Nerd Nite Louisville

March 1st 7-9pm
Gravely Brewing Co
514 Baxter Ave
*free*

Happy hour at 5
Opening ceremony at 7:15
First presentation at 7:30

Nerd Nite Louisville’s February event will be hosted on March 1st. Why, you ask? Well a lot of stuff happens in February and we ran out of Thursdays so we figured March could use a lil more Nerd Nite love.

This month we will be focusing on storytelling, personal branding, and the economic impact of college education.

Lectures For Listening:

*Presentation #1

“Get Outta This World: Using the Sci-Fi Genre to Enhance Your Theme”
by Taj Whitesell

Description: Looking to write a story about political corruption? Destruction of the environment? The dangers of technology? In this lecture, I’ll talk about the elements of the science fiction genre and how you can use those elements in your creative writing to enhance the drama of your work.

Bio: Taj Whitesell is a dramatic writer and general creative person in her spare time. She sold the rest of her time to The Man a few years ago and currently works as a digital strategist for Humana.

*Presentation #2

“Your Story Doesn’t Suck: You Just Don’t Know How to Tell It”
by Brian Eichenberger

Description: The way you talk about yourself, your passions and your business count. Pulling from a history of building narratives in radio, journalism and podcasting, Brian offers a quick and easy guide to figuring out how to find the stories you already own and how to most effectively tell them.

Bio: Brian Eichenberger is a freelance writer, podcaster and consultant and resident creative strategist for Insider Louisville. He is a diehard music fan, film junkie, husband, and dad who tries to read a book a week.

*Presentation #3

“How Your College Degree Raised My Rent”
by Alex Martindale

Description: Some see the rise in college graduates as an indication of a high functioning society, but this isn’t necessarily true. Its impact on the workforce and housing market has been detrimental. Why are so many college grads still working in food and beverage and retail and unable to buy a house? Learn how today’s increase in college grads has led to rising housing costs and a surplus of available jobs – millennials just don’t know about them

Bio: Alex Martindale has worked in the construction industry for the last six years focusing on project and relationship management, workforce development, and fundraising for the BUILD-Political Action Committee (PAC). She is the Director of Workforce Development at the Building Industry Association of Louisville

The Derby City gets a little more knowledgeable and a little more tipsy with the addition of a monthly Nerd Nite Event at Gravely Brewing Co!

We had our first event January 25th featuring…

*Presentation #1

“Pitino, Adidas, and Accreditation – Understanding the UofL Scandals”
by Bentley McBentleson

Description: What did Pitino do on a restaurant table? How did UofL entertain prospective recruits? What happened with the UofL Foundation board? Why is Adidas involved with UofL? Who is responsible for the close call with accreditation? All these questions and more will be answered in this presentation focusing on the drama around the University of Louisville scandals.

Bio: Bentley McBentleson is a digital marketer and grows his own beard. You can follow him @mcbentleson

*Presentation #2

“On Brand: Building the Visual Identity of Louisville’s New Breed”
by Brandon Bass

Description: Mid-sized American cities are growing at an alarming rate thanks to trends in technology, job markets, and the ever-evolving Millennial mindset. With that quick expansion, disparate places are experiencing a “Pinterest Effect” in which design ideas are rampantly shared and stolen– but what does that mean for Louisville and surrounding metro areas?

Bio: Brandon Bass operates a boutique design shop called Automatic Anything (automaticanything.com) and creates fine art as BBASS (bbassart.com). Instagram with him: @thebbass.

*Presentation #3

“Top 20 Mistakes People Make When Starting A Business”
by Zack Pennington

Description: Starting a new business can be a really rewarding experience. It can also be super difficult. Learn some of the most common mistakes people make when they start their new business from someone who has made them all (and more!). Gain inspiration and get past roadblocks by learning what NOT TO do (and subsequently, perhaps what TO do) to make your business move forward and achieve your goals. Maybe you’ll laugh, maybe I’ll cry, maybe both!

Bio: Zack Pennington is a serial entrepreneur, creative, and community builder. He can be found online or anywhere in Louisville that serves good food and bourbon.