In a push-and-pull with an investor over your valuation? Is a customer hardballing you for a discount? Stuck in a salary stalemate? What about when the waiter at the restaurant says there's a limited-time 2-for-1 special?

Whether we're aware of it or not, we're always negotiating.

But why does negotiation feel so...icky?

It's not just about getting what we want — it’s about building trust at the goal line.

Join us for a fireside chat with Todd Caponi, award-winning author of The Transparency Sale and The Transparent Sales Leader, as he shares a new framework for negotiating in today’s world — one built on transparency, behavioral science, and real-world data.

Todd is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers in the country. He's helped multiple companies scale from zero to successful exits and IPOs, and his upcoming book Four Levers Negotiating (releasing January 2026) distills decades of sales leadership and decision science into a repeatable, trust-first approach to negotiation.

Expect a high-energy session that will help you:

• Rethink outdated negotiation tactics that erode trust

• Learn how transparency can actually increase deal value

• Apply the “Four Levers” to close more confidently and forecast more accurately

• Negotiate effectively when you’re fundraising, hiring, or selling

Don't worry, we won't reenact any hostage negotiation scenarios.

Come for the learning, stay for the connections — food, drinks, and conversation with your favorite Chicago startup community. Our last event of 2025!

Hosted at the beautiful Wells Fargo Chicago Headquarters in the Loop!