.

There will be ample time for mingling, peer exchange, and conversations as we celebrate a summer of growth and close it out together!

Invite and approval only

About the 
NYC VC Internship Program
: 
The NYC VC Internship Program connects NYC-based venture capital firms with pre-screened and pre-trained students from NYC-based colleges for internship experiences. The 2026 program will place approximately 33 students in summer internships across VC host firms. Our mission is to create a more inclusive and thriving startup and venture capital ecosystem in NYC, by empowering the next generation of diverse young talent.

Baruch College

Supermomos

Strategic Programs Lead

New York University

NYC Market Lead

You are the social spark who knows everyone, everywhere, and loves connecting people like pieces of a puzzle

The Connector/Social Butterfly

The Wharton School

Co-Founder & CEO

NYC Venture Capital Internship Program: A Day in the Life of an Investor We're bringing our 2026 cohort from the NYC VC Internship Program (in partnership with NYCEDC, Everywhere Ventures, CUNY IAR, and Kauffman Fellows) together for A Day in the Life of an Investor, an insider session with Brandon Corts, VP of Startup Pipeline, Product &amp; Ventures at Newlab. This is the final professional development event of the 2026 program. After a summer working alongside investors across NYC's top VC firms, our cohort will hear what the job looks like a few years further down the path. Newlab is a venture platform that helps critical technology startups commercialize faster by aligning infrastructure, pilots, and capital. Brandon sits at the front of that funnel, evaluating the companies Newlab backs with first checks through Series A. He will dig into what the work actually looks like day to day, how he assesses founders and technology, and what he wishes he had known earlier in his own path into venture. After the conversation, we will open the room up for an AMA. There will be ample time for mingling, peer exchange, and conversations as we celebrate a summer of growth and close it out together! Invite and approval only About the <a href="https://edc.nyc/program/nyc-vc-internship-program" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); color: rgb(0, 71, 178);">NYC VC Internship Program</a>: The NYC VC Internship Program connects NYC-based venture capital firms with pre-screened and pre-trained students from NYC-based colleges for internship experiences. The 2026 program will place approximately 33 students in summer internships across VC host firms. Our mission is to create a more inclusive and thriving startup and venture capital ecosystem in NYC, by empowering the next generation of diverse young talent.

Newlab, founded in 2016 and based in Brooklyn, New York, is a venture platform and innovation hub dedicated to advancing critical technologies. Located in a repurposed naval shipyard, Newlab aims to foster collaboration among entrepreneurs, engineers, corporate partners, and investors to tackle global challenges through advanced technologies such as robotics, AI, and material science.

The company offers a range of services, including membership access to shared workspaces and prototyping tools, as well as a venture studio that helps develop and scale startups. Newlab collaborates with major corporations like Ford, Verizon, and IBM, as well as civic partners such as the New York City Economic Development Corporation. It also supports underrepresented urban tech founders through its Founder Fellowship program, focusing on equity and inclusion. Newlab's technology initiatives cover areas like energy systems, mobility, and sustainable urban development.

Investor

NYC Venture Capital Internship Program: A Day in the Life of an Investor

Invite & approval only: 
Founders who have 
$10M–100M+ in revenue or funding
. 

The dinner will include a 
short fireside chat
, followed by a curated Q&A discussion on
 fundraising
. We will have a private dining room at an upscale restaurant in Manhattan with a complimentary exquisite dinner, and ample time to connect with
 
other
  VCs and founders 
in the industry.

We will have a private room to ourselves, and individually-assigned seating using our proprietary AI algorithms. There will also be a seat change and ample time for mingling before & after dinner, so you'll get to know everyone in the room!

Head of Startup and VC Partnerships

Invite &amp; approval only:&nbsp;Founders who have&nbsp;$10M–100M+ in revenue or funding.&nbsp; The dinner will include a short fireside chat, followed by a curated Q&amp;A discussion on fundraising. We will have a private dining room at an upscale restaurant in Manhattan with a&nbsp;complimentary exquisite dinner, and ample time to connect with other VCs and founders in the industry. We will have a private room to ourselves, and individually-assigned seating using our proprietary AI algorithms. There will also be a seat change and ample time for mingling before &amp; after dinner, so you'll get to know everyone in the room!

ORIX Corporation USA is the U.S. subsidiary of ORIX Corporation, a Japanese financial services group established in 1964. Founded in the U.S. in 1981, ORIX USA specializes in investment and asset management, focusing on private credit, real estate, and private equity solutions for middle-market borrowers and investors. The company operates from its headquarters in New York City and has grown to approximately 1,300 employees across more than 30 offices, managing around $89 billion in assets.

The firm offers a variety of financial services, including middle-market lending, growth capital, commercial real estate investments, and operationally-focused private equity. ORIX USA also provides asset management, capital markets, financial advisory, and risk management services. By leveraging its parent company's strong balance sheet and third-party investor funds, ORIX USA emphasizes alignment of interests in its financial solutions.

Managing Director, Head of East Coast

July Private Founder Dinner in NYC ft. MD at Orix Growth Capital ($3B AUM)

​A great product does not automatically make a brand fundable.
​Your snack can taste incredible. Your skincare line can have loyal fans. Your beverage can be moving. Your apparel brand can have real heat. But investors may still pass.
​This edition of Ugly Talk pulls back the curtain on the consumer brand fundraising process. We’re bringing CPG and DTC investors into the room with a funded founder to unpack the unpolished reality behind what makes a brand investable and what quietly kills the deal.
​The conversation will dig into the signals investors actually care about: traction, margins, repeat purchase, category timing, retail readiness, founder-market fit, and the story behind the numbers.
​🎯 Why You Should Attend
​Understand how investors evaluate a pitch and a deal.
​Know the quiet red flags that can kill your chances without you realizing it.
​Learn which KPIs and metrics actually matter, and which ones are overhyped.
​Spot narrative gaps that can quietly hurt fundraising outcomes.
​🙋 Who's Getting In This Room
​Consumer brand founders across food, beverage, beauty, wellness, apparel, lifestyle, and beyond.
​Venture capital investors looking to invest in CPG and DTC.
​Angel investors who are looking to back early-stage CPG and DTC companies.
​🎤 Who’s Taking the Stage
​
Daniel Faierman 
- Partner
 at 
Habitat Partners

​Daniel Faierman is a General Partner at Habitat Partners, an early stage VC firm based in NY that focuses on Pre-Seed to Series A investments across the technology and consumer ecosystems. The fund was born out of the renowned creative and branding firm, Red Antler. Habitat Partners’ active portfolio includes Figure AI, Farther Finance, Motion (Creative Analytics), Truehold, Haven Energy, Rainbow Insurance, Pop Up Bagels, and many others. Daniel has been an investor and operator for nearly 10 years with prior experience at organizations such as PepsiCo, AB InBev, Selva Ventures, VMG Partners, and Lyra Collective. Daniel is also an active angel with personal investments in Mid-Day Squares, Nara Organics, KilgourMD, Machina Labs, Keychain, Tiny Health, and several others. Daniel holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BA from Yale University, where he was a former varsity tennis player.


​
Sydney Karmes-Wainer
 - Founder & CEO of French Squirrel

​Sydney Karmes-Wainer is the founder of French Squirrel, a wellness snack brand inspired by her French roots and personal healing journey. After struggling with disordered eating in college, she studied in Bordeaux and reconnected with a balanced, joyful relationship to food. While working at Erewhon, she began making protein bites that helped her heal—and quickly gained a cult following. Encouraged to turn her hormone-friendly snacks into a brand, French Squirrel was born. Today, her mission is to help women nourish their bodies with snacks that are as good for the soul as they are delicious.
​

​
Douglas Cajas 
- Head of Media Investments
 at 
mediaforgrowth

​Douglas Cajas is Head of Media Investments at mediaforgrowth (MFG), a media-for-equity investment firm helping growth-stage consumer brands accelerate growth through premium media, strategy, and creative services. With more than 20 years of experience in media, marketing, and go-to-market strategy, he works with founders to assess brand readiness, sharpen growth plans, and scale across television, streaming, digital, and out-of-home. Previously, Douglas held senior roles at RTL AdAlliance and Axel Springer. He has also co-founded ventures in social dating, digital real estate, and cross-cultural retail, bringing both an investor’s and founder’s perspective to the conversation.
​
​

​Moderator:

​
Glenn Johnson
 - Marketing Consultant/Fractional CMO
​Glenn Johnson works with brands, startups, and founders to address their marketing and branding needs. “From 0-1, to pivot and growth, from idea to production, from packaging to sales strategies, key markets and comp set research and who to work with, I craft a plan and a strategy to get it done. I help brands build their business, for me, Ugly Talks is about the story and the lessons.”
​A former VP/Creative Director at a Madison Avenue agency specializing in luxury and bespoke audiences, he brings expertise across multiple verticals. As a category-agnostic brand storyteller, he helps founders define their mission, vision and develop their brand business.
​
​💬 What We Do Not Sugarcoat
​Why do investors pass on strong products?
​What makes a consumer brand feel fundable?
​How much traction is enough?
​What matters more: revenue, margins, repeat purchase, retail doors, or community?
​When is venture capital the wrong path?
​What red flags quietly kill a deal?
​How should founders talk about the numbers without over-polishing the story?
​What do investors wish more consumer founders understood before pitching?
​Who's Backing This
​
The Yard
​Born in Brooklyn, The Yard is a network of thoughtfully designed coworking spaces across New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Chicago. It’s where entrepreneurs, professionals, and creators connect, collaborate, and thrive.
​1. Coworking Membership at $189/month (6-month sign-up)
​2. Complimentary Day Pass (promo code GREYJ25)
​3. 20% Off All Bookings with promo code GREYJ25 (Multi-Day Passes, Day Offices, Meeting Rooms, and more)
​
Claim Discount
​
​
GREY Journal
 – Media partner spotlighting modern entrepreneurs (featured on Apple News + Google News).
​
​⭐ About Ugly Talk:
​Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough “aha!” moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons and insights.
​With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, we’ve built a vibrant community of thousands of founders and industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.
​Official Website: 
UglyTalk.com

​A great product does not automatically make a brand fundable.​Your snack can taste incredible. Your skincare line can have loyal fans. Your beverage can be moving. Your apparel brand can have real heat. But investors may still pass.​This edition of Ugly Talk pulls back the curtain on the consumer brand fundraising process. We’re bringing CPG and DTC investors into the room with a funded founder to unpack the unpolished reality behind what makes a brand investable and what quietly kills the deal.​The conversation will dig into the signals investors actually care about: traction, margins, repeat purchase, category timing, retail readiness, founder-market fit, and the story behind the numbers.<h4>​🎯 Why You Should Attend</h4><ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Understand how investors evaluate a pitch and a deal.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Know the quiet red flags that can kill your chances without you realizing it.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Learn which KPIs and metrics actually matter, and which ones are overhyped.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Spot narrative gaps that can quietly hurt fundraising outcomes.</li></ul><h4>​🙋 Who's Getting In This Room</h4><ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Consumer brand founders across food, beverage, beauty, wellness, apparel, lifestyle, and beyond.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Venture capital investors looking to invest in CPG and DTC.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Angel investors who are looking to back early-stage CPG and DTC companies.</li></ul><h4>​🎤 Who’s Taking the Stage</h4>​<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-faierman/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(81, 151, 197);">Daniel Faierman </a>- Partner at Habitat Partners ​Daniel Faierman is a General Partner at Habitat Partners, an early stage VC firm based in NY that focuses on Pre-Seed to Series A investments across the technology and consumer ecosystems. The fund was born out of the renowned creative and branding firm, Red Antler. Habitat Partners’ active portfolio includes Figure AI, Farther Finance, Motion (Creative Analytics), Truehold, Haven Energy, Rainbow Insurance, Pop Up Bagels, and many others. Daniel has been an investor and operator for nearly 10 years with prior experience at organizations such as PepsiCo, AB InBev, Selva Ventures, VMG Partners, and Lyra Collective. Daniel is also an active angel with personal investments in Mid-Day Squares, Nara Organics, KilgourMD, Machina Labs, Keychain, Tiny Health, and several others. Daniel holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BA from Yale University, where he was a former varsity tennis player. ​<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydney-karmes-wainer-521989196?utm_source=share_via&amp;utm_content=profile&amp;utm_medium=member_ios" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(93, 149, 194);">Sydney Karmes-Wainer</a> - Founder &amp; CEO of French Squirrel ​Sydney Karmes-Wainer is the founder of French Squirrel, a wellness snack brand inspired by her French roots and personal healing journey. After struggling with disordered eating in college, she studied in Bordeaux and reconnected with a balanced, joyful relationship to food. While working at Erewhon, she began making protein bites that helped her heal—and quickly gained a cult following. Encouraged to turn her hormone-friendly snacks into a brand, French Squirrel was born. Today, her mission is to help women nourish their bodies with snacks that are as good for the soul as they are delicious.​ ​<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglascajas?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(93, 149, 194);">Douglas Cajas </a>- Head of Media Investments at mediaforgrowth ​Douglas Cajas is Head of Media Investments at mediaforgrowth (MFG), a media-for-equity investment firm helping growth-stage consumer brands accelerate growth through premium media, strategy, and creative services. With more than 20 years of experience in media, marketing, and go-to-market strategy, he works with founders to assess brand readiness, sharpen growth plans, and scale across television, streaming, digital, and out-of-home. Previously, Douglas held senior roles at RTL AdAlliance and Axel Springer. He has also co-founded ventures in social dating, digital real estate, and cross-cultural retail, bringing both an investor’s and founder’s perspective to the conversation.​​ ​Moderator: ​<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenn-johnson-nyc1/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(78, 152, 198);">Glenn Johnson</a> - Marketing Consultant/Fractional CMO​Glenn Johnson works with brands, startups, and founders to address their marketing and branding needs. “From 0-1, to pivot and growth, from idea to production, from packaging to sales strategies, key markets and comp set research and who to work with, I craft a plan and a strategy to get it done. I help brands build their business, for me, Ugly Talks is about the story and the lessons.”​A former VP/Creative Director at a Madison Avenue agency specializing in luxury and bespoke audiences, he brings expertise across multiple verticals. As a category-agnostic brand storyteller, he helps founders define their mission, vision and develop their brand business.​<h4>​💬 What We Do Not Sugarcoat</h4><ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Why do investors pass on strong products?</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​What makes a consumer brand feel fundable?</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​How much traction is enough?</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​What matters more: revenue, margins, repeat purchase, retail doors, or community?</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​When is venture capital the wrong path?</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​What red flags quietly kill a deal?</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​How should founders talk about the numbers without over-polishing the story?</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​What do investors wish more consumer founders understood before pitching?</li></ul><h4>​Who's Backing This</h4><img src="https://images.lumacdn.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,fit=cover,dpr=2,quality=75,width=800,height=469.3333333333333/uploads/ry/8cc54140-7c0f-49bd-8e9f-45908343b453.png" alt="User Uploaded Image" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: block;">​<a href="https://theyard.com/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(78, 152, 198);">The Yard</a>​Born in Brooklyn, The Yard is a network of thoughtfully designed coworking spaces across New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Chicago. It’s where entrepreneurs, professionals, and creators connect, collaborate, and thrive.​1. Coworking Membership at $189/month (6-month sign-up)​2. Complimentary Day Pass (promo code GREYJ25)​3. 20% Off All Bookings with promo code GREYJ25 (Multi-Day Passes, Day Offices, Meeting Rooms, and more)​<a href="https://uglytalk.com/perks/the-yard?__hstc=149698537.02d3a3067355aeed59c3216c338d3fd4.1772464040050.1782839887302.1782912888614.287&amp;__hssc=149698537.4.1782912888614&amp;__hsfp=d3faaf3cc4d5acab9c34b20b21dcbe19&amp;utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(78, 152, 198);">Claim Discount</a>​<img src="https://images.lumacdn.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,fit=cover,dpr=2,quality=75,width=800,height=240/editor-images/wr/6ed2991d-11e1-498b-9880-80b61f77949b.png" alt="User Uploaded Image" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: block;">​<a href="https://greyjournal.net/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(78, 152, 198);">GREY Journal</a> – Media partner spotlighting modern entrepreneurs (featured on Apple News + Google News).​<h4>​⭐ About Ugly Talk:</h4>​Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough “aha!” moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons and insights.​With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, we’ve built a vibrant community of thousands of founders and industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.​Official Website: <a href="https://uglytalk.com/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(78, 152, 198);">UglyTalk.com</a>

Investors

Brand Founders

Ugly Talk: Why Investors Don't Bet on your Brand

The Yard: Herald Square Coworking Office Space Manhattan

As technology and AI continues to transform industries and markets, it also introduces new opportunities and challenges traditional models. These new structures redefine liquidity, democratize data, and offer AI-enabled tools to create new artworks and curated experiences. In this panel, we bring together leaders operating at the edge of technology, curation, and data transparency to explore how the art ecosystem can leverage infrastructure to transition into a scalable, tech-native era.

​By attending this panel, you will hear more about:
​Expanding Cultural Horizons: How digital innovation and immersive storytelling through AI tools are enabling global audiences to discover and interact with collections and masterpieces in new ways
​Overcoming Market Hurdles: How platforms leverage technology to resolve systemic barriers around liquidity, entry costs, and asset stewardship in the art world.
​Building a Sustainable Art Ecosystem: How data democratization and access can change and bring in emerging collectors and galleries.
​
Speakers
​
Surya Tubach
 
leads Google Arts & Culture's programs and partnerships in the US. Their 700+ US partnerships include the Met, MoMA, the Getty, the Smithsonian and many more cultural institutions to leverage technology and AI. 
​
JC Kwok
 - Moderator
​More speakers to be announced shortly.
​
Schedule
​6:30 - 7 pm: Dinner and drinks
​7 - 8 pm: Panel (45 mins) and Q&A (15 mins)
​8 - 8:30 pm: Post-event networking


UCLA

Manager

You are the calm presence who’s perfectly happy to go with the flow, bringing peace and balance wherever you are

The Chill One/Laid-Back Hangout Buddy

Singapore Global Network

Regional Director (Americas)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Google

Global Head, Workspace AI Safety Policy, Google

As technology and AI continues to transform industries and markets, it also introduces new opportunities and challenges traditional models. These new structures redefine liquidity, democratize data, and offer AI-enabled tools to create new artworks and curated experiences. In this panel, we bring together leaders operating at the edge of technology, curation, and data transparency to explore how the art ecosystem can leverage infrastructure to transition into a scalable, tech-native era. ​By attending this panel, you will hear more about:<ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Expanding Cultural Horizons: How digital innovation and immersive storytelling through AI tools are enabling global audiences to discover and interact with collections and masterpieces in new ways</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Overcoming Market Hurdles: How platforms leverage technology to resolve systemic barriers around liquidity, entry costs, and asset stewardship in the art world.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Building a Sustainable Art Ecosystem: How data democratization and access can change and bring in emerging collectors and galleries.</li></ul>​Speakers<ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/surya-tubach?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(154, 111, 6);">Surya Tubach</a>&nbsp;leads Google Arts &amp; Culture's programs and partnerships in the US. Their 700+ US partnerships include the Met, MoMA, the Getty, the Smithsonian and many more cultural institutions to leverage technology and AI.&nbsp;</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​<a href="http://linkedin.com/in/jiachuan/?skipRedirect=true&amp;utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(154, 111, 6);">JC Kwok</a> - Moderator</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​More speakers to be announced shortly.</li></ul>​Schedule<ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​6:30 - 7 pm: Dinner and drinks</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​7 - 8 pm: Panel (45 mins) and Q&amp;A (15 mins)</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​8 - 8:30 pm: Post-event networking</li></ul>

Redefining the Art Market with Technology

Join us on Wednesday, 7/22 at 6pm for the Plural x Kubernetes July meetup 👋

Our guest speaker is Noam Levy, Field CTO at groundcover. His topic is "Fast, Consistent, and Scalable: End-to-End Testing with Kubernetes and networking magic." Bring your questions :)

Session Description:
E2E tests are critical, but they often come at the cost of speed, consistency, and developer experience. Catching regressions early shortens feedback loops, boosts confidence, and helps developers move fast without cutting corners. Our solution is:
- Databases run in a remote Kubernetes cluster
- Local dev environments connect via lightweight networking tools
- Tests run locally, using real infrastructure, with identical behavior in CI
In this talk, we will demo this architecture with blazing-fast performance, a unified test suite across environments, and the ability to scale infrastructure centrally as tests grow.

Schedule:
6:00pm - door opens
6:30pm - intros (please arrive by this time!)
6:40pm - speaker programming
7:20pm - networking 
8:00pm - event ends

We will have food and drinks during this event. Please arrive no later than 6:30pm so we can get started promptly. Invites are non-transferable.

--

About the host: Plural manages the entire software development lifecycle for Kubernetes and and delivers AI-native Kubernetes management at enterprise scale. Bring AI into day-2 operations, automate complex upgrades, and manage Kubernetes fleets across any cloud, data center, or edge all fully under your control. Learn more at https://www.plural.sh/

You are the caring soul who’s always there with a snack, a hug, and a gentle reminder to stay hydrated

The Mom

Harvard University

Creative Generalist

Join us on Wednesday, 7/22 at 6pm for the Plural x Kubernetes July meetup 👋<div> </div><div>Our guest speaker is Noam Levy, Field CTO at groundcover. His topic is "Fast, Consistent, and Scalable: End-to-End Testing with Kubernetes and networking magic." Bring your questions :)</div><div> </div><div>Session Description:</div><div>E2E tests are critical, but they often come at the cost of speed, consistency, and developer experience. Catching regressions early shortens feedback loops, boosts confidence, and helps developers move fast without cutting corners. Our solution is:</div><div>- Databases run in a remote Kubernetes cluster</div><div>- Local dev environments connect via lightweight networking tools</div><div>- Tests run locally, using real infrastructure, with identical behavior in CI</div><div>In this talk, we will demo this architecture with blazing-fast performance, a unified test suite across environments, and the ability to scale infrastructure centrally as tests grow.</div><div> </div><div>Schedule:</div><div>6:00pm - door opens</div><div>6:30pm - intros (please arrive by this time!)</div><div>6:40pm - speaker programming</div><div>7:20pm - networking&nbsp;</div><div>8:00pm - event ends</div><div> </div><div>We will have food and drinks during this event. Please arrive no later than 6:30pm so we can get started promptly. Invites are non-transferable.</div><div> </div><div>--</div><div> </div><div>About the host: Plural manages the entire software development lifecycle for Kubernetes and and delivers AI-native Kubernetes management at enterprise scale. Bring AI into day-2 operations, automate complex upgrades, and manage Kubernetes fleets across any cloud, data center, or edge all fully under your control. Learn more at https://www.plural.sh/</div>

Plural x Kubernetes July Meetup, guest speaker Noam Levy (topic: End-to-End Testing with Kubernetes and networking magic)

Tech Gather NYC is a mixer for anyone and everyone in NYC Tech.

New to Tech? Welcome!
15 years in? Come on down!
Just got to the city? Get to know the techies here!
Been here forever? Grab your "Pizza Rat"
headband and welcome the newbies.

Be you Product, UI, Coder or Solutions or any of the buzz terms our industry throws out there, come unwind at a chill Irish pub on Fulton with cheap drinks and stay for a top-notch (free!) karaoke session next door.

Did I mention the whole thing is free?

Tech Gather NYC is a mixer for anyone and everyone in NYC Tech. New to Tech? Welcome!15 years in? Come on down!Just got to the city? Get to know the techies here!Been here forever? Grab your "Pizza Rat"headband and welcome the newbies. Be you Product, UI, Coder or Solutions or any of the buzz terms our industry throws out there, come unwind at a chill Irish pub on Fulton with cheap drinks and stay for a top-notch (free!) karaoke session next door. Did I mention the whole thing is free?

Tech Gather NYC July Meetup

The Irish American Pub

Four Ugly Talk alumni. Each with a you-cannot-make-this-up story that changed the way they build. The miss. The mess. The call that looked right until it absolutely was not. These are the stories that come out after the third drink. The ones with enough detail to be true and enough embarrassment to be useful.
​You sit back. You laugh. Maybe even wince. Then you catch yourself nodding, and you don’t even know when you started.
​Somewhere in between, the strangers stopped being strangers. By the time the mixer starts, your go-to networking dance doesn’t work here anymore. You’re just catching up with old friends.
​🎯 Why You Should Attend
​Hear the version founders do not post, polish, or save for the panel circuit.
​Get the lesson without paying full tuition for the mistake.
​Feel the room loosen up in real time. Once one person tells the truth, everybody else can stop auditioning.
​Stay for a mixer that actually works, because the small talk is already dead by then.
​🙋 Who's Getting In This Room
​Founders who are actively building. Not circling the idea. Not talking about someday.
​People at an inflection point. Ready to make a move, make a decision, or change something real.
​Builders who believe collaboration still matters, and that the best shortcut is someone telling the truth.
​Founders who are open-handed with what they have learned and curious enough to learn from someone else.
​
​ Run of Show
​30 minutes, Check-in
​Arrive, grab a drink, and settle into the room
​45 minutes, Ugly Talk Solo
​Four alumni stories, 7 minutes each
​Short audience Q&A between stories
​15 minutes, Transition
​Let the room reset before the mixer kicks in
​60 minutes, Mixer
​The real conversations start once the stories land
​
​🤝 Who's Backing This
​
The Builder Series
​The Builder Series is a 36k member community curating founders, operators, builders & investors into intentional rooms transforming networking into curated, experience-driven environments built for lasting, high-value relationships.
​
​
The Shop
​The Shop is a hospitality-first workspace built for people who care about where they work. Our Brooklyn location sits in 
Gowanus
, one of the most creatively dense neighborhoods in New York, and draws a community of founders, operators, creatives, and independent professionals who value design, intention, and good company.
​We’re excited welcome you to our space for an inspiring Ugly Talk event!

​
GREY Journal
 – Media partner spotlighting modern entrepreneurs (featured on Apple News + Google News).
​
​⭐ About Ugly Talk:
​Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough “aha!” moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons and insights.
​With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, we’ve built a vibrant community of thousands of founders and industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.
​Official Website: 
UglyTalk.com

Four Ugly Talk alumni. Each with a you-cannot-make-this-up story that changed the way they build. The miss. The mess. The call that looked right until it absolutely was not. These are the stories that come out after the third drink. The ones with enough detail to be true and enough embarrassment to be useful.​You sit back. You laugh. Maybe even wince. Then you catch yourself nodding, and you don’t even know when you started.​Somewhere in between, the strangers stopped being strangers. By the time the mixer starts, your go-to networking dance doesn’t work here anymore. You’re just catching up with old friends.<h4>​🎯 Why You Should Attend</h4><ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Hear the version founders do not post, polish, or save for the panel circuit.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Get the lesson without paying full tuition for the mistake.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Feel the room loosen up in real time. Once one person tells the truth, everybody else can stop auditioning.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Stay for a mixer that actually works, because the small talk is already dead by then.</li></ul><h4>​🙋 Who's Getting In This Room</h4><ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Founders who are actively building. Not circling the idea. Not talking about someday.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​People at an inflection point. Ready to make a move, make a decision, or change something real.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Builders who believe collaboration still matters, and that the best shortcut is someone telling the truth.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​Founders who are open-handed with what they have learned and curious enough to learn from someone else.</li></ul>​<h4>​ Run of Show</h4><ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​30 minutes, Check-in</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;" class="ql-indent-1">​Arrive, grab a drink, and settle into the room</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​45 minutes, Ugly Talk Solo</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;" class="ql-indent-1">​Four alumni stories, 7 minutes each</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;" class="ql-indent-1">​Short audience Q&amp;A between stories</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​15 minutes, Transition</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;" class="ql-indent-1">​Let the room reset before the mixer kicks in</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">​60 minutes, Mixer</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;" class="ql-indent-1">​The real conversations start once the stories land</li></ul>​<h4>​🤝 Who's Backing This</h4>​<a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebuilderseries_/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(81, 151, 197);">The Builder Series</a>​The Builder Series is a 36k member community curating founders, operators, builders &amp; investors into intentional rooms transforming networking into curated, experience-driven environments built for lasting, high-value relationships.​​<a href="https://shopworkspace.com/location/brooklyn/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(81, 151, 197);">The Shop</a>​The Shop is a hospitality-first workspace built for people who care about where they work. Our Brooklyn location sits in <a href="https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/these-three-brooklyn-areas-will-be-next-years-hottest-neighborhoods-per-a-new-city-planning-report-090225?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(81, 151, 197);">Gowanus</a>, one of the most creatively dense neighborhoods in New York, and draws a community of founders, operators, creatives, and independent professionals who value design, intention, and good company.​We’re excited welcome you to our space for an inspiring Ugly Talk event! ​<a href="https://greyjournal.net/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(81, 151, 197);">GREY Journal</a> – Media partner spotlighting modern entrepreneurs (featured on Apple News + Google News).​<h2>​⭐ About Ugly Talk:</h2>​Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough “aha!” moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons and insights.​With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, we’ve built a vibrant community of thousands of founders and industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.​Official Website: <a href="https://uglytalk.com/?utm_source=luma" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(81, 151, 197);">UglyTalk.com</a>

Ugly Talk: Brooklyn Tech Founders Open Mic & Mixer

NYC Venture Capital Internship Program: VC Mentors Mixer & AMA Night

Join us for an invite only evening bringing together mentors and interns from the NYC VC Internship Program, as our 2026 cohort heads into the second half of their summer internships across NYC's top VC firms.

The evening will open with a mixer, giving interns and mentors space to connect before settling into an open AMA format where interns can ask the questions that matter most as they think about their next steps in venture. From there, the room opens up further for mingling, peer exchange, and conversation with mentors and fellow interns from across our network.

This is a chance to build the kind of relationships that shape a career in venture, learn directly from investors further along the path, and celebrate a summer of growth together.

*Invite and approval only

About the 
NYC VC Internship Program
:
 The NYC VC Internship Program connects NYC-based venture capital firms with pre-screened and pre-trained students from NYC-based colleges for internship experiences. The 2026 program will place approximately 33 students in summer internships across VC host firms. Our mission is to create a more inclusive and thriving startup and venture capital ecosystem in NYC, by empowering the next generation of diverse young talent.

NYC Venture Capital Internship Program: VC Mentors Mixer &amp; AMA Night Join us for an invite only evening bringing together mentors and interns from the NYC VC Internship Program, as our 2026 cohort heads into the second half of their summer internships across NYC's top VC firms. The evening will open with a mixer, giving interns and mentors space to connect before settling into an open AMA format where interns can ask the questions that matter most as they think about their next steps in venture. From there, the room opens up further for mingling, peer exchange, and conversation with mentors and fellow interns from across our network. This is a chance to build the kind of relationships that shape a career in venture, learn directly from investors further along the path, and celebrate a summer of growth together. *Invite and approval only About the <a href="https://edc.nyc/program/nyc-vc-internship-program" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NYC VC Internship Program</a>: The NYC VC Internship Program connects NYC-based venture capital firms with pre-screened and pre-trained students from NYC-based colleges for internship experiences. The 2026 program will place approximately 33 students in summer internships across VC host firms. Our mission is to create a more inclusive and thriving startup and venture capital ecosystem in NYC, by empowering the next generation of diverse young talent.

Samsung Electronics America is the U.S. subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, a global leader in consumer electronics, mobile devices, and technology innovation. The company drives Samsung's presence across the American market in areas including mobile, home entertainment, and enterprise solutions.

People Analytics 

RRE Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm headquartered in New York City. Since their founding in 1994, they have partnered with extraordinary entrepreneurs seeking to disrupt and transform industries.

RRE is a long-term lead investor and active strategic, operational, and financial partner to companies they finance. They bring a distinctive network across industries and countries, recruit top-tier talent, and provide PR and marketing support.

RRE manages over a billion dollars across five funds, structured to invest in early-stage companies while staying active throughout a venture's life.

They invest across the US and select overseas markets, viewing New York's innovation economy as key to the next wave of tech companies. With fifty portfolio companies in the New York Metro area, they are among its most active investors.

Associate

Brightwheel is the leading platform for early education, combining SaaS, payments, and a consumer-grade daily experience in one product. Teachers save valuable time through tools for assessment, communication, and photo sharing; administrators run their business with enrollment, reporting, and online bill pay; and parents get a real-time view of their child's day that lets them participate in the learning and continue it at home. Founded in 2014 and serving thousands of educators and millions of families, brightwheel is the fastest growing and top reviewed product in early education, a $100B US market. Investors include Addition, Bessemer Venture Partners, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Emerson Collective, GGV Capital, Lowercase Capital, and Mark Cuban.


Strategic Finance

NYC Venture Capital Internship Program: VC Mentors Mixer & AMA Night

Join 
Alisha Outridge
 (Chief Product & Technology Officer at Byte & Chord) for an interactive workshop to level up your product strategy and master the framework required to survive and win in the AI landscape. This session is suited for both entrepreneurs and corporate intrapreneurs who want to move past shallow feature checklists and build a world-class market analysis that defines where their product actually sits before writing a single line of code. More info about 
AI Founder Playbook
.

You’ll learn how to:
Deconstruct why traditional competitive analysis fails, shifting from generic feature matrices to true strategic positioning.
Master the Competitive Terrain Map™ framework, deploying advanced market research and industry context that top-tier consulting firms charge six figures to deliver.
Align your market map with user and buyer behavior, pinpointing exactly what customers in your landscape will pay for.
Walk out with a concrete deliverable: your own completed terrain map and the single highest-leverage strategic move it reveals.

Note: 
Come with an idea and your laptop. 
If you don't have a concrete product idea yet, that's completely fine. We will provide real-world sample cases so you can practice adapting this framework to any industry, business, or product challenge you encounter next.

Agenda:
6 – 6:30 pm:
 Networking over dinner and drinks
6:30 – 8 pm:
 Workshop
8 – 8:30 pm:
 Post-event networking

Alisha Outridge
 is the Chief Product & Technology Officer at
 
Byte & Chord.
 A veteran leader at the intersection of product and engineering, Alisha has spent her career building scalable platforms and navigating the technical and strategic complexities of enterprise-grade technology. Previously, she has held multiple PM leadership roles as CTO and CPO at various startups, with two exits, and was a Senior PM Director at Meta. 
​

Trampoline is dedicated to upleveling the next generation of leaders. Trampoline works with both individuals and businesses to reach their full potential. At Trampoline, we help leaders Bounce Back. Lift Up. Thrive Forward.

You are the compassionate listener who holds space for everyone’s secrets and offers wisdom that runs deep

The Therapist/Confidante

Columbia University

Human Ventures

Product Lead (VC)

Join <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alishaoutridge/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">Alisha Outridge</a> (Chief Product &amp; Technology Officer at Byte &amp; Chord) for an interactive workshop to level up your product strategy and master the framework required to survive and win in the AI landscape. This session is suited for both entrepreneurs and corporate intrapreneurs who want to move past shallow feature checklists and build a world-class market analysis that defines where their product actually sits before writing a single line of code. More info about <a href="http://aifounderplaybook.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">AI Founder Playbook</a>. You’ll learn how to:<ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">Deconstruct why traditional competitive analysis fails, shifting from generic feature matrices to true strategic positioning.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">Master the Competitive Terrain Map™ framework, deploying advanced market research and industry context that top-tier consulting firms charge six figures to deliver.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">Align your market map with user and buyer behavior, pinpointing exactly what customers in your landscape will pay for.</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">Walk out with a concrete deliverable: your own completed terrain map and the single highest-leverage strategic move it reveals.</li></ul> Note: Come with an idea and your laptop. If you don't have a concrete product idea yet, that's completely fine. We will provide real-world sample cases so you can practice adapting this framework to any industry, business, or product challenge you encounter next. Agenda:<ul style="margin: 0px;"><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">6 – 6:30 pm: Networking over dinner and drinks</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">6:30 – 8 pm: Workshop</li><li style="padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;">8 – 8:30 pm: Post-event networking</li></ul> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alishaoutridge/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Alisha Outridge</a> is the Chief Product &amp; Technology Officer at<a href="http://byteandchord.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;"> </a><a href="http://byteandchord.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Byte &amp; Chord.</a> A veteran leader at the intersection of product and engineering, Alisha has spent her career building scalable platforms and navigating the technical and strategic complexities of enterprise-grade technology. Previously, she has held multiple PM leadership roles as CTO and CPO at various startups, with two exits, and was a Senior PM Director at Meta.&nbsp;​ Trampoline is dedicated to upleveling the next generation of leaders. Trampoline works with both individuals and businesses to reach their full potential. At Trampoline, we help leaders Bounce Back. Lift Up. Thrive Forward.

Events

Past Events