Executive Coaching New York

Making Better Bets: A Field Guide to Product Strategy with Andrew Skotzko

“Be more strategic” is advice every product leader has heard. But knowing what to actually DO? That's the hard part. Join us for an early look at *[The Strategy Cycle](https://thestrategycycle.com/)*, the new book from product leadership coach [Andrew Skotzko](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewskotzko), which is a practical guide to turning a messy set of research, goals, stakeholder opinions, and competitive pressure into a real product strategy. Andrew frames strategy as a theory of winning, expressed through a cycle of bets. Plans, roadmaps, and goal lists all have their place, but a real strategy gives them direction and makes planning season suck a lot less. Mind the Product founder Martin Eriksson says the book shows you what to do on Monday morning—and “what to do in week 7 when the strategy is quietly falling apart.” Andrew will walk through the two halves of the cycle: **Craft the strategy.** Start with a two-page strategy sketch, distill what’s really going on in your market, name the challenge that matters most, and define why customers will choose you and keep choosing you. Then turn that into a portfolio of bets with a clear line between what’s in and what’s out. **Live the strategy.** Crafting the strategy is only about 40% of the work. The rest is deploying it, keeping it alive when shiny new things start arriving in week two, and evolving it as you learn. You’ll walk away with: * A practical way to frame strategic choices as bets * A starting template for your own strategy sketch * Tactics for keeping strategy alive after planning season ends This session is built for anyone responsible for setting direction in a fast-moving environment. Bring your hardest strategy questions. **Sponsored by:** * **[Askable:](https://www.askable.com/)** the UX research platform that grounds fast product decisions in real human evidence * **[Pendo:](https://www.pendo.io/)** Product Context for your Apps and AI Agents

CFO AI Leverage Report: AI Budgets, ROI and Finance Sign-Off

Enterprise AI is moving from experimentation into the finance office. Open Future Forum has released the **CFO AI Leverage Report, Edition 1**, introducing the **Enterprise AI Buying & Budget Index** and the **CFO AI Leverage Index**. The report examines how CFOs and senior finance leaders are evaluating AI budgets, buying authority, ROI, productivity, governance and the question now sitting at the center of enterprise AI adoption: **Can AI help companies grow output without growing headcount at the same rate?** Read the report here: [https://openfutureforum.com/research/cfo-ai-leverage-report](https://openfutureforum.com/research/cfo-ai-leverage-report) This private executive discussion will focus on what the report means for CFOs, founders, finance leaders, AI operators, investors and enterprise executives. We will look at how AI buying is shifting, who signs off on AI purchases, what finance teams are measuring, and why AI ROI is becoming a CFO-level issue rather than only a technology issue. According to the report, enterprise generative AI spending reached approximately **$37 billion in 2025**, more than tripling from the prior year. At the same time, the share of AI spend funded from experimental innovation budgets fell from **25% to 7%** in one year, showing that AI is moving into core operating budgets. The report also draws on Open Future Forum’s 2026 executive community activity, including **200+ executive registrations across 20+ events**, with **60+ finance leaders and operators**, **50+ security leaders**, and **100+ founders**. In an early directional read, **3 in 5 finance leaders asked said the CFO or finance organization signs off on AI purchases**, rather than the CEO or IT. This discussion is connected to the **CFO Executive Forum**, Open Future Forum’s invitation-only community for CFOs and senior finance leaders of high-growth companies. The CFO Executive Forum hosts small, off-the-record gatherings across Silicon Valley focused on AI, capital allocation, governance, growth, risk, productivity and the changing role of the finance function. Learn more about the CFO Executive Forum here: [https://openfutureforum.com/cfo-executive-forum](https://openfutureforum.com/cfo-executive-forum) **What we will discuss** How CFOs are evaluating enterprise AI spend Why AI budgets are moving from innovation budgets into operating budgets Who signs off on enterprise AI purchases How finance leaders are measuring AI ROI Whether AI can create real headcount leverage Where AI improves productivity, margin and capital efficiency Why founders selling AI tools need to understand the finance buyer How boards and investors are starting to ask harder questions about AI value **Who should attend** This event is designed for CFOs, VPs of Finance, controllers, finance operators, CEOs, founders, investors, enterprise AI leaders and executives responsible for AI budgets, AI transformation, productivity, governance or capital allocation. **Why this matters** The first phase of enterprise AI was about adoption. The next phase is about leverage. Executives are no longer asking only whether AI works. They are asking whether AI creates measurable business value, improves productivity, reduces operating drag, supports growth and helps teams do more without simply adding more tools, more vendors and more headcount. That is a finance question. The CFO AI Leverage Report and Enterprise AI Buying & Budget Index are designed to track that shift over time. **Key links** CFO AI Leverage Report: [https://openfutureforum.com/research/cfo-ai-leverage-report](https://openfutureforum.com/research/cfo-ai-leverage-report) CFO Executive Forum: [https://openfutureforum.com/cfo-executive-forum](https://openfutureforum.com/cfo-executive-forum) Open Future Forum: [https://openfutureforum.com](https://openfutureforum.com/)

Building AI Capability: Internal vs. FDEs: opportunity for people analytics?

SecureWorld New York City

Join your regional cybersecurity community at SecureWorld—where real conversations, practical training, and trusted relationships come together. Experience 15+ high-impact sessions developed with a local CISO advisory council and delivered by respected regional leaders. From emerging threats to proven strategies, every session is designed to help you strengthen your skills and expand your perspective. ✔ Earn 6–12 CPE credits ✔ Engage with industry-leading keynotes, interactive panels, and expert-led breakouts ✔ Discover innovative solutions from top cybersecurity vendors ✔ Network with peers who understand your challenges and share your commitment to securing what matters SecureWorld delivers the right balance of content, connection, and community—all at an accessible price that supports every stage of your career. https://events.secureworld.io/details/new-york-ny-2026/

Improve Your Public Speaking Skills — Columbia University Toastmasters

BLINDFOLD WORKSHOP w/ THE BATE COACH (14th St ***3R***)

PRACTICE PUBLIC SPEAKING - Hybrid Meeting

**🎤**🌟 **Speak Up, Stand Out: Conquer Your Fear with Us!** 💪**🎤** Are you ready to kick those public speaking jitters to the curb? Join us at Graybar Toastmasters for an interactive meeting designed to improve your public speaking and leadership skills. We offer a safe and supportive space to: ✨ Boost your confidence ✨ Improve your communication skills ✨ Manage social anxiety ✨ Deliver impactful presentations with ease ✨ Ace your next interview With help from our members, you'll unlock your full potential and become a skilled and confident communicator. It's also a great way to practice your English and network with a dynamic and diverse group of professionals. The Graybar Toastmasters family is here to support you every step of the way on your journey to become a confident public speaker, and the leader you were meant to be. See you there!

5 Week Course: The Work on Inadequacy (Timing Option A) Price - Sliding Scale

Between Chapters Meetup

This event is 90 minutes of recurring focused time with a small group (4-8 people) to discuss where they are in life and what to do next. **This group is primarily intended for people who already have several years of meaningful professional, entrepreneurial, creative, or institutional experience behind them.** You don’t need to know what comes next—that’s the point—but you should have experience and perspective that you can contribute to other people who are figuring it out too. **This will probably be a good fit if you:** * Have meaningful professional, entrepreneurial, creative, or institutional experience behind you. * Are currently at some kind of inflection point or actively reconsidering what you want to commit to next. * Want to do something substantial or useful with your next chapter, even if you don't yet know what form it will take. * Are introspective about what matters to you rather than optimizing solely for money, status, or prestige. * Have experience, perspective, skills, or connections you can contribute to other people in the room. * Enjoy seriously engaging with other people's ideas, not just talking about your own. **This probably isn't the right fit if you're primarily looking for:** * Mentorship from more experienced people * Generic career advice, job-hunting or résumé help * Investor/customer networking * Get-rich-quick schemes If you feel like you're in a life position where this is something you're looking for, please request to join this event: https://luma.com/n3abhxbn I added some initial questions to gauge interest and fit, and will be selectively approving people until we reach the maximum (8-12).

Master the Art of Public Speaking & Leadership while having fun!

Bergen Toastmasters has been active for more than 25 years. With over 25 members, there is a solid base of experienced speakers and new members joining each month. You can also network with fellow communicators and leaders at regional Toastmasters conferences and training events. Stop by and join one of our meetings, We'd love to meet you and have you as a guest! Please give us your email in the comments so we can contact you. Thank you.

Team "So What" weekly meeting Essex, Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, Morris Counties

• What we'll do We are a team of men who support one another and help each other grow concerning our "Way of being" in what occurs in our day to day lives. The most important relationship a man will have in his life is the relationship he has with himself. How he shows up in the world stems from that relationship. I experience great joy watching men grow and come to terms with who they are. This is not about figuring out who we are. It's about creating a vision of the best we can be and making that happen. Captain Roloff We are a part of an international men’s organization consisting of over 850 throughout North America and is open to any adult man who seeks to live a purposeful, passionate life and seeks to achieve new levels of personal success. Get an inside view here: http://www.legacymag.org/ Within North America, there are hundreds of men’s teams that consist of anywhere from 5 to 25 men per team. Teams usually meet weekly at men’s homes, places of business or public areas. Teams strive to provide an environment where men get to step out of their daily routine and get another perspective, unload any emotional or mental burdens, commit to success as they define it, and have fun in the process. • What to bring Bring your "A" game • Important to know Contact: Captain John Roloff 856-419-3372 johnr207@gmail.com

*In Person* Practice and improve your public speaking skills!

Note different room - 503 (Fifth Floor) New location! Meeting at Berkeley College, 3 E. 43 St. in room 503. We are moving the start up up a bit to avoid running up against the building close time (21:00) and potentially allow for more socializing. We are one of few Toastmasters clubs in NYC offering in-person meetings and we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity for in-person communication and networking. Interested in improving your public speaking skills? Want to meet new people and engage in interesting discussions? Hoping to make new business and life connections? If so we welcome you to attend the next Greenspeakers meeting. Greenspeakers is a Toastmasters club that was founded by Green Party members to provide a forum for engaged progressive activists and professionals to improve their public speaking skills. Guests of all political persuasions are welcome and we have no official connection to any political party. All attendees will have a chance to practice public speaking and will learn helpful tricks to become a more confident public speaker and communicator. Hope to see you there! Please note that our meetings require active listening and it's expected all in attendance will be respectful to each speaker by giving them your attention and refrain from making noise during speaking roles. Any who are disruptive or do not follow the behavioral guidelines of Toastmasters may be asked not to return.