May 2025 Edition: Guilty Pleasures — Own It, Brand It, Flaunt It

🎤 Theme: Guilty Pleasures — Own It, Brand It, Flaunt It

Let’s be real: the idea of "guilty pleasures" has been weaponized, especially against women and marginalized groups, to shame joy, creativity, and the stuff that makes us actually fun humans.

This month, we’re flipping the script.
At Hustle Hard. Slide Faster. on Tuesday, May 27, we’re celebrating the shows you binge, the hobbies you hide, the playlists you blast when no one’s looking—and we’re showing how those so-called "guilty pleasures" are actually your brand’s secret sauce.

Whether it’s your obsession with YA fantasy novels, your deep love for Bravo reality TV, or your addiction to obscure snack brands... those little joys make you unforgettable. And that is why people will want to work with you.

🔥 Want the mic?
Applications to speak are OPEN and due by Friday, May 23.
Apply here ➔

🎤 How it works:

• 20 slides. 20 seconds each.
• No text slides—just images and your voice.
• Fast, punchy, real.

(And no, you don’t have to speak to attend—come vibe, snack, and make real connections even if you just want to soak it in!)

🤝 It’s networking without the cringe.
No stiff sales pitches. No business card “spray and pray.”
Just real talk, real connection, and a hell of a lot of laughter.

We follow the Pecha Kucha model:
20 slides. 20 seconds each.
Which means you get real stories, real fast—no dragging, no awkward rambles, no soul-crushing boredom.

Our mission:
✔ Have fun. (Business doesn't have to be boring.)
✔ Loosen up. (Real connection needs real humans.)
✔ Activate your humanity in business. (Because robots don’t build communities.)

🌎 Radical Inclusion FTW:
We welcome all gender identities and prioritize marginalized voices.
We don’t operate in bubbles—we break them.

🍷 Oh yeah—and it’s FREE. Plus, snacks.
Because humans who snack together, stay together.

📆 Tuesday, May 27, 2025
🕔 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Graybox | 107 SE Washington St #700, Portland, OR 97214

🚪 Getting Inside:

• We recommend arriving before 6:00 PM, as the building doors lock after that.
• If you arrive between 6:00–6:15 PM, no worries—we'll have someone stationed at the Stark Street entrance to let you in!
• Pro tip: No matter which street-level door you enter, walk straight through the building to the Stark Street elevator.
• Take the elevator up to the 7th floor—you'll find us (and the good vibes) there.

🗓️ Run of Show:

• 5:30 PM: Grab snacks, meet other awesome humans, and don't miss a selfie moment from the gorgeous rooftop patios at Graybox! 📸
• 6:00 PM: Speakers take the mic—20 slides, 20 seconds each, real talk only. 🎤
• 7:00 PM: We wrap up the talks but stick around for more conversation, connection, and good energy.
• 7:30 PM: Event officially ends—but your new connections are just getting started. 🚀

🎤 WANT THE MIC? Apply by Friday, May 23! ➔
🍷 Want to just come hang out and meet awesome people? Grab your free spot below!