At Happy Spaces, we believe that life thrives locally. Our mission is to bring people together in connected business communities, where genuine relationships and collaborations flourish.

So, it makes plenty of sense that we'll have keynote speaker Steph Clarke to join us to talk about the future of friendship.

Talk Outline

We’re not talking about friendship enough. It’s one of the biggest factors in our wellbeing, yet we’re stuck in a vortex of wanting more deep connections with our friends while doing less with them. And this pursuit of a friction-less life of convenience is pushing us further into the cold arms of sycophantic robot friends.

This funny, scary, and provocative talk and conversation will paint a picture of what’s possible (you might not like all of it), and ask some big questions about the role we all play in designing what’s next in how we live, work, and connect with the people around us.

There will be time for discussion after the talk.

About Steph

Steph is a futurist, facilitator and friendship enthusiast.

Steph helps leaders ‘see around corners’. She brings a unique blend of skills and experiences including futures thinking/strategic foresight, human centred design, innovation, and facilitation to help leaders and teams challenge the status quo in their organisation and lead through uncertainty.

She’s often called in to facilitate leadership offsites and development programs, develop future scenarios that enrich the strategy planning process, and generally help leadership teams think differently about the future. Steph trained as an auditor, has worked in Big 4, run L&D teams, writes regularly for a variety of outlets, and is always thinking about what’s next.

Afternoon Catchup

Following Steph's talk and group discussion, we'll transition to a casual catchup. It's a chance to unwind, connect and reflect with some drinks and snacks.

Agenda

Arrivals / 3:30pm

Talk Commences / 4:00pm (doors closed, no late access)

Afternoon Connection / 5:00pm

Close / 6:30pm

This event is part of the 2025 Geelong Small Business Festival, proudly delivered by the City of Greater Geelong in partnership with the Geelong Chamber of Commerce.