When giving gives you goosebumps

Written by Katharina Krentz

#FrauenStärken powered by WOL: €5,049 donation for the Hacker School

1. An evening that was bigger than ourselves

April 16, 2025, Hafencity Hamburg. Behind the glass facades of NEW WORK SE, the Elbe River glitters, and inside, a space buzzes with energy. #FrauenStärken powered by Working Out Loud is celebrating its conclusion – and I stand with goosebumps among 150 women, beaming and embracing as if they've known each other their whole lives. It's here that you feel: There are many of us. And we're making a difference.

2. When giving becomes contagious

Generosity is contagious. Through the #FSWOL program and many, many supporters, a total of €5,049 for Dr. Julia Freudenberg's Hacker School – she inspires young people, especially girls, to embrace tech.

  • 4.100 € – 10% of our program revenues

  • 727 € – through book sales on the event evening ( Working Out Loud® & Herzauge)

  • 222 € – from the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshop in the program (deliberate 22% figure because only 22% of IT students are female)

    + 15 donated books from our #FSWOL role models as a gift for courageous community posts from our participants.

Every number tells a story of generosity – and I could talk for hours about the joy of signed books or the many shining eyes I witnessed that evening as I exchanged ideas with others. We can't thank you enough!

Dr. Julia Freudenberg from the Hacker School is pleased about our donation.

3. Why #FrauenStärken trains social fitness

For nine weeks, online and in the hybrid final, a resonance space was created in which participants felt safe enough to grow:

  • More visibility & self-efficacy

    They showed what they could do, found their voice – and were heard.

  • Real networking in the Circle groups

    Casual acquaintances became reliable sparring partners who constantly support each other.

  • Courage to take new paths

    Whether it was a job change, a side project, or a leadership role – many took the famous first step after the program.

In short: people grew because they helped each other grow – that is exactly what we mean when we talk about social fitness in action.

4. How Working Out Loud® becomes compatible today

Thanks to AI-powered circle matching, flexible pricing models, and moderated communities, companies can now launch WOL® without any bureaucratic hurdles – whether at headquarters, on the shop floor, or remotely. Find more information about our WOL® programs here.

The Connecting Humans team with Katha, Jens and Sophie with role models and participants from the 5th round of #FSWOL at the closing event at New Work SE in Hamburg.

5. What remains? Goosebumps & impact

From success stories to generous networks – what we get back is priceless. Because we believe that if you earn nothing but money, you only earn money. But we invest in connections – and that pays off, even in those goosebump-inducing moments.

6. Want more #FrauenStärken or WOL®?

Katharina Krentz

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