August 26th Meetup with Matt Butler (Bonsai) [Nerds Like Me]
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August 26th Meetup with Matt Butler (Bonsai)

Aug
26
Tuesday
Tuesday, August 26th, 2025 • 7:15PM (CDT)
Address Info
Available on RSVP acceptance

Event Ended

This event has already taken place.

Attendees 52+ registered
Connect with attendees, including a Microsoft Kaggle Master and VPs from AWS and CGI, expert in AI/ML, MLOps, LLMs, and patented data systems.

Nerds Like Me – August Meetup

Welcome to our next gathering of AI, data, and product enthusiasts. Expect lively conversation, hands-on demos, and plenty of opportunities to grow your network.

(Photo) The image captures an indoor event or gathering where a speaker addresses a group of people seated at tables and on couches in a casual, industrial-style setting, likely a brewery or bar. The space features exposed ductwork, string lights, wooden paneling, and a large black wall with a neon 'B' sign. Text: B [unreadable list of items on black wall] [unreadable sign on wooden wall] [unreadable text on name tags] Social gathering, business event, group of people, speaker | Indoor, event space, brewery/bar | Speaker addressing an audience, multiple attendees, industrial decor, bar counter, neon sign, exposed ceiling elements | Candid, event photography | Colors: #2F2F2F, #8B4513, #00FFFF, #FFD700, #ADD8E6 Note: This image is a realistic capture of a real-world scene, depicting an event with people and a specific environment, which is characteristic of a photograph.

Event Details

(Banner) The image is a digital banner announcing an event titled 'NERDS LIKE ME'. It provides details about the date, time, and location, along with information about two speakers. Text: NERDS LIKE ME TUESDAY AUGUST 26 7:15 PM HIGHWOOD, IL RSVP TO FIND OUT LOCATION MIKE HYZY VP of Strategy & Innovation Consulting CGI MATT BUTLER CEO & Co-Founder BONSAI modern, digital, bold typography. | Colors: #3B0080, #800080, #FF0080, #FF8000, #0080FF, #00FFFF Note: This image is designed to convey specific event information using prominent text and a visually engaging background, consistent with the purpose and characteristics of a banner or event advertisement.

  • Date: Tuesday, August 26
  • Time: 7:15 PM to 9:15 PM
  • Location: Highwood, IL (exact venue shared after you RSVP)

We’re returning to a tried-and-true spot that lets everyone bring in food, so come hungry for both dinner and discussion.

Sponsorship: Bonsai

Bonsai will be buying the first round for the group! A single round of drinks goes a long way toward fueling conversation. Come have a drink and help fuel that conversation. Check out their website to learn more about them: https://www.bonsaidata.io/

(Logo) The image displays a logo featuring a stylized tree with green foliage and a dark grey trunk. The trunk and part of the foliage are overlaid with green binary code, and the word 'BONSAI' is written below the tree, with its 'O' integrated into the tree's base. Text: BONSAI Colors: #8BC34A, #545454, #70B438, #FFFFFF Note: This image is clearly a brand mark, combining a distinctive graphic element (the stylized tree with binary code) with a brand name ('BONSAI'). Its purpose is to identify a company or product, which is the definition of a logo.

Featured Speaker

Matt Butler

Bio:
12-year Googler, Matt helped found Google’s analytical consulting team, where he developed most of the predictive investment analytics methodologies used by Google today. In 2024, he launched Bonsai’s all-in-one platform that automates profitable growth, serving dozens of brands. He lives with his wife & two young kids just west of Chicago in Wheaton, IL.

Discussion:
Matt will share some of the lessons learned on the power – and pitfalls – of AI-driven growth from one of the oldest adopters of ML and AI – digital advertising. You’ll see why it was such a powerful force for good, why it’s under fire in 2025, and what lessons marketers – and maybe anyone – can take. Time permitting, we can do some fun demos of how Bonsai’s platform solves digital advertising’s biggest issues.

(Photo) A group of people are gathered in a casual, rustic-industrial indoor space, likely a brewery or bar, attending a presentation. A man stands at a counter, gesturing towards a screen displaying a presentation, while others are seated in chairs and benches, watching. Text: proof % works? +16% +90% VIP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 B People attending a presentation or event | Indoor, a bar or event space with wooden paneling, exposed ductwork, and string lights. | Multiple people, a presenter, a screen displaying data, a neon 'B' sign, barrels, and a bar counter. | Candid, event photography | Colors: #8B4513, #36454F, #FFD700, #0000FF, #A0522D Note: This image captures a real-world scene with multiple people and an environment using photographic techniques, rather than being an illustration, logo, banner, or handwriting.

What You Can Do Now

  1. RSVP – reserve your seat.
  2. Subscribe for updates: https://nerdslikeme.dream.page
  3. Complete your profile – we’ll use it in an upcoming session to spark deeper conversation.
  4. Whitelist us – add [email protected] to your contacts so you never miss an invite.

See you soon, both familiar faces and first-timers alike.

Jonathan Shertok
Organizer, Nerds Like Me

(Logo) The image displays a logo featuring the text 'Nerds Like Me' in white, 3D-effect lettering, accompanied by a stylized graphic on the left resembling circuit board traces or a brain pattern. The overall design is set against a solid black background. Text: Nerds Like Me Colors: #FFFFFF, #C0C0C0, #000000 Note: This image is classified as a logo because it combines a distinct textual phrase with a unique graphic element, designed to represent a brand or identity. Its primary purpose appears to be brand recognition.

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