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 facade of NEW WORK SE, the Elbe River glitters; inside, a room buzzes with energy. #FrauenStärken powered by Working Out Loud is celebrating its conclusion – and I stand with goosebumps among 150 women, embracing each other with beaming smiles, as if they've known each other their whole lives. Right here, you can feel it: We are many. And we are making a difference.

2. When giving becomes contagious

Generosity is contagious. Thanks to 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 get involved in technology.

  • 4.100 € – 10% of our program revenues

  • €727 – via book sales on the evening of the event ( Working Out Loud® & Heart Eye)

  • 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 tell you for hours about the joy people felt over signed books or how many bright eyes I saw that evening while interacting with others. We can't say thank you enough!

Dr. Julia Freudenberg from the Hacker School is delighted with our donation.

3. Why #FrauenStärken trains social fitness

For nine weeks, online and in the hybrid finale, a space for resonance 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.

  • Genuine networking in the Circle groups

    Chance encounters turned into reliable sparring partners who provide each other with ongoing support.

  • Courage to break new ground

    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's exactly what we mean when we talk about lived social fitness.

4. This is how Working Out Loud® becomes compatible today

Thanks to AI-powered circle matching, flexible pricing models, and moderated communities, companies can now get started with WOL® without bureaucratic hurdles – whether at headquarters, on the shop floor, or remotely. Find out more 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 New Work SE in Hamburg at the closing event.

5. What remains? Goosebumps & impact

From success stories to generous networks – what we receive in return is priceless. Because, as we believe, those who earn nothing but money only earn money. But we invest in connections – and that pays off, even in goosebump moments like these.

6. Interested in more #FrauenStärken or WOL®?

Katharina Krentz

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