Learn
A short, beginner-to-intermediate talk each month on a topic that is useful to most people in the room.
Why we meet
“Use AI.” But what does that actually mean?
“Use AI” may be one of the most common pieces of business advice in 2026. The Rockford AI Meetup is a practical, peer-led gathering for local professionals who use, or want to use, AI to work more efficiently and better serve their teams and customers.
How do you implement it? What is useful, what is noise, and how are other professionals using it?
Those are the questions we work through together, once a month, over a table at Lino's.
Rockford's AI Brain Trust
Learn. Brainstorm. Grow with AI.
The goal is to build a local brain trust where we share what is working, learn from each other, and think differently about how AI can improve our work.
No courseNo sales pitchNo upsell
Brainstorm
An open roundtable where you bring a real problem from your work and leave with ideas from people who have tried things.
Grow
Come back each month, build on what you learned last time, and help the next person get started.
You don't have to be an expert. You just have to be curious.
The format
One hour. One open roundtable.
We kept what worked from the first meetup and tightened the rest. A focused presentation to start, then an open roundtable discussion.
- WelcomeGrab a seat and say hello.
- PresentationOne beginner-to-intermediate topic for the whole room.
- Roundtable discussionAn open conversation. Share what's working, ask questions, and help each other.
- Optional happy hourKeep the conversation going and support Lino's.
Upcoming meetups
Save the dates
No registration needed. Join the email list or the LinkedIn group to get reminders and share the event with a friend or coworker.
From past meetups
Around the table
Photo: the room during the presentation
Photo: roundtable discussion
Photo: happy hour at Lino's
Photo: group shot
Stay in the loop
Join the community
Get meetup reminders by email
One email before each meetup with the date and the topic.
Join the LinkedIn group
Keep the conversation going between meetups. Share what's working, ask questions, post tools you've found, and suggest future topics and speakers.
Join on LinkedInInvite someone (please)
Bring anyone who wants AI to make life easier
For their own work, their team, their customers, or some combination of all three.
A friendCoworkerBankerAccountantInsurance agentCustomerVendorNeighborAuntUncleSiblingCousinParentHairstylistAnyone curious
We're all here to get better and help others get better.
Where
Lino's at the Mercato
Mercato by Lino's8400 E Riverside BlvdLoves Park, IL 61111
- Optional happy hour after, at Lino's
Map or venue photo
Your co-hosts
Why we started this
Everyone is being told to "use AI," and almost nobody is being shown how. We wanted a room in Rockford where people could compare notes honestly: what worked, what didn't, and what's worth trying next. No pitch, no course. Just neighbors helping each other get better.
Draft: rewrite in your own wordsPhoto: Carolyn Mitchell
Carolyn Mitchell
Co-host · Business coach & EOS Implementer
Carolyn Mitchell is a business coach, teacher, and facilitator who helps entrepreneurial leadership teams build stronger, more successful businesses.
Through her work implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), she helps business owners gain clarity, drive growth, and find greater joy in their work and lives.
She's passionate about helping people turn ideas into action, strengthen their teams, and achieve meaningful results.
As a co-host of the Rockford AI Meetup, she brings a focus on leadership, collaboration, and exploring how emerging technology can help people and businesses thrive.
Photo: Sam
Sam Kirker
Co-host · SJK Enterprises LLC
Sam Kirker is an entrepreneur and business operator focused on eCommerce, technology, and practical applications of AI.
At SJK, he helps brands navigate and grow across major online marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart.
He's passionate about building systems, connecting people, and finding ways to turn emerging technology into real-world solutions.
Through the Rockford AI Meetup, he hopes to bring together curious minds, business leaders, and builders to learn from one another and explore what's possible.