🌐 WHERE CURIOSITY MEETS COMMUNITY

Joins us for a night designed to lift your spirits, spark your curiosity, and recharge your mindset. October's theme — Transformation & Transcendence — will feature three dynamic speakers who will help you rethink what identity, building beyond self, and personal transformation can look like in 2026.

This isn’t a lecture. It’s an experience.
Expect educational talks, engaging discussion, community connection, and an atmosphere full of energy, inspiration, and possibility.

SPEAKER SPOTLIGHTS

Stephen McConnell

Talk Title: Gift or Payment? Practicing Aligned Giving

Talk Description:

Think about the last time you said yes and your stomach dropped. That drop is a message, and most of us have learned to ignore it.

Drawing on two decades in manufacturing leadership and the framework from my book, The Seven Laws of Personal Mastery, Stephen shares how the “automatic yes” quietly turns giving into payment. We give to earn approval, avoid conflict, or feel safe, and the people we most want to support end up with less of us. Gratitude and giving are one system. Giving is a skill, gratitude is how you train it, and every yes is either a gift or a payment.

You’ll move from building resentment to practicing gratitude, one chosen yes at a time.

Speaker Bio:

Stephen McConnell is the founder of the Growth Myndset Initiative (GMI), a coaching and consulting practice dedicated to turning mindset into mastery for leaders and organizations. With more than 30 years of experience—primarily in manufacturing—Stephen has built and led systems that improve performance, efficiency, and resilience from the shop floor to senior leadership.

Once a self-described extreme introvert, Stephen transformed his life through education, inspiration, and intentional personal growth. Those lived lessons fuel his belief that lasting progress begins with self-empowerment, strong belief systems, and a growth mindset.

Certified in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), he helps clients reframe limiting narratives, communicate more clearly, and lead with purpose. Stephen blends the insight of a coach, the rigor of a consultant, and the practicality of a business strategist to move people and organizations from challenge to clarity, and from potential to performance.

At the heart of his work is a simple conviction: sustainable progress—whether in business or life—comes from intentional practice, curiosity, and the courage to ask why.

Dr. Leslie Allen

Talk Title: You are the Room

Talk Description:

What if happiness wasn’t something you had to chase, but something you could create, right where you stand? In this powerful and uplifting talk, Dr. Leslie Allen, a Senior Director, veteran, and motivational author of "You Are the Room: Own Your Voice. Shape the Space. Leave a Legacy", invites audiences to step into a deeper understanding of their worth, influence, and ability to renew the atmosphere around them.

Drawing from real life leadership experiences, biblical wisdom, and the transformative metaphor of “the room,” Dr. Allen shares how we often spend our lives trying to get into the right spaces, only to realize that true happiness begins when we recognize that we are the space that carries light, peace, and purpose wherever we go.

Through powerful storytelling and practical takeaways, Dr. Allen helps audiences move from self-doubt to self-definition, from exhaustion to renewal, and from external validation to internal joy.

This message connects deeply with Gratitude and Giving by showing that when you understand You Are the Room, you stop waiting for joy to enter—you become the source of it. Gratitude becomes the foundation that fuels generosity, leadership, and renewal in every part of life.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Leslie Allen is a proud veteran, wife, and mother of three, with a heart for people and a passion for purpose. Her journey has taken her from serving in the military, to the fascinating world of loss prevention, to earning her doctorate, and today, she use every part of those experiences to inspire, empower, and lead.

She is an author, a motivational speaker, a certified Working Genius facilitator, and a woman of deep faith who believes in the power of resilience, growth, and authenticity. Whether she's speaking to a room of executives, training teams to discover their genius, or encouraging individuals to overcome life’s setbacks, she brings real-world insight, energy, and compassion to every encounter.

Dr. Allen believes greatness lives in all of us, and that everyone is a leader. Sometimes one message, one word, one moment can unlock full potential.

Adriana Generallo

Talk Title: Building a Generous Mindset

Talk Description:

A generous mindset has the power to transform our lives. But how do we bridge the gap between where we are at any given moment and this idealistic aspiration? In this talk you’ll learn practical ways to apply a generous perspective that builds toward an enduring mindset. We’ll also cover common traps along the path and how to catch yourself and extend generosity to yourself as you practice.

Speaker Bio:

Adriana Generallo is a glass-half-full, lifelong learner who believes that perspective is everything. She is President of Big Sea, a digital marketing agency serving non-profit and purpose-driven organizations. After 14 years with Big Sea and having joined as a designer, she’s learned that leadership transcends any title. Forging an unexpected path led to challenges she didn’t always feel “ready” to meet. One of her fundamental life lessons has been to accept life’s invitations, especially when they come before our own fear has stepped out of the way.

🎟️ WHAT TO EXPECT

A welcoming, high-energy environment
2 short-form talks + 1 keynote
Live Q&A with all speakers
A closing panel discussion
And a community of curious, growth-oriented people who love learning

Doors open at 6:30 PM so you can grab concessions, mingle, and settle in. Talks run from 7–9 PM. To get a sense of the energy and vibe of our event, check out the below videos:

VENUE DIRECTIONS

The Dance Factory is a stylish venue nestled into Westshore Plaza - Tampa's longest-running mall. There is free, ground floor / covered parking below the AMC Theater location. Enter at ground level.

Here is a video and a visual to help you navigate to the best parking spot for Lifelong Learners!

Contact the host of Giving & Gratitude! A Lifelong Learners of Tampa Bay Event – November 2026

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