Fuckup Nights Toronto: Valentine's Edition
WTF is Fuckup Nights?
Failure is a part of any success story, but we don't talk about it enough. We've all been to plenty of events where people tell you how they hacked, hustled, and created their success, but very few where someone gets up and says "I totally messed up, and this is what you can learn from it."
Fuckup Nights Toronto is part of a global speaker series where stories of failed businesses and projects are shared. Each speaker is given 10 minutes and is able to use 10 images. After each speaker, there’s a Q&A session, as well as time for mingling and drinks!
For our February event, we're doing something special: our speakers aren't just sharing their professional Fuckups. They're also bringing their most cringe-worthy, heartbreaking, or hilariously disastrous relationship failures to the stage.
🎤 Three speakers. Six stories. Zero filters.
Join us for our Valentine's Edition: the most honest, vulnerable, and weirdly inspiring night of the year as our speakers share their professional AND relationship Fuckups, plus the lessons they dragged themselves out of the wreckage with.
Agenda:
6:30 - 7:15 pm: Registration, meeting fellow community members
7:15 - 8:45pm: Fuckup presentations + Q&A
8:45 - 11:00pm: DJ and more mingling with fellow community members!
Meet the Speakers:
Arlene Stein: Founder, Terroir Hospitality International & Terroir Symposium Canada
Arlene Stein is a food systems strategist and creative leader with over a decade of experience managing restaurants and shaping innovative programs in the culinary and sustainability space.
As Founder of Terroir Hospitality, she has built an international platform focused on food system innovation, culinary tourism, and community development.
Since launching the Terroir Symposium in Toronto, Arlene has curated one of North America’s most respected gatherings for chefs, producers, designers, and food leaders—driving conversations around ethical food systems, regenerative practices, and climate-conscious hospitality.
Her work spans cities including New York, Berlin, Warsaw, Charleston, Tuscany, and Beijing, where she has produced programming that bridges culinary creativity with social and environmental impact.
Arlene is also the creator and host of Schnitzel and Stories, a podcast exploring food and identity through personal narratives. In Berlin, she organizes the Berlin Sommer Weinfest, an annual celebration supporting small-scale natural wine producers and regenerative agriculture.
James Rutledge: Head of Growth at Loop
James is a go-to-market operator with 10+ years of experience growing VC-backed startups through brand, product, and growth marketing. He's led marketing organizations through two acquisitions, launched over 10 products across hardware, software, and services, and rebranded a business that was later acquired for over $1B CAD. He's built AI-powered go-to-market systems, scaled consumer marketplaces from zero to 100K+ users, and led strategic pivots that reshaped company trajectories.
Nicole Servinis: Host, Producer, Reporter
Nicole Servinis has spent over a decade captivating audiences across Canada as a dynamic television host, producer, and storyteller; specializing in lifestyle and entertainment news.
She currently hosts Things To Know in T.O., a weekly series airing on CP24, CTV and CTV2 that spotlights the city’s must-see events, experiences, and stories. Behind the camera, Nicole produces and directs lifestyle and branded content for Corus Entertainment’s specialty networks, including Home Network and Flavour Network, where she seamlessly blends editorial storytelling with brand partnership.
On screen, she’s also a familiar face to W Network viewers as the host of Movie Date, where she guides audiences through the best in film and television with wit and relatability.
Expanding into the world of digital media, Nicole is the creator and host of Miss Matched, a podcast exploring modern love in all its forms. Featuring candid conversations, expert insights, and Nicole’s signature best-friend vibe, the show is available on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts.
With a career rooted in curiosity and connection, Nicole continues to shine as a trusted voice in Canadian media — celebrating stories that entertain, inspire, and bring people together.
Thank You to our Sponsor:
Loop is a financial technology company built for Canadian businesses that want to grow without borders. Designed for Canadian companies that need the same financial tools as the largest global enterprises, Loop provides access to world-class FX rates, real multi-currency accounts, and corporate credit solutions – all within one integrated platform.
With Loop, you can get:
CDIC-insured global bank accounts: CAD, USD, EUR, GBP
Multi-currency corporate credit card
Industry-leading FX rates
Free wire transfers and international payments
Loop is offering Fuckup Nights community members 10,000 Loop points when they open a Loop account. Points can be redeemed for a variety of gift cards and travel. Plus, they have some exciting new launches to their rewards program coming up.
How to claim: sign up for a Loop account using this link and use the referral code FUNLOOP10. When you complete your first qualifying transaction, you’ll receive 10,000 points.
Terms and conditions apply.
Your ticket covers admission and you’ll be able to enjoy drinks and food available for purchase from Blue Moon Brewery and FATBAO.
We can’t wait to celebrate the resilience of 3 amazing speakers who'll be sharing their failure stories with us. Come with an open mind, ready to embrace failure, and meet other members of our growing #FuckupNightsTO community!
Get Involved: